The North Face Apex Elevation Jacket

The PrimaLoft insulation in The North Face Apex Elevation makes this a cold climate focused softshell jacket that brings a lot to the table. It has a classic and clean styling with a bevvy of color choices for those of us who like options. This is a very approachable jacket made to last the winter. Adding to the cozy factor, the neck and cuffs are lined with a super-soft fleece, and the cuffs have an additional stretchy layer to seal in warmth. 

The cinch-able hood is detachable, giving you the versatility to remove some bulk when you’re just heading downtown, or zip on the hood when you need extra protection from the elements. And the hood’s zipper is protected by a small softshell flap so that your zipper isn’t your weak point in a downpour, or under a waterfall. Which is the cherry on top of the weather protection provided by the Durable Water Resistant (DWR) finish.

Field Notes: There were a lot of different climate and location changes throughout the testing process for The North Face Apex Elevation. It was great at fighting the chill when temps were low, cutting through as wind blasted, and sloughing off the downpours. It, however, is not a fair-weather companion, at least not the fair weather we see out in California. Another item to note, as we saw with other insulated jackets, once wet it took a little longer to dry out. 

Tester Comments: “The main reason this was my winter jacket/warmth pick was that the Apex Elevation breathed really well even with the additional insulation. Finding a warm jacket isn’t a challenge, but finding a warm jacket that will do its part to expel your sweat while you travel way too far into the woods during a snowstorm just to find the perfect tree, that’s a different story. Not to mention that additional weight added dragging your conquest out of the woods just to cover it with tinsel.” 

Key Attribute: Warmth