ISPO Award Winner 2025: The North Face Summit 5050 Advanced Mountain Kit Hoodie

The idea behind the Summit 5050 Advanced Mountain Kit Hoodie is clear: to create a midlayer that enables faster, lighter and more comfortable movement in extreme mountain environments. The combination of 50/50 baffle construction, 1000-fill down insulation and THINDOWN® panels creates an exceptional warmth-to-weight ratio. At the same time, the structure allows for high breathability – essential for athletes moving between intense ascents and cold standstill phases.

The integrated NANOREFLECT™ layer reflects body heat and increases thermal efficiency at high altitudes, while the ultralight Spectra® ripstop fabric provides durability usually reserved for much heavier materials. The hoodie is the result of a holistic approach in which every gram, every seam and every insulation zone was carefully considered.

In collaboration with material scientists, test labs and some of the world’s leading alpinists, the product emerged from hundreds of hours of prototyping, field testing and expedition use. The guiding question: how can warmth be optimized without compromising freedom of movement? How can a midlayer remain functional when intensity and pressure increase? The Summit 5050 Advanced Mountain Kit Hoodie delivers a precise balance of thermal performance, moisture management and mobility.

The Advanced Mountain Kit follows the principle “Athlete Tested. Expedition Proven.” – and the words of Cory Olson, Head of Innovation at The North Face, highlight this even further:

“Every piece in this collection came from the feedback of our athletes – with the goal of moving faster, lighter, or more comfortably in the mountains without compromising protection.”

The new generation of the Advanced Mountain Kit was tested in some of the world’s greatest mountain regions – from the Karakoram to the Canadian Rockies. Athletes like Benjamin Védrines and Christina Lustenberger contributed valuable insights directly influencing the final design decisions. This ranged from harness compatibility to movement while ice climbing or ski mountaineering – every detail was refined iteratively.

“This feedback allows us […] to push the boundaries of what’s possible – through countless lab tests, field tests with athletes and ultimately through extended expeditions,” says Olson.

A key chapter in the development focuses on the women-specific design. Women have long pushed boundaries on the world’s highest peaks, yet for many years there was no Advanced Mountain Kit tuned specifically to their needs. The hoodie was developed together with pro athletes such as Christina Lustenberger and Chantel Astorga. Gender-specific thermal mapping, tailored fits and targeted insulation zones ensure women receive optimal support while climbing, ski touring or moving in mixed terrain. More precise thermal management, improved comfort and better mobility under a pack noticeably enhance performance.

The hoodie’s material technologies are built on the idea of delivering maximum function at minimal weight:

– 50/50 baffle construction combining down and insulation panels for efficient warmth and high breathability

– Ultralight Spectra® ripstop for exceptional tear strength and durability

– NANOREFLECT™ improving thermoregulation

– Non-PFC DWR enhancing weather resistance

– Compressible construction for quick stowability

This balance of protection, warmth and packability makes the The North Face Summit 5050 Advanced Mountain Kit Hoodie an ideal midlayer for fast summit pushes, demanding ski and mixed routes or expeditions with significant elevation gain.

• Balanced ratio of warmth, breathability and packability

• Robust, ultralight materials for demanding alpine use

• Gender-specific fits and insulation mapping

• High freedom of movement through stretch zones and ergonomic construction

• Responsible materials such as RDS-certified down and non-PFC DWR

• Developed and tested with world-leading alpinists