Australian Hiker

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The North Face Men's Terra Peak Jacket Review

For the past 6.5 years I have been wearing The NorthFace Men’s ThermoBall Hoodie and as this excellent jacket heads into sell-out mode, I decided it was time to upgrade to one of the newly released The North Face jackets.

As a company The North Face makes a full range of gear but without a doubt, their thermal jackets, including both down and synthetic models, are the stand-outs and there is a model to suit everyone’s needs. To generalise, down jackets typically ‘feel warmer’ and more comfortable to wear and for a given level of warmth they weigh less. Synthetic jackets have the advantage in that even if they get saturated, they will still keep you warm and while some of the newer down jackets are highly water resistant, the synthetic option still has the advantage. As a result, I will always opt for a synthetic jacket for hiking.

As mentioned, I had been wearing The NorthFace Men’s ThermoBall Hoodie for all my hiking, and for that matter my casual needs. The North Face Men’s Terra Peak Jacket, while not a direct replacement for the ThermoBall, is pretty darn close.

First up this time I opted for a jacket as opposed to a hoodie and from what I have seen on-trail in my time, this is by far the most common option. My decision to change to a jacket from a hoodie was a hard one but I looked at how often I used my hood and decided I was safe using my Merino Wool Buff instead because that always accompanies me on cold weather hikes anyway.

Size wise this jacket comes in men’s sizes ranging from S to XXL and given I’m carrying more weight than I would like at the moment, I opted for the XL size ( I’m 185cm tall and weigh around 110kg).

Before I go into the jacket details, the most noticeable thing about this jacket was when I put it on, it didn’t feel like a synthetic jacket, it actually felt like down. The North Face is still using the ThermoBall™ insulation but my older jacket felt like there were ‘sheets’ of insulation. However, the insulation in the Terra Peak has been ‘blown’ which is how they do down jackets and as such, it has the same feel. This was a real surprise to me!

Colour wise these jackets come in two options; all Black or Fiery Red/Black. As usual, I opted for the lairy colour and went for Fiery Red/Black. Most Australians will tend opt for black, its just the way we are, but at least you have a choice, albeit a small one.

The other features include four-way stretch underarm gusset for additional mobility and piping on the cuffs which ensures they hug your wrists and provide additional protection from wear. In addition, this jacket folds away into its own pocket which is a bit larger than its predecessor but there is nothing from stopping you from just stuffing the jacket inside your pack if you can’t be bothered.

This jacket is definitely a step up from my previous The NorthFace Men’s ThermoBall Hoodie as far as warmth goes. It’s not that my previous jacket didn’t keep me warm, its just that this one keeps me warmer and for a lightweight thermal jacket this will suit most hikers even during the coldest weather. Talking about weight, this jacket comes in at 625 grams (XL size) so definitely doesn’t fit into the ultralight category but it is lightweight and for its weight, very toasty and warm,

Pockets wise there is left and right side hand pockets which are generous enough to fit my large hands well and come with zips in case you are storing any valuables. There is a large stow pocket on the inside left of the jacket which is where you store the jacket if you want to bundle it up. This is a large pocket so if you drop coiners or keys in you will need to go fishing to find them.

The neck size fits my large neck well without choking me and is high enough to keep you warm on the coldest of days.

I didn’t think this jacket would be much different than its predecessor and had assumed the changes would be purely cosmetic but I was wrong! Its comfortable to wear, is toasty and warm and isn’t overly bulky so I am definitely glad to have upgraded to this new model. the Terra Peak will suit most male hikers in all but the coldest conditions so long as you are layering properly.

The North Face Terra Peak Jacket – Fiery Red and Black colour

The North Face Terra Peak Jacket – Black colour

Side view of Tim in his The North Face Men’s Terra Peak Jacket in Fiery Red/Black colour

The North Face Terra Peak Jacket side view showing the underarm gusset

The North Face Terra Peak Jacket back view

Side Pockets on the Men’s Terra Peak Jacket. My hands and part of the wrist managed to fully disappear into the jacket if I want them to!

Stow pocket on the Men’s Terra Peak Jacket

Tim’s Terra Peak Jacket inside its stow pouch

We Like

• Super lightweight, insulated jacket will keep you warm in three seasons
• Body fabric and overlay made with recycled nylon
• Self fabric overlay on yoke and upper sleeves
• Four-way stretch underarm gusset for additional mobility
• Blown ThermoBall™ synthetic insulation in channels helps keep you warm even when wet. It feels like a down jacket!
• Standing collar to keep your neck warm
• Exposed centre front zip with an internal draft flap and chin guard
• Brushed tricot lining at top of draft flap for added comfort
• Internal, drop-in chest pocket for the little stuff
• Covered, secure-zip hand pockets
• Pieced-in, stretch interlock cuffs
• Elastic-bound hem

We Don't Like

• A bigger colour range would be nice
• The stowed size is bigger than I prefer

Buy One

You can purchase The North Face Men’s Terra Peak Jacket online from The North Face

Best Uses

• Great choice for your layering system
• A good three/four season jacket as part of a layering system
• For the lightweight hikers

Tim wearing The North Face Terra Peak Jacket. This is the ideal jacket when you get a range of temperatures, just change the layering underneath

Investment

AUD $350.00 RRP

Other Versions

• The North Face produces a range of jackets in varying weights with the Terra Peak being one of the lightest
• Also available in vest, hooded and Hoodie versions

The North Face is obviously doing something right because when we travel overseas we see a lot of rip off versions around

Disclaimer

This review was done with product provided by The North Face

Last updated

24 November 2024

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