The North Face Terra Peak Hooded Jacket: Tested
Adventures in all seasons require gear that is versatile, with outer layer apparel one of the best examples; having that assurance of being able to throw on an outer layer for warmth or protection from the wind and/or cold and knowing it’s going to ‘work’ each and every time, cannot be underestimated. A warm, lightweight jacket is one of the first items packed no matter the conditions. The North Face Terra Peak Hooded Jacket is a prime example of this ‘one layer’, being light in weight, but