After 30 Years Unchanged, The North Face Debuts Redesigns ‘Icons RMST’ Line

More than 32 years after launching its Expedition System of clothing, the brand’s most significant innovations finally get an upgrade.

Way back in the halcyon days of 1990, the outdoor industry looked quite different. 

That’s when The North Face first debuted some of its own iconic garments, including the Nuptse Jacket, Himalayan Parka, and Denali Jacket. Billed as the most “technically advanced clothing system,” the products aimed to withstand the harshest conditions in the world.

Now the outdoor company has “remastered” its most famous outdoor apparel for a new generation. The Icons RMST line maintains the styles and intent of the original designs while upgrading them for the first time in over 30 years.

Updates include improvements in fabric, zippers, seams, down, and more.

“RMST continues the legacy of our original Icons — built for alpine exploration — and reimagines them through a contemporary lens,” David Whetstone, senior design manager at The North Face, said in a press release.

“We’ve integrated technology from our most pinnacle products, maintained iconic design DNA, and modernized fit. It’s the products we love, updated.”

Icons RMST Jacket Details

This new collection offers a variety of reimagined designs. They include the RMST Nuptse Jacket, RMST Denali Jacket, RMST Futurelight Mountain Jacket, and the RMST Himalayan Parka.

The pieces come with a range of improvements, like upgraded waterproof fabric and reverse-coil (two-way) zippers. There’s also now a loop at the center back of many of these garments for integrating additional clothing.

The North Face designers used lighter-weight fabric with even higher ratings for windproofing, the brand told us. Taped seams improve waterproofing. And the RMST line uses 50/50 down, which combines down with a polyester-nylon blend to fill the baffles.

The line doesn’t end at jackets, either. Men’s and women’s RMST Mountain Pants get articulated knees, a relaxed fit, and moisture-wicking FlashDry-XD fabric.

Most of the products in the Icons RMST line are available in multiple colors. Pieces range from $189 (Mountain Pants) to $700 MSRP (top-of-the-line Himalayan Parka) and will be available in the U.S., Canada, and other stores around the globe.

The RMST Nuptse Jacket costs $500, for both men and women. The Denali Jacket will cost $290, and the women’s RMST Down Hoodie lands at $350.

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