The North Face

Over the course of the last 5 years, a majority of the adventures I've taken part in, have been done under the protection of my trusty red hat. That hat has had the company logo for The North Face gracing the front. Every year that has come new, I've had the need to replace my sun bleached hat for a new one. I've gone through many a pain staking length to locate the same red hat on the internet, and ordered a hat or two from various places all in the name of having that same red hat. When I got the "One Day 100 Miles" tattoo on my right leg, the skeleton making the run even wears a red hat backwards. It helps define me, it lets me stick out in a crowd and it gives me added energy.

Over the last 2 years now, my general opinion of The North Face has started to wain a bit. Yes, I work at a franchise outdoor retailer that sells North Face Products. And that being said, no.. it's not the increase in popularity of TNF Denali Jackets with high school and college "cool kids" that has caused me pain. My hesitation with the company is coming from my own personal experiences with a pair of their shoes; and my opinion of their arrival into the Ultra-Running Community.

The North Face
According to Wikipedia, "The North Face brand was established in 1968 in San Francisco, California, when Douglas Tompkins and Dick "Hap" Klopp created an equipment retail store that eventually acquired the current name "The North Face".[citation needed] This name was chosen because the north face of a mountain in the northern hemisphere is generally the most difficult face to climb. By the 1980s, skiwear was added to the line of products, and eventually camping equipment was added as well. The North Face is now a wholly owned subsidiary of the VF Corporation. Today, The North Face is based in San Leandro, California, near its corporate sibling, JanSport. JanSport is the world's largest backpack maker, and together, JanSport and The North Face manufacture nearly half of all small backpacks sold in the United States."

The Shoes (Then and Now)
Back in 2005 I was lucky to be sponsored by a local sports outfitter known as Huberts Sports. As part of my sponsorship, Huberts donated to me five pairs of North Face Goretex XCR Trail Runners. At first the shoes worked great. Until I got them out into the rocky White Mountains. The rugged trails here in New Hampshire quite simply ate the shoes up causing the foam soles and flimsy fabric comprising the foot wear to shred quickly. The rubber on the soles quickly began to separate and in a matter of two months I had gone through one pair and moved onto the next. The shoes were so bad, that after wearing through the first 3 pairs, I gave one of my last pairs to my dad and used the other strictly for working as a landscaper.

At some point over the last few years a man you may have heard of, Dean Karnazes, found himself sponsored by the retail giant and he quickly became their super sexy and ubber studly spokesperson. TNF wasn't just a company trying to make running shoes anymore... they were diving right into the Endurance Running industry head first. The biggest development with their shoes after they acquired the rights to Dean (afterall, the determine where and when dean runs now), was a pair of shoes that utilized the Boa Lacing system. TNF Arnuva Boa's is what TNF was banking on... except... in my experience it didn't work. As an employee at an outdoor retailer, I can tell you only of my first hand accounts. The lacing system was cool and all... you turn a dial on your heel and it would tighten a small wire cable that acted as your shoe laces. But let me fill you in on a little secret, I saw more of these shoes returned then I ever actually sold with that Boa Lacing system being the reason why. But wait... it gets better....

Two weeks ago at the Vermont 100, TNF had two reps sitting under a fancy TNF Canopy Tent. I immediately snivvled at seeing them, but decided regardless that I'd take a moment to see what they were peddling. As I walked up to the tent, I was immediately greeted by one of their reps as if I was about to purchase a used car in a car lot. You know what I mean? I began by looking at the shoes they had on display which were the latest models of TNF shoes with a few models yet to come out. I picked up the Arnuva's and began to tell the rep how I felt about the shoes, and that they were junk. The response was the typical salesman static response where I was told that the older models of the system had some defects but they've "been improved." Right.. so we talked more and the Rep actually tried to sell me on the idea that the shoes were defective previously not because of any fault to TNF but to the fault of the folks at BOA. This may or may not be true, but the bottom line is that TNF used the BOA lacing system on their shoes so they are indeed guilty by association... I was not impressed by the conversation thus far..

So it continued. I told the rep that one of the problems with the BOA lacing system is that it doesn't work in New Hampshire. With the amount of rocks that we have on our trails, you are bound to damage the BOA dial from whacking it on your downward stride. "Well, thats why the BOAS are designed for those running on more "paved" trails, dirt tracks, etc." Ok... I was now intrigued by his answer so I asked, "so show me what you have for those of us who run on rocky trails." The answer I got appalled me. He handed me a shoe with what he referred to as a "Hybrid Shoe" that one could wear on the roads and trails and the best part about the shoe is... it has a metal plate built into the sole to prevent foot bruising on rugged trails... ::insert that OMG look where I have one eye brow raised wondering wtf the guy is actually talking about::

I picked up the shoe and just about vomited in my mouth a little bit. The shoe weighed in at around 3 pounds PER SHOE... I swear..it was that heavy. "Yup... there is definitely something metal in this all right." And then I began to really think about this... I needed to learn more. So I when I got home I went onto TNF's Website to find out more about this metal plate. I made my way to the R&D page where they have an actual database for all of their trademarked doo-dads. You have to check it out.. CLICK HERE. They actually have a list of over 80 Trademarked tags of inventions they use on their apparel. Are you kidding me? This is a marketing nightmare. But I did find the one I was looking for called, Snakeplate.

Back to that conversation with the Rep. I began to think about what he said about this plate being used to prevent foot bruising. I have to say, honestly, that in the five years I've been running on the rugged rocky trails of New Hampshire; Pemi-loops, presi-traverses, other long days in the Whites; I've never once bruised my feet. Why do I need a metal plate in my sole to prevent such a thing? Congrats TNF, you've successfully added weight to my shoe to do nothing more then sell the beginner runner some more bullshit and in turn, you're going to turn more runners away from our sport due to injury or sheer intimidation. I immediately put the shoe down, and was asked by the rep where I worked. After having just shat all over his shoe products, I refused to answer.

