For the designers behind the products on shelves now, 2018 is already old news鈥攖hey鈥檙e hard at work on next summer鈥檚 gear (and even the summer-after-that鈥檚 gear). With that in mind, we traveled to Joshua Tree National Park in late April听to hike, climb, run, and get a sneak peek at next year鈥檚 spring line from The North Face. Here are a few of the items we鈥檙e most excited about.听
A New Pack Line ($100 to $320)
The North Face decided to start a new pack line from scratch. The听Griffin (65 and 75 liters), Hydra (26 and 38 liters), Chimera (18 and 24 liters), and an updated Banchee (50 and 65 liters)鈥攁ll in men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 versions鈥攃ome with pivoting hipbelts, back panels you can raise or lower听without taking off the pack, and straps that self-equalize to keep weight equally distributed听even as the pack shifts on your back. The suite of features is collectively named Dyno Carry听and is intended to make the packs fit better and adjust more easily as your load changes and your muscles fatigue. The Griffin has a detachable summit听pack on the outside, where an external mesh pouch would usually go.听All in all, the designs promise to bring something new to the pack market and the North Face line.
Truxel Boot and Shoe
Knit听construction听is听all the rage these days, showing up in everything from running shoes to climbing shoes. With its Truxel听Boot ($150) and Shoe ($140), The North Face gets in on the trend. The boot鈥檚 sleek, slim look is designed to appeal to a younger, more fashion-focused hiker, though we were struck by how comfortable the shoe looks, with its socklike cuff and听ventilated panels along the sides.听
Ampezzo Trail-Running Shoe
The North Face debuted its low-profile, high-cushion XtraFoam midsole听in 2017 in the 听of max-cushioned trail-running shoes and hiking boots. Now it鈥檚 putting that same dual-density midsole into a slightly lighter shoe called the Ampezzo ($130).听With a 20-millimeter stack height (14 in the toe), the Ampezzo听is on the minimal end of the spectrum. But that dual-density XtraFoam midsole, which comprises听a pliant听inner ring听and a denser outer ring, is soft听and forgiving, designed to absorb energy rather than return it.听The Ampezzo won鈥檛 be as fast or responsive as听models with stiff midsoles, but it鈥檚 ideal for slow training runs or long, high-mileage days without the added bulk of a听maximalist shoe.