The South Butt Vs. The North Face
April 19, 2010, 8:18 am / Categories: Outerwear
Homecoming dances, acne, general awkwardness and mocking those who are different from you are all critical parts of high school life. Jimmy Winkelmann, turned the latter into a business in 2007, creating The South Butt to goof on peers who wore the The North Face.
Forget about TNF’s motto, “Never Stop Exploring,” the TSB jokes, “Never Stop Relaxing.”
Even if you’re smiling, TNF’s squad of lawyers were not and took TSB to court arguing the parody brand was confusing to the buying public. But the day before proceedings were to begin, the two settled out of court Friday, April 2, according to the American Daily Lawyer blog. Terms were not disclosed and lawyers on both sides refused to comment about the details of the settlement.
It looks like the parody brand will continue. As of this writing, products ranging from T-shirts and fleece jackets to backpacks and baby onesies were still available online.
And Winkelmann? Now a college freshman, he seems to be doing okay, too. According to a recent South Butt facebook post, he’s in Florida on spring break, in a hotel room with a killer view of the ocean and “partying hard in panama city with south butt.”
Sounds like he’s both exploring and relaxing, an amicable compromise.
—Stephen Krcmar
- Weekly E-Newsletter
Sign up for our e-news for a weekly update on new gear, adventure travel, and prize giveaways.
- Featured: General
- 'Off The Map' Video Series
- Vending Machine & Repair Kiosk for Bikes
- Review: Bear Grylls Knife
- Featured: Running
- PEAR Square One Review
- Review: MOTOACTV Fitness Tracker
- The Ultimate Barefoot Running Shoe Guide
- Skora Goat Leather Minimal Running Shoes
- Featured: Biking
- Fixed-Gear Bike: Wabi Cycles Lightning
- Kona Paddy Wagon Single Speed Bike
- Raleigh Rush Hour Single Speed Bike
- Jamis Commuter 4
- Latest Articles
- Denver Cruiser Ride is Rolling Party Each Wed. Night
- Swiss Army Knife Sunglasses
- Rocky Mountain High: GearJunkie Writer Commits to 120-Mile Race
- Back From The Tour of California
- UV-Blocking Bike Jersey Eliminates Need for Sunscreen
- 'You Only Live Once' (So do it Right!)
- Seriously, What's Up with Fixed-Gear Freestyle?
- Anker Cancels 'West Ridge' Climb on Everest
- Father of GearJunkie, Age 63, Treks 96 miles Thru Badlands
- DIY, Open-Source Headlamp Design
- Popular Articles
- World's 10 Most Dangerous Mountains
- Rocky Mountain High: GearJunkie Writer Commits to 120-Mile Race
- Swiss Army Knife Sunglasses
- Denver Cruiser Ride is Rolling Party Each Wed. Night
- Best Gear of 10 Years!
- Back From The Tour of California
- Survival Gear: 10 Items To Survive
- Biking Gear Topics & Reviews | Gear Reviews
- Extreme! 4-Wheel Pedal Bike
- Vibram gets 'Naked'
- Technology & Gadget Reviews | Gear Reviews
- SylvanSport GO Camper Trailer Review
- Stove Burns Wood, Charges USB-Powered Gadgets on Side
- UV-Blocking Bike Jersey Eliminates Need for Sunscreen
- Backpack Reviews | Gear Reviews
- Running Shoe & Gear Reviews | Gear Reviews
- Running & Outdoor Shoes | Gear Reviews
- Bear Grylls Knife
- Subaquatic Helmet-Cam Case
- Hiking & Camping Gear Reviews | Gear Reviews
- Center-Mounted Child Bike Seats
- Quechua 2-Second Tent
- Off The Map | Sponsored by Yakima | GearJunkie.com
- 'Best in Show' Awards: Part II of Greatest Gear for 2012
- DIY, Open-Source Headlamp Design
- Friends of Gear Junkie
- Monopoint Media
- The Goat
- Alpinist
- Adventure Blog
- YogaSlackers
- Checkpoint Tracker
- Outdoorzy
- Get Outdoors
- Gear Flogger
- Feed The Habit
- Gear.com
- Adventure Journal
- SuperTopo
- Trailspace
- Outside Online
- iRunFar.com
- UpADowna
- About Adventure Travel
- Cold Splinters
- UpNorthica
- Sender Films
- Venture There
- Wend Magazine
- No Boundaries
- Breathe Magazine
- Elevation Outdoors
- Rock and Ice Magazine
- Trail Runner Magazine
















The settlement probably goes something like this. South Butt will not and can not sell the logo brand that looks like the North Face logo brand to retailers.In other words the parody stays where it belongs under free speech on the internet and sales take place only there.
This is just my opinion and having 40 years of experience in branded textile products I think this is a good opinion. It would be fair to the public to know what is really being allowed since so much of the public decides what they buy and where they buy it and from who.
After all, a parody is about free speech so why aren’t the companies speaking??