Lastly, why are you obsessed with putting gore-tex in all of the shoes? I got some news for you. As a trail runner, its pretty much a guarantee that I'm going to get water into my shoe during a race of 50K or longer. Why would I want gore-tex in my shoes? And I'll tell you why I ask. It's because shoes with Gore-tex offers no drainage. Once you get a stream or puddle into your shoe... congrats... you now and for quite awhile have a stream or puddle in your shoe.

I did say one thing before I left these guys that was positive. The North Face Flight Series apparel is some of the best running and hiking gear I've ever come across. The jackets are top notch, made to last, warm, breathable, water resistant.. hands down some pretty exceptional stuff. It is TNF Flight Series items that have allowed me to hang on to the red hat for as long as I have. I'm happy to admit that they at least have this much right. Maybe its because they are so fixated on Wilderness Chic apparel that it allows them to excel in this avenue with their endurance designed gear.

TNF and Ultra Running
Last year, The North Face really took a huge dive into our community. Previously you'd see their name pop up at local races and some of the bigger known races. They donate race shirts, you'll see the bib numbers made on paper displaying their company logo. This is all fine and well and is honestly a big help to our community and offers them an honest opportunity to market their brand to us runners. But I'm going to tell you where they've done more damage then good. Its The North Face Endurance Challenge Series.

TNF decided that they would be putting on Ultra marathons across the country with the championship of those winning runners duking it out in the Marin Headlands outside San Francisco. At first glance its a great idea, but what has actually happened over the last two years is nothing short of tragic. Here are some examples...

2008 Bear Mountain, NY
The race was held on a course that TNF underestimated. There is nothing easy about Bear Mountain. Mistake number one was advertising this race to wanna-be ultra-runners looking to get their feet wet in our sport on this course. In choosing your first 50, you'd tend to go towards something doable; not easy yet not dibilitatingly hard. Well... Bear Mountain is the debilitatingly hard type and TNF had seemingly no idea. Packet pick-up for the event was at a TNF store in lower Manhatten on a Friday afternoon during store hours. This wouldn't be so bad except this is about a 2-3 hour drive on a Friday away from the race venue. Then, they decided they'd allow packet pick-up the morning of the race for a nominal fee of $35! Thats right... they were charging you extra to have your packet for you the day of the race. Then as the race got under way, race organizers (none of whom actually work for or are associated with TNF) changed the cut-off times DURING THE RACE to make it a little more realistic for the runners to meet the cut-offs. Quite a debacle occurred in turn. Not all of the aid stations and their volunteers had heard of the change. So some runners were let through after the original cut offs while others were pulled off. Some runners were told the cut-offs were lifted so they carried on at a more leisurely pace to the next aid station only to have the next station of volunteers look at them like they had 6 heads, knowing nothing of the cut-off change. Many arguments ensued, runners felt robbed, cheated, etc.. and never an apology was issued. After the race, local runners spent the next 2 weeks running through the Bear Mountain area on their training runs, picking up left over cups, wrappers, gel packets and course markings. Pretty much everything that your normal race organizers would pick up before leaving the race site. Yup... TNF left all the trash there... and never said anything about it.

2008 Washington DC
Not only was it over 100 degrees the day of the race but they ran out of water for the runners on the course. Not only that, but the course wasn't marked properly and after Dean Karnazes had won the race, changed his clothes, and sat his rump down in his ice bath... race officials told him he had missed a section of the course. Dean got out of his ice bath, went out, ran the section, returned to the finish and luckily had STILL won the event. But are you kidding me?! Countless numbers of other runners suffered in the heat and also missed the section from poor course marking and many even mentioned that a race volunteer was at the intersection in question directing runners in the wrong direction!

2008 Connecticut
The race that never happened. TNF cancelled the race just 6 days before it was to happen telling those who had signed up that they were canceling the event due to a low number of registration. Apparently 35 runners isn't enough for TNF to put on an event in a community of runners that still remains rather small. 35 runners for a first year ultra is usually considered a great success but to TNF, it warranted pulling the plug and leaving runners out to dry.

2009 Bear Mountain
Last I heard, Leigh Schmitt and Deb Livingston had come in 1st in their classes only to be DQ'ed because they missed a section on the course. Not surprised by poor course marking on TNF's part but in the end, they ended up DQing two of the best ultra-runners in our region and all because of their laziness. Those two also in turn missed out on a good sized prize purse. And once again, local runners picked up the trash...

I really feel that over the years I've tried to give TNF a chance. From my shoes that fell apart to their lack luster and rather INSULTING race directing. But the discussion I had this past weekend with their rep is what is finally going to get me to retire my North Face Hat. A lot of emotion and passion is running through me right now. My TNF hat is what I've run ten 100 mile runs in. Its in all of my pictures.. its become a part of me. I'm kind of choked up thinking about it... but in the end it comes down to me not being able to support a company I don't believe in anymore. So to the North Face I say to you. Please leave our sport. Stop directing races until you can do it right and within the guidelines set in place historically by those who have run long distances before us. Take the time to mark the course properly, pick up your trash at the end and THANK US FOR COMING. Afterall... the only reason you're here is to make a buck... and we PAY YOU! Get it Right or Get out!

And to loosely refer to Born To Run, when TNF approached Caballo Blanco about sponsoring The Copper Canyon Runs in Mexico, he told them running isn't about making money.. it's about being Free. AMEN!

[If anyone knows where I can locate a decent red hat backed by an exceptional outdoor brand.. I'm all ears]