The North Face Advanced Mountain Kit: Astronomical Prices

What's everyones take on the new "Advanced Mountain Kit" that North Face just released. The gear looks sweet but the prices are borderline offensive. Most pieces are double the price of comparable pieces from competitors.

https://www.thenorthface.com/shop-by/advanced-mountain-kit.html

My take is they should sell it for the highest price they can get. If people don't buy it, they might lower the price. And it is very expensive. $300-$375 for gloves?

Austin Malletwrote:

The gear looks sweet

that's how they getcha

Austin Malletwrote:

but the prices are borderline offensive

and that's how they gotcha

I love the guy holding Nomics like he's about to go send WI5 at 8,000m in huge down mittens and an Everest summit parka.  Must have the handles opened up to the "large" size.   

Coming soon to social media near you: Colin O'Brady posing wearing the complete getup in the "alpine", with a whole support crew and a Land Rover just out of frame.

Kyle Tarrywrote:

I love the guy holding Nomics like he's about to go send WI5 at 8,000m in huge down mittens and an Everest summit parka.  Must have the handles opened up to the "large" size.  

Andres Marin very well could be climbing WI5 (Ai5) at high elevations 

Wealthy Drs with enough money for an Everest permit aren't going bat an eye that their "top of the line" get up cost $2000 more than the competing brands. 

Kyle Tarrywrote:

I love the guy holding Nomics like he's about to go send WI5 at 8,000m in huge down mittens and an Everest summit parka.  Must have the handles opened up to the "large" size.   

Coming soon to social media near you: Colin O'Brady posing wearing the complete getup in the "alpine", with a whole support crew and a Land Rover just out of frame.

To echo the previous comment: That's Andres. He's doing nearly exactly the thing you describe, most weeks of the year. He's also sweeter than a fuckin' strawberry and an unmatched joy to be around.

Available right now on social media near you: some doofus who cannot understand that a great many people actually go out and crush it every day

Some really cool design elements in the kit explained here. youtube.com/watch?v=T8Lp5da…

I just cant wait to see the $750 packs carrying a rope, draws, and bluetooth speaker up to the sport park in boulder canyon

Pat Lightwrote:

To echo the previous comment: That's Andres. He's doing nearly exactly the thing you describe, most weeks of the year. He's also sweeter than a fuckin' strawberry and an unmatched joy to be around.

Available right now on social media near you: some doofus who cannot understand that a great many people actually go out and crush it every day

Guys, I think you're missing your sense of humor today.  Andres is a badass, no need to read into it like I'm dissing the entirety of the guy's very impressive climbing career.  Just having a chuckle at marketing photos.

The purple is fugly and the prices are insane. I like the reds though.

 600 dollars for a backpack and 300 dollars for a pair of softshell gloves? Even special-purpose glove brands don't dare charge that much. 

These are either anchor pieces to sell more moderately priced alternatives or they are a stunt to try and reclaim a part of the high-performance market they have lost due to shoddy quality and weird collabs.

And as said, a small part of consumers won't bat an eye at spending an exorbitant amount of money when it's from a brand they think is best. 

They must be Canadian dollars, eh? And I thought Arc'teryx was expensive...

Eh, this is a desperate attempt for TNF to look like an outfitter.  We all know they sold their soul.

The money is in the urban people wanting the be in the outdoors.  Dirtbags can't afford this stuff.  If they can, there are other brands with better warranties, gears, and arguably prices.

Gumby Kingwrote:

Eh, this is a desperate attempt for TNF to look like an outfitter.  We all know they sold their soul.

And the rest who sold their souls ....;) 

Strings Attachedwrote:

And the rest who sold their souls ....;) 

Why do I want to brush my teeth now with Stride?

The North Face?

Isn’t that one of those fashion companies owned by Conde Nast magazines that sometimes pretends to be a gear manufacturer in an attempt to cash in on overstoked scenester morons?

(Edit: VFC is not the same as Vanity Fair publications. See posts below for why this was a dumb thing for me to try to connect.)

You know, so they can charge $200 for a pair of cotton socks?

The global ocean is on the cusp of getting so warm that we all might literally run out of breathable oxygen, but sure, lets keep funneling “disposable income” (what a phrase…) to the worst kind of people.

Fuck TNF.

Gumby Kingwrote:

Why do I want to brush my teeth now with Stride?

Stride called. MP's professional social media influencers can claim a free bottle with every brand imprint.

Brent Kellywrote:

The North Face?

Isn’t that one of those fashion companies owned by Conde Nast magazines that sometimes pretends to be a gear manufacturer in an attempt to cash in on overstoked scenester morons?

You know, so they can charge $200 for a pair of cotton socks?

The global ocean is on the cusp of getting so warm that we all might literally run out of breathable oxygen, but sure, lets keep funneling “disposable income” (what a phrase…) to the worst kind of people.

Fuck TNF.

North face is owned by VF, they own a lot of big apparel brands, including Vans, Timberland, Altra, do you hate Altra and Vans too?  Do luxury brands like Gucci offend you?  Items like their Gucci collaboration appeal to a small market.  Crocs did a collaboration with Balenciaga - do we hate Crocs now???  Some people do choose to spend their money on designer items instead of the newest lightest cams, be glad they do otherwise there would be way too many people at the cliff.

So for people who have 'disposable income' to spend on luxury items, what do you propose they spend their money on instead?  Ocean cooling technology?  They should have it taxed away from them?  What is the correct amount of money to have to spend?  Seems to me the answer is usually determined as 'anything more than what I have is excess'

And...exactly which brands pass your test?  Are there any brands that don't manufacture in Asia and try to turn a profit?

Just buy cheap Eddie Bauer shit and send. 

A V wrote:

no, it's colgate that you want for your next big gnar sending adventure 

Ah man, I went all Gumby on that one.  I mixed up several commercials.
--
The Gucci and TNF collaboration is a Gucci product (not TNF).  Only Gucci sold those, not TNF.

Dan COwrote:

 Do luxury brands like Gucci offend you?  

short answer: yes.