When The North Face athlete Alex Honnold decided to ride his bike 2,600 miles across the American West with Tommy Caldwell for a more sustainable travel approach in his new documentary The Devil’s Climb, he might have wanted to know that his sponsors were about to unveil a hybrid vehicle that would have cut weeks off their grueling journey.
We’re used to writing about the latest innovations in synthetic insulation, waterproof technology and midsoles from brands like TNF – all technology designed to help you stay protected as you go further into the backcountry on two feet. But the brand took us by surprise yesterday when it announced that its latest product isn’t a waterproof jacket or a pair of trail running shoes but instead comes with four-wheel drive.
Advnture joined The North Face in Courmayeur, Italy, under the shadow of Mont Blanc for the unveiling of the new Jeep Avenger 4Xe TNF edition, which officially arrives in 2025. Only 4,806 models of the SUV will be produced, a nod to the 4,806-meter Mont Blanc that features heavily in the design of the car, which General Manager of TNF Europe Mariano Alonso says has both “concrete and very emotional value” to the brand.
“For decades we’ve been using this territory to explore and to further evolve and to innovate and explore ways to progress in the way we are evolving in mountaineering.”
With a fair amount of high-profile controversy in recent years surrounding outdoor events partnering with car manufacturers, this collaboration might come as a surprise. Elite ultra runners Zach Miller and Kilian Jornet wrote an open letter in early 2024 questioning Dascia’s sponsorship of the UTMB (Hoka took over as title sponsor this year) and Damian Hall staged a protest against Ford Motors at the finish line of the Tors des Geants race this summer. However, representatives from TNF say they feel the collaboration is a natural fit.
“For more than half a century we have tried to nurture curiosity and an adventurous spirit,” says Alonso.
“With this partnership between Jeep and the North Face we are disrupting positively and going into new territory and we are very excited and passionate about it.”
TNF design director Darren Shooter agrees, calling the similarities between the two brands “almost scary.”
“It’s not just about brand aesthetics, it’s also about core values,” says Shooter, pointing to the “shared love for the outdoors” and passion to empower people to explore further as shared values between the iconic brands.
The two American brands have a long heritage of getting people off-road and into the backcountry, and Jeeps have long been a vehicle of choice for mountain dwellers thanks to their high clearance and four-wheel drive capability. So it arguably makes more sense than that bizarre collaboration with high fashion brand Gucci from 2021. Taking the sting out of the announcement is the news that the vehicle is a hybrid, offering a more sustainable approach to motorized travel.
So does this Jeep climb vertical rock cliff faces and Himalayan peaks like TNF athletes? Not exactly. The technical details were all placed safely in the hands of Jeep engineers (it's essentially the same car as the Avenger launched in 2022), but the special edition has some TNF flair (and function).
“I guess where we’re going with this is this concept of iconic design meets protection in the outdoors,” says Shooter.
What it does is sport some fun features for lovers of adventure, above and beyond accents in the Summit Gold colorway first developed in 1985 for the Mountain Jacket to make athletes visible on the mountain. Here are our five favorites:
1. Your feet are "always on the mountain"
Whenever you’re out in the wilderness exploring the mountains, a topo map is essential, and Shooter says that’s why the designers of this Jeep took a scanner up Mont Blanc – where Alpinism began 250 years ago – and got a 3D image of the mountain’s topography.
The mountain’s contour lines feature like a motif throughout the design including on the floor mats of the driver and passenger side, so that even when you’re stuck in traffic on I-70 trying to get to the mountains on a powder day, your feet are always on Mont Blanc. Gimmicky? Sure, but cute? Also sure.
2. The seats are as plush as your favorite puffer
In addition to looking to nature, designers drew inspiration from some of The North Face’s most iconic pieces of gear, including the Nuptse puffer, and have incorporated them into the car. All five seats feature cushioning with baffle construction similar to the iconic down jacket and when we got to hop in the driver's seat, we found it to be noticeably plush and comfortable for long, rugged adventures.
3. You can stash your gear like a mountaineer
Missed out on shotgun? No worries, if you’ve been relegated to the back seat, the seatbacks in front of you have pockets made with the bungee-style webbing found on mountaineering backpacks like the TNF Borealis so you can tuck away your extra layers, water bottle, snacks and anything else you need for the journey.
4. No glare, stay aware
One thing the two brands impressed upon us was their shared interest in protection, and we can’t argue with that. If you’re going to tackle a gnarly dirt road to get halfway up a Colorado 14er so you can cut down your hike time, a Jeep is a pretty safe option to do so in. And if you’re going to spend hours on a mountain in sub-zero temperatures, take your chances on the Summit Torre Egger Futurelight Jacket to keep you warm and dry.
The hood of the Jeep is emblazoned with the North Face logo and the contour lines of Mont Blanc, which we’re assured doesn’t just look cool; it reportedly cuts down on glare when you’re cruising through snowy regions on sunny days. And that’s a good thing, too, because The North Face no longer makes sunglasses.
5. This car comes with extra gears
Okay, not literally. This automatic vehicle just has your standard drive, reverse and neutral gear settings, operated by buttons on the dash. But if you are one of the few to buy one of these vehicles it comes with a box full of kit from The North Face, including a Summit Series tent so you can park and pitch without worrying about your car and tent clashing.
We doubt it will make up for the price of the car, but it’s definitely a nice perk if you’re planning to buy this car for mountain adventures and not just to look cool in the city.
