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The North Farce

Original Post
Tom Hanson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 950

I don't mean to sound like a curmudgeon, but I am really disgusted with seeing the general public, and especially climbers, wearing jackets with The North Farce logo on it.
Take a $35.00 jacket, stitch a North Farce logo on it and sell it for $125.00 to posers with a pocketbook.

Josh Olson · · Durango, CO · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 255

Are you upset with the price, the quality? Why does it disgust you?

Tom Hanson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 950

Josh,

I'm not losing sleep over it but:

Take a $35.00 jacket, stitch a North Farce logo on it and sell it for $125.00 ?

....and people actually shell out the $125.00 Bwahahaha.

Jeff Johnston · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Sep 2010 · Points: 110

You are wise before your years. take that knowlege and use it to spot the noobs and posers; than you know whom you do not wish to climb with.

Oh BTW where do you live Tom Hanson? It hard to find much more than a wind breaker form any brand thats warm for much less than a $100.00. I dont know about you but my 250.00 coat is pretty toasy when its negitive 25 F out side.

Josh Olson · · Durango, CO · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 255

I agree with you a bit. The two pieces of north face gear that I've had were not of the highest quality, whereas my two pieces of mountain hardwear gear has been. It irks me that people buy TNF brand over better and similarly priced equipment, but that makes it a lot easier to pick out the posers.

On the other hand, Greg Child, Peter Croft, Renan Ozturk, Lisa Rands, Matt Segal, Daniel Woods, etc. use the gear and like it. Or the money, I guess.

Matt N · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 415

and I'm upset about the people in Kansas wearing 'boardshorts' - you don't have a freaking ocean why does your mall have a quiksilver store?

How about Patagucci? Or Chinese made C4s? What else upsets you?

Mitch Musci · · Estes Park, CO · Joined Apr 2002 · Points: 665

For the record, I own a pair of lightweight softshell pants from North Face and for the past 2 years they have been my favorite pant for climbing, running, and biking. I bought the pants at a retail store for about $80, they are a simple pant constructed of 91% nylon, 9% elastaine, made in Bangladesh.

Oh and I also own a super warm fleece by them made of polartec thermal pro, stretch side panels...all the same features of a comparable Patagonia fleece, at a similar price.

Obviously The North Face has a bunch of clothing and gear for gumbies, but you're actually missing out by disregarding their nicer lines (ie summit series). FYI Arcteryx is now making most of their high-end shells circa $450 and up in China. I'd bet their margins are just as high as The North Face.

Dave Swink · · Boulder, Co · Joined Jun 2007 · Points: 285
Mitch Musci wrote:For the record, I own a pair of lightweight softshell pants from North Face
So, you are saying you are a poser, right?
BackCountry Sortor · · Ogden, UT · Joined Oct 2009 · Points: 400

So, anyone with a North Face jacket is a poser? I can understand apathy, but disgust? Maybe you should get out and climb Tom.

Josh Kornish · · Whitefish, MT · Joined Sep 2009 · Points: 800

This is pretty much what I want about all day! The wilderness chic here in Montana is ridiculous. I'm not a North Face fan by any means. What really grinds my gears are all the kids with North Face everything walking around campus with their Evolve or Mad Rock shoes dangling from their packs.

Buff Johnson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Dec 2005 · Points: 1,145

Long live the South Butt!

S Denny · · Aspen, CO · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 20

the north face stuff is good stuff. just because everyone owns a denali fleece doesn't mean they make bad gear. i was on that train at one point in my life... bit i've since opened my eyes

not to mention... honnold, croft and many others making decisions to keep their stuff rockin'

Bud Martin · · Bozeman, MT · Joined Apr 2010 · Points: 380

Good enough for Alex Lowe, good enough for me.

Brian Croce · · san diego, CA · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 60

TNF makes some crap like denali fleece... but they also make some very good gear ie. summit line series.

cry about it?

Joe Huggins · · Grand Junction · Joined Oct 2001 · Points: 105

I like a term that I've read,(never heard it used),"mountainsexual".It apparently refers to a guy (why not a woman?Don't know)who wears pricey,sexy outdoor gear,but never does anything in the hills.It's a prop,and he's a poser.
I remember when Marmot started making gear that was just 'effin awesome,and Wayne Gregory started making packs that were the best available anywhere.Now, you see once elite brands splashed around Whole Foods and Target.It's enough to engender disgust in any "real" climber.For the record,I think Arc'teryx is probably the "coolest" brand at the moment.
In his book "Virtual Light",William Gibson describes a character whose job is "cool hunter";she finds products with street cred derived from intangible and obvious factors.An interesting concept.
Tom,you've logged the hours necessary to know bs from real;and I totally relate to your views on it.
On the positive side-think of the business opportunities created for new brands when the old standards lose their "cool"...
Joe Huggins (can't change back to my real name yet)

Jonny Greenlee · · Denver, CO · Joined Oct 2010 · Points: 280

I really should spend more time worrying about the brands I wear to ensure that people do not realize I'm a poser...

What if it is on sale, and you leave the price sticker on, so it is clear that you didn't get suckered into paying $125- does that balance things out?

the Oracle · · Delphi · Joined May 2011 · Points: 30
Tom Hanson wrote:I don't mean to sound like a curmudgeon, but I am really disgusted with seeing the general public, and especially climbers, wearing jackets with The North Farce logo on it. Take a $35.00 jacket, stitch a North Farce logo on it and sell it for $125.00 to posers with a pocketbook.
All the brands are the same.

You're wasting your time (& life) finding meaningless reasons to differentiate yourself from and disparage others.

Get over it, and your own frail insecure ego.
Tom Hanson · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2001 · Points: 950

I see that I've really stepped on some toes by criticizing a trendy brand that many climbers and non-climbers identify with.
I should reveal that I have my own personal reasons for dissing the brand, aside from the fact that I see so many obese and pasty white members of the general non-climbing populous sporting their gear.
Yes, I realize that even overweight and pale people, who only experience the outdoors when it involves fighting for the closest parking space so they don't have to walk too far from their car to the restaurant, deserve to have warm clothing too.
As a small wholesaler who has been selling a tiny climbing guide to a minor area, and for such little profit that it is really more of a service than source of income, I take umbrage with the fact that in almost twenty years a North Farce store is the only retailer who has stiffed me on a delivery of books.
That was close to twenty years ago and I would have been very forgiving if it was some mom and pop store that was barely making ends meet, but no, it was the largest corporation that I've ever done business with so I never pass up an opportunity to talk smack about their thirty five dollar jackets with their ninety dollar advertisements/logos ($35.00 + $90.00 = $125.00)
If you like their gear keep buying it.
As PT Barnum once said: "There's a sucker born every minute."

Jeff Stephens · · Carbondale, CO · Joined Sep 2008 · Points: 80

You sound like a curmudgeon. Don't like TNF, don't buy it. It's really really easy to avoid. Your personal gripe has nothing to do with the climbing community or the actual products TNF sells. You have a personal butt-hurt. Talk to a butt-hurt therapist.

Wade J. · · Boulder, CO · Joined Aug 2011 · Points: 25

If I buy a TNF jacket used of MP.com am I still a poser?

Maybe we should stop using carabiners cause of all the fat dudes walking around using them as keychains. Then we can all just go bouldering.

Peter Stokes · · Them Thar Hills · Joined Apr 2009 · Points: 150

Warmest jacket I have was made by Carter Industries for Air Force security personnel... blows all that TNF stuff away, and I paid something like $7 for it (used)... might have to sew a "South Butt" logo on it someday, though

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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