8 Best Men’s North Face Vests (Review) In 2020

The Aconcagua Vest is comfortable, it gives you great range of motion—it just works as a whole. You can really feel the difference between the polyester blend here, and the slick almost rubber-like material on department store knock-offs. This polyester immediately houses your body heat to create a comfortable and warm environment the second you pull the zipper up. Even if you decide to leave it open, you can still get a nice little boost of warmth.

I will say this though: the zipper pocket on the left breast is fairly useless. You’re not going to be able to store more than a flip phone in here, and you’ll be able to feel it through the inside area. It’s not very effective for storage.

The Apex Canyonwall Vest came close to being the best mens Northface vest, but fell ever so short. This simple vest brings in some serious style, no matter which of their varied designs you choose from. This vest is arguably more functional than it is just stylish though. For starters, you have a rather high 100+ CFM rating, which is basically the measurement system used for waterproofing. It’s similar to IP and IPX ratings that you might know from electronic devices.

This makes your vest pretty water repellent, but without sacrificing breathability. You can zip it up to get the full weather-resistant effect while walking. Beyond the simple function of keeping your warm and dry, there’s also four pockets in total.

As one of the best North Face vests for men, we were a bit surprised to find that The Junction Insulated Vest wasn’t machine washable. It’s a bit of an inconvenience, but nothing major. What we did find was that it has two excellent side pockets that can fit your hands, and keep them warm. This vest comes with a balance of insulation for warmth, and stellar aesthetics that keep you looking sharp in any of their available designs.

Vest collars are usually a hit or miss. Sometimes they’re uncomfortable, sometimes they do their job without causing irritation. The Junction Vest collar is the perfect balance between being comfortable, and keeping you warm. There’s no available insulation rating for this vest, but we would wager that it’s great for fall, and decent for the start of winter. The subtle zip-up design looks seamless, and keeps a very smart look about the entire thing. Be aware of the price point, which can fluctuate quite a bit depending on what size you pick. The North Face makes these vests in a wide range of sizes, from small to double extra-large, as well as six different styles. For your outdoor adventures, we have prepared our selection of the best tactical vests, so take a moment to check them out.

While they’re not the most insulated vests, Gordon Lyons is basically your go-to for maximum style and a good bit of thermal protection in the fall. Designed with a stand-up collar and loose fit, it’s just ultra-comfortable, albeit it at the cost of its insulation rating. Regardless of which style you choose, you’ll fall in love with this vest. That is, unless you throw it in the washing machine. It’s made with recycled fleece and polyester, which is fantastic for the environment and good on your conscience, but it will tatter and mat up even if you have a HE washer. This is something you need to get dry cleaned from time to time.

There’s a breast pocket right under the North Face logo, but at most, the stripe for the zipper stip is aesthetically pleasing, and that’s it. It’s a very small pocket that I wouldn’t really store anything in, especially since you can feel it poke through the other side. The North Face makes these vests in a wide range of sizes, from small to double extra-large, as well as six different styles. If you are a fan of this amazing material, be sure to check out our reviews of the best fleece jackets.

Thermoball is one of those lineups from North Face that you love to see, but you wouldn’t choose during the winter. Despite this vest proclaiming to help keep you insulated, Thermoball Evo Vest is actually kind of thin. It’s still a viable option for fall, but it’s not something I’d wear while trudging around in the snow. The interior pockets are great for storage, and the exterior pockets are excellent to keep your hands warm while you’re walking.

They made this with a semi-waterproof shell. It doesn’t absorb water, so the light level of insulation that you do have will still be effective even if you get caught in the rain. Just watch out for the zipper. When you zip the collar up all the way, you can feel it on the bottom of your chin a bit, which can get annoying. The North Face makes these vests in a wide range of sizes, from small to double extra-large, as well as six different styles. If you are looking for the perfect solution for rainy days, be sure to read our comprehensive guide to the best rain jackets.

I know that personally, I don’t like it when clothing makes me feel choked (which is why I don’t wear turtleneck sweaters). The 1996 collar is plush, but gives plenty of room to feel comfortable while helping you keep the heat in. The thing is, that collar has a little secret—a hood that tucks inside of it. That’s a cool design element, but the hood itself is kind of useless. It ruins the heat retention of the collar, and it just doesn’t feel comfortable.

As for the rest of your vest, it’s basically like being in a miniature heater. 1996 Retro Nuptse Vest is definitely a wintertime vest, because the thick plush padding works to help you out in temperatures as low as 20° F. Utilize your large interior pockets with heavy duty zippers, and stash your necessities here for quick access. Just keep in mind that this isn’t machine washable. The North Face makes these vests in a wide range of sizes, from small to extra-large, as well as two different styles.

The Bombay might be one of The North Face’s most iconic, yet minimalist jackets out there. I say minimalist because it has no storage at all; zero pockets. You can either consider that a minimalist approach or you can look at it as a less functional vest. It all depends on your views. While the Bombay remains nice and warm, we’re willing to bet that if they added pockets, you would feel your belongings poking through this rather thin vest.

While there isn’t much of a waterproof rating here, it’s comfortable and zips all the way up to the top of the collar, but without irritating the bottom of your chin or your neck. Your color selection here is bold. The Blue Wing Teal is a nice shade, but you also can’t go wrong with basic black. The most upsetting part of this vest is the disparity in pricing depending on your size. It’s normal to pay more for larger sizes, but the cost range here is pretty wild. The North Face makes these vests in a wide range of sizes, from small to extra-large, as well as five different styles. It would look great with your American made jeans.

The Thermoball line just didn’t do as well as North Face wanted, I suppose. This puffer vest is still excellent, just not the most popular series that they’ve put out. If you’re looking to stay nice and comfortable and warm through the winter, then there’s no need to look further. You’ll be able to retain your arm’s range of motion while staving off the winter. If it gets a bit too warm and you start to sweat, don’t worry about it— Thermoball Puffer Vest is completely machine washable.

The only issue with that is that the North Face logo will start to wear and tear. It’s rather cohesive with the overall design, so even if the patch comes off, the vest itself will still hold its function just fine. It’ll just lose the branding (and to some of us, that’s very important).