This Retro North Face Fleece Haunted My Childhood Dreams
GQ RecommendsThe era-defining Denali zip-up is just as cozy as one writer remembers. (His parents declined to comment.)By Reed NelsonDecember 17, 2024Collage by Sarah CassutoSave this storySaveSave this storySaveAll products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.When I was 9 years old, wandering around Gordon’s Gateway to Sports in Cos Cob, Connecticut, I came across a bright yellow North Face fleece jacket. Trying it on catalyzed a sort of religious experience, so I pulled the smallest size off the rack and presented it to my parents, hoping it would have the same effect on them. It did not. They refused to be reasoned with, and I proceeded to have a meltdown most people would consider wildly embarrassing. (In this case, most people would be correct.)In the intervening years, I’ve owned many fleeces. I’ve owned pricey designer fleeces and fleeces that cost less than a burrito on DoorDash. I’ve owned patchwork fleeces and wool fleeces, half-zip fleeces and quarter-zip fleeces, and this one hooded fleece with a diagonal zipper that started at the shoulder and stopped near the belly button. I loved them all equally, but none of them quite filled the North Face-sized hole in my closet. The newer North Face fleece jackets never did it for me the way the old ones did, and even the vintage ones I encountered always had an issue I wasn’t willing to grapple with.The North FaceMen’s Retro Denali Jacket$180 The North FaceThe North FaceMen’s Retro Denali Jacket$180 The North FaceUntil recently, when The North Face released a near one-to-one reproduction of the Retro Denali fleece, the exact jacket that terrorized my parents all those years ago. Unlike other meet-your-hero moments, this one lived up to my expectations and then some—and frankly, I should've seen it coming.The Denali’s existence long predates my obsession with it. Originally introduced in 1988 as a key piece of The North Face’s legendary Expedition System, it quickly became a go-to mid-layer for big wall-climbers—some of the most exposure-susceptible athletes in the world—who prized its versatility and lightweight, deceptively toasty fleece. By the time the ‘90s rolled around it was as synonymous with the mundane urban commute as it was the grueling summit push.The North FaceMen’s Retro Denali Jacket$180 The North FaceThe North FaceRetro Denali Jacket$180 REIThis isn't a phase, Mom! Reed NelsonThe Denali’s latest iteration is shockingly true to the source material. It’s made with a super soft, nostalgically-textured 360 gsm fleece, and equipped with now-signature black nylon overlays at the chest and forearms—a design hallmark that happens to be incredibly effective at blocking wind. The stand collar keeps your neck warm, the zippered armpit vents keep air flowing, and the bungee cinch by the hem keeps the silhouette as svelte as you’d like it.It’s hard to describe the mix of emotions it elicited when I tried one on last week: surprise, delight, sweet relief. (The Germans probably have a word for that particular combination, but I’m coming up blank.) Mostly, though, I felt vindicated: decades after I first encountered it, the Denali might remain the best fleece jacket on the market.At $200, it’s not cheap; my parents would still need a little persuading to buy it on my behalf. But for menswear fiends, that cost plummets astronomically when you factor in how often you’ll wear it over a single year—and how much you'll keep wearing it for many, many more after that. This time around, I won't be relying on my parents' finite magnanimity to make it happen.The North FaceMen’s Retro Denali Jacket$180 The North FaceThe North FaceMen’s Retro Denali Jacket$180 REI
All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.
When I was 9 years old, wandering around Gordon’s Gateway to Sports in Cos Cob, Connecticut, I came across a bright yellow North Face fleece jacket. Trying it on catalyzed a sort of religious experience, so I pulled the smallest size off the rack and presented it to my parents, hoping it would have the same effect on them. It did not. They refused to be reasoned with, and I proceeded to have a meltdown most people would consider wildly embarrassing. (In this case, most people would be correct.)
In the intervening years, I’ve owned many fleeces. I’ve owned pricey designer fleeces and fleeces that cost less than a burrito on DoorDash. I’ve owned patchwork fleeces and wool fleeces, half-zip fleeces and quarter-zip fleeces, and this one hooded fleece with a diagonal zipper that started at the shoulder and stopped near the belly button. I loved them all equally, but none of them quite filled the North Face-sized hole in my closet. The newer North Face fleece jackets never did it for me the way the old ones did, and even the vintage ones I encountered always had an issue I wasn’t willing to grapple with.
Until recently, when The North Face released a near one-to-one reproduction of the Retro Denali fleece, the exact jacket that terrorized my parents all those years ago. Unlike other meet-your-hero moments, this one lived up to my expectations and then some—and frankly, I should've seen it coming.
The Denali’s existence long predates my obsession with it. Originally introduced in 1988 as a key piece of The North Face’s legendary Expedition System, it quickly became a go-to mid-layer for big wall-climbers—some of the most exposure-susceptible athletes in the world—who prized its versatility and lightweight, deceptively toasty fleece. By the time the ‘90s rolled around it was as synonymous with the mundane urban commute as it was the grueling summit push.
The Denali’s latest iteration is shockingly true to the source material. It’s made with a super soft, nostalgically-textured 360 gsm fleece, and equipped with now-signature black nylon overlays at the chest and forearms—a design hallmark that happens to be incredibly effective at blocking wind. The stand collar keeps your neck warm, the zippered armpit vents keep air flowing, and the bungee cinch by the hem keeps the silhouette as svelte as you’d like it.
It’s hard to describe the mix of emotions it elicited when I tried one on last week: surprise, delight, sweet relief. (The Germans probably have a word for that particular combination, but I’m coming up blank.) Mostly, though, I felt vindicated: decades after I first encountered it, the Denali might remain the best fleece jacket on the market.
At $200, it’s not cheap; my parents would still need a little persuading to buy it on my behalf. But for menswear fiends, that cost plummets astronomically when you factor in how often you’ll wear it over a single year—and how much you'll keep wearing it for many, many more after that. This time around, I won't be relying on my parents' finite magnanimity to make it happen.
