I must confess to all, my "sin" of having assumed North Face products were simply overpriced yuppie wear for urban wannabe mountaineers.
I changed my opinion once I compared the design and material quality with Patagonia and Sierra Designs jackets. The superiority of the Apex jacket was immediately evident, as felt by the density of the fabric, and the additional "heft" versus the other brands.
The perceived durability factor almost seems to be DOUBLE over the other jackets I handled. The extra consideration given to small details and user-friendly features is quite impressive.
I would have LOVED having this quality of outerwear as an Infantryman during my two decades of "humping a ruck".
I would have liked to patronize my local outdoor gear store,...uh, but NOT for $129.99 for this jacket.
Thanks Backcountry.com,...I shall be buying more!