What exactly does The North Face sell to make it a "climbing company" aside from just huge sponsorships?

caesar.salad wrote:

How is RedBull an extreme sports company? All they do is make energy drinks.

Same thing.

Ouch... It's a bit unfair to compare any outdoor/climbing equipment clothing company to RedBull, where most of their athletes don't even consume the product.

They sponsor boulders and sport climbers which gives the false impression that they would sell those types of products, when in reality outside of streetwear it's all heavily snow-based gear.  

Math Bert wrote:

Sure - and they make skis, splitboard, bindings, and all the outerwear associated with those activities, which I would wager is a larger end market than climbing. My point here is only that the original question is nonsensical. 

That didn't come across, as BD does make hardware, not just soft goods, so you know: big diff. 

great boots (and yes, i do consider them climbing gear)

They sell the idea of climbing. 

Jordan Wilson wrote:

They sponsor boulders and sport climbers which gives the false impression that they would sell those types of products, when in reality outside of streetwear it's all heavily snow-based gear.  

You're joking, right? Do you really think people pay that much attention to sponsorship?

They sell thousands of products, but the stoke people get from signaling their virtue and being on the right side by wearing the WALLS ARE MEANT FOR CLIMBING tshirt is both free and priceless.

Marc801 C wrote:

You're joking, right? Do you really think people pay that much attention to sponsorship?

I mean d woods is one of their big sponsors, what he selling other than shirts and beanies?   I'm sure enough people pay attention to also want to boulder in a TNF beanie because they see it plastered all over every Mellow video. 

This thread brings back stark memories.  As a knuckleheaded Gumby, I bought this Hurricane drill from A5 Adventures, in a back alley garage-type shop in Flagstaff,  from who I think was John Middendorf himself in 1992 or so. Earlier that day I had bought a rope, several ovals, a buttload of tubular webbing and 6 bolts/hangers, and the drill rounded out my entire rack.  I vividly remember everyone in the shop excitedly asking where I was putting routes in and wishing me luck.  The stoke was such an inspirational moment and validated my desire to FA rather than follow chalked lines. That day changed the trajectory of my life. When A5 sold to TNF, at the time I thought it was cool.  How naive I was!  Over the years it slowly disappeared into oblivion, swallowed by the necessity of profit.  All the vision, craftmanship, and stoke are nothing but memories, while the tool they made still functions as well as the day I bought it.  Last March, at the top of a route, I found the original hammer that I had unknowingly dropped 30 years ago that I placed my first bolt with. 

Jake Jones wrote:

They sell thousands of products, but the stoke people get from signaling their virtue and being on the right side by wearing the WALLS ARE MEANT FOR CLIMBING tshirt is both free and priceless.

Virtue Signaling Person: "Walls are meant for climbing"

My friend: do a new route

Virtue Signaling Person: "you could have ruined access for everyone"

My friend: "It is an established climbing area and the route is like 15 feet to the right of the other route"

reboot wrote:

Ouch... It's a bit unfair to compare any outdoor/climbing equipment clothing company to RedBull, where most of their athletes don't even consume the product.

I called out one of them for that once, she said she does consume it, I called BS

Kyran Keisling wrote:

This thread brings back stark memories.  As a knuckleheaded Gumby, I bought this Hurricane drill from A5 Adventures, in a back alley garage-type shop in Flagstaff,  from who I think was John Middendorf himself in 1992 or so. Earlier that day I had bought a rope, several ovals, a buttload of tubular webbing and 6 bolts/hangers, and the drill rounded out my entire rack.  I vividly remember everyone in the shop excitedly asking where I was putting routes in and wishing me luck.  The stoke was such an inspirational moment and validated my desire to FA rather than follow chalked lines. That day changed the trajectory of my life. When A5 sold to TNF, at the time I thought it was cool.  How naive I was!  Over the years it slowly disappeared into oblivion, swallowed by the necessity of profit.  All the vision, craftmanship, and stoke are nothing but memories, while the tool they made still functions as well as the day I bought it.  Last March, at the top of a route, I found the original hammer that I had unknowingly dropped 30 years ago that I placed my first bolt with. 

Great gear photo.

I remember that shop in Flagstaff.  The only time I ever met John, though, was out in the middle of the Sawtooths.  Complete happenstance, though my climbing partner had been trying to track him down to talk business.  I think he had just come out of the Karakoram, because he pointed over his shoulder, commenting how the Sawtooths sort of looked like a Karakoram in minuature.  He goes on to hand me this stack of hand drawn notes on the Sawtooths, and I think some things in the Winds, to include some recent Quinlan routes.  5.7 billion people in the world, and we meet the 1 guy we were looking for, not even realizing he was back in the US.

caesar.salad wrote:

How is RedBull an extreme sports company? All they do is make energy drinks.

Actually, Red Bull doesn't even make energy drinks.  They are literally just a marketing company.  All of the manufacturing is done by others,

old5ten wrote:

great boots (and yes, i do consider them climbing gear)

Been looking at their futurelight boots as an option for double boots. How warm would you rate them for? Lower 48 winter alpine capable? 6000m boot equivalent? How much does the different liners change the warmth?

Down belay skirts.

Uknown Unknown wrote:

Been lingering in my mind for sometime now, but The North Face sponsors huge climbing athletes such that are all well known in the community. They also sponsor many events, and their athletes are repping their logo on their pullover sweater. 

When you actually check out the north face's store, all they sell is apparel. There are no technical items such as rope, climbing shoes, devices, hardware, soft goods etc etc, it's pure apparel. None of the apparel you can actually climb comfortably in as well. The pants functionality is below average compared to its competitors, their tshirts are just tshirts, They've got some unpractical bags. 

How exactly is a company like this so huge in the climbing world but sell absolutely no climbing gear???????

I ask because very often I look on their website after seeing their huge athletes wear it, then when I'm on their website I have absolutely no interest in anything they sell because there's nothing I can buy? 

If so - you and North Face are exactly alike. 

Based on THIS GRAPH, The North Face is not a climbing company, they're a falling company.

If you're going to gatekeep, maybe keep a gate people actually care to enter?

I work for TNF, so maybe I can give some slightly more in depth perspective: TNF does not sell much technical gear that is correct, but also neither does Patagonia so I don’t really understand the gripe. The company has always prioritized apparel and has continued to make specialized apparel for a variety of activities. TNF has always been a climbing brand, they designed some of the most popular jackets sold to the public for specific athletes and routes. A good example of this is the Denali jacket, that fleece everyone you know could recognize if it’s pointed out. That was designed for and used by Todd Skinner on the FFA of the Salathe.

This year alone they debuted the project pant with durable tear resistant fabric and strategically placed seams to increase range of motion, as well as the route set pant with tool pockets and loops for work on the wall.

This fall they are expanding and consolidating the summit series line releasing both high alpine climbing apparel and backcountry ski apparel in the same category due to the big increase in multi-disciplinary athletes and to increase the versatility of those products. They are also releasing technical footwear including a stupid lightweight approach shoe with a boa fit tightening system and a range of boots as well and the price point is much more friendly than the popular alternatives from La Sportiva.  

The technical gear they do make is designed primarily for high alpine missions and ski descents their packs, specifically the cobra 65 and the Snowmad 34 (which I own and use extensively) are amazing for their intended use.

I don’t understand why brands have to pass a purity test in order to be a “climbing brand.” Why does anyone care that most people want a warm coat for winter that looks good on them and that they don’t really give a shit if they can go into the alpine with it, and more importantly why does this purity test not extend to brands like Patagonia, Royal Robbins, or Prana? To the best of my knowledge those companies sell even LESS technical climbing equipment.

Neil Chugh wrote:

I work for TNF, so maybe I can give some slightly more in depth perspective: TNF does not sell much technical gear that is correct, but also neither does Patagonia so I don’t really understand the gripe.

I don’t understand why brands have to pass a purity test in order to be a “climbing brand.” Why does anyone care that most people want a warm coat for winter that looks good on them and that they don’t really give a shit if they can go into the alpine with it, and more importantly why does this purity test not extend to brands like Patagonia, Royal Robbins, or Prana? To the best of my knowledge those companies sell even LESS technical climbing equipment.

Recall that the OP is 24 and doesn't understand how the world works just yet.

I am also 24 and don’t know how the world works