1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket

Name: The North Face 1996 Retro Nuptse Jacket
Brand: The North Face
SKU: the-north-face-1996-retro-nuptse
Price: 330 USD

Jackets & Outerwear

$330

The North Face’s jackets run $100 – $700

About The North Face’s jackets: The North Face built its outerwear reputation on expedition gear, and its current jacket line runs from packable rain shells to serious down parkas. The retro reissues of its 1990s alpine designs — the Nuptse above all — are what owners actually buy, wear and talk about.

Is the price honest?

At $330 it sits mid-pack in the premium tier, and part of that price is the jacket's streetwear status rather than technical content. The down is real goose down and the shell is sturdier than most fashion puffers, though, so the premium buys something — it just isn't all fabric.

Our take

The 1996 Retro Nuptse is The North Face's reissue of its mid-90s expedition puffer and the one style its outerwear name now rides on. Owners buy it for genuine warmth — 700-fill goose down in a boxy, glossy shell — and reviewers consistently rate it warm enough for everyday winter wear over just a base layer. The caveats are just as consistent: the hood is uninsulated, the short hem lets in drafts when arms are raised, and it is water-resistant, not waterproof.

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The details

Material: A 40-denier recycled ripstop nylon shell with reinforced 50-denier shoulder panels and a non-PFC DWR finish, insulated with 700-fill-power goose down.
Fit: The cut is boxy and cropped, ending just below the waistband, with a relaxed body that layers easily over sweaters and hoodies. Most owners take their usual size, but some reviewers suggest sizing up for winter layering.
Quality: Testers describe a reassuringly durable feel from the ripstop shell and reinforced shoulders, and long-term owners report it holds up in hard use. The functional gaps are the down-free hood and cold-air gaps at the hem when you raise your arms.
Best for: Right for cold, dry city winters and for anyone who wants one warm, recognizable down jacket that works as casualwear rather than a technical shell.
Care: The care label permits machine washing and tumble drying; use a gentle cold cycle and low heat so the down lofts back up.