15 Brands like The North Face

The North Face was founded in 1966 by Douglas Tompkins and Susie Tompkins Buell. Since then, the brand has become a staple in the outdoor clothing industry, primarily because of its sustainable practices and use of high-quality materials.

However, because the outdoor clothing market is vast, finding similar options of the same quality or in a certain style can be hard. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of 15 brands similar to North Face.

1. Arc’teryx

Founded: 1989, North Vancouver

Started by a group of passionate outdoor enthusiasts, Arc’teryx is a brand built on a relentless commitment to design, craftsmanship, and performance. The result of its ethos is the creation of technical mountain apparel and equipment for all conditions and experiences.

Arc’teryx is located in the Canadian Coast Mountain Range, which serves as both the testing ground and source of inspiration for its products. The brand is dedicated to crafting the best-fitting, longest-lasting, and highest-performing technical products available. It also have an immense focus on sustainable manufacturing.

2. Patagonia

Founded: 1973, Ventura

Since its establishment, Patagonia has become well renowned for its commitment to sustainability, social responsibility, and high-quality outdoor clothing apparel.

It offers a wide range of apparel for the outdoors, like jackets, baselayers, and accessories. The brand is particularly known for its extensive collection of fleece jackets, offering one the largest assortments among outdoor clothing brands.

Patagonia’s products are designed to be durable, functional, and environmentally friendly, using recycled materials extensively in its manufacturing process. It also offer a “Worn Wear” program which lets customers return worn garments for repair or recycling.

3. Columbia Sportswear

Founded: 1938, Portland

Columbia Sportswear has gathered quite a well-deserved reputation for producing top-notch outdoor apparel and equipment. Its products are specifically designed for widespread appeal and a range of activities and weather conditions.

The brand’s down jackets are particularly popular, offering the right amount of warmth and comfort in cold weather conditions. This is mainly because of the use of innovative technologies — like Omni-Heat thermal reflective lining and Omni-Tech waterproofing — to enhance performance. This makes it a popular choice for outdoor sports like hiking, skiing, and fishing.

Its mission is to “inspire active outdoor lifestyles” through innovation, experiences, and clothing that delights.

4. Fjällräven

Founded: 1960, Örnsköldsvik

Fjällräven initially operated out of founder Åke Nordin’s basement before going public in 1983 and becoming a subsidiary of Fenix Outdoor International AG in 2014. Since then, the Swedish brand has specialized in providing outdoor products and equipment, including upscale clothing and luggage.

Its products have a reputation for being long-lasting and incredibly functional, with the Greenland Jacket, Vidda Pro Trousers, and the Expedition Down Jacket all being primary examples. Despite this, Fjällräven’s iconic Kånken backpack is one of its best-selling ranges.

This is the brand for those who value sustainability and avoid short-term trends.

5. Salomon

Founded: 1947, Annecy

Salomon is a sports equipment manufacturer founded in the heart of the French Alps. They’ve got a substantial product collection catering to various outdoor activities, like trail running, hiking, climbing, and snowboarding, largely in the form of footwear and insulated jackets.

It’s also worth noting that the brand’s products are part of Amer Sports, a Finnish retail conglomerate that also owns Arc’teryx. This is why both brands have similar practices related to manufacturing and sustainability.

6. Helly Hansen

Founded: 1877, Moss

When Helly Hansen first came onto the outdoor wear scene, their initial focus was on creating waterproof oilskin jackets for sailors battling rough seas.

Over the years, the brand has expanded its product line to include more types of high-quality outdoor wear for activities like skiing, hiking, and sailing. They’ve also innovated quite a lot, with one of their most sought-after features being the HELLY TECH waterproofing and breathability material. This, coupled with smart construction techniques, ensures their products stand the test of time.

7. Cotopaxi

Founded: 2014, Salt Lake City

Cotopaxi is one of the newer outdoor brands on our list. Named after the Cotopaxi volcano in Ecuador, the brand is the manifestation of the founder’s experiences growing up in Latin America.

It’s another brand deeply committed to social responsibility, primarily using recycled and repurposed materials in its products. One such example would be the Abrazo Half-Zip Fleece Jacket which is made out of entirely recycled fleece. Cotopaxi also dedicates at least 1% of its revenue to nonprofits.

8. Outdoor Research

Founded: 1981, Seattle

Outdoor Research‘s award-winning clothing and gear are largely designed with outdoor sports like alpinism, rock/ice climbing, and paddling in mind. Ronn Gregg founded the company after an experience in Denali where his climbing partner suffered from frostbitten feet and Ronn’s gaiters failed, which inspired him to find solutions.

This quickly led to Outdoor Research establishing itself as an industry leader and receiving numerous accolades from publications like National Geographic and Backpacker Magazine.

9. Jack Wolfskin

Founded: 1981, Frankfurt

Jack Wolfskin ticks most of the boxes you’d expect from an outdoor gear brand, offering an extensive range of jackets, pants, and gear for the harshest of conditions. It emphasizes protection and comfort, with product features like waterproofing, breathability, and insulation.

Much like some of the other brands we’ve mentioned, Jack Wolfskin uses recycled and environmentally friendly materials in many of its products. It’s also implemented various initiatives to reduce its environmental impact — including efforts to minimize waste, use renewable energy, and support conversation projects.

10. Marmot

Founded: 1974, Grand Junction

Marmot is a name with a strong presence in North America, Europe, and Asia but is quickly becoming popular in other parts of the world too. Its products display a level of ingenuity and quality that can rival most brands, with its best-selling ranges being jackets, tents, and sleeping bags. One of its most noteworthy collections is its GORE-TEX jackets and pants line.

Despite not being as widely recognized as some of the other brands mentioned, Marmot’s commitment to quality and innovation has made it a respected name in the outdoor industry.

11. REI Co-op

Founded: 1938, Seattle

REI Co-op is the in-house outdoor clothing and gear brand of REI — a leading outdoor retailer in the United States. Its offerings span items like jackets, pants, tents, and sleeping bags, all of which are made with recycled materials and environmentally friendly manufacturing.

Its popularity also comes to down the 100% satisfaction guarantee of offers, allowing customers to return items for a full refund or replacement if they’re not satisfied.

12. Norrøna

Founded: 1929, Oslo, Norway

Norrøna has a long history of using the very best technical advancements to give users the ultimate outdoor performance. Its product line is tailored to outdoor activities such as hiking, mountaineering, cycling, and hunting.

Within the product line, you’ll find an array of outdoor gear, such as waterproof GORE-TEX jackets, comfortable mid-layers, and t-shirts — all of which are made with function, design, and sustainability in mind.

13. KÜHL

Founded: 1983, Salt Lake City

KÜHL offers a diverse range of products, including men’s and women’s shorts, pants, tops, and accessories. The brand is particularly renowned for its premium materials and performance, superior sun protection, and innovative designs that prioritize comfort and durability.

Some of its most noteworthy options include the Resistor Air pants and Getaway shorts and the Kontour Rigid Wide-Leg Denim pants and Renegade Recon pants.

14. Rab

Founded: 1981, Sheffield

Rab‘s collection is geared toward offering high performance in extreme cold environments and during mountain sports. One of its most notable products is the Microlight Alpine Down Jacket but they also offer sleeping bags, backpacks and trekking packs, accessories, and more.

Rab’s mission is to create “honest, hard-working pieces” that customers would rather have fixed than replaced. Hence why it uses cutting-edge materials and time-tested fabrics.

15. Black Diamond

Founded: 1957, Salt Lake City

Founded by two avid climbers, Black Diamond offers climbing gear, headlamps, flashlights, backpacks, sleeping bags, and accessories. Apart from being committed to creating top-tier products, the company is also dedicated to sustainability. This is why Black Diamond always aim to reduce its environmental impact through responsible manufacturing and the use of eco-friendly materials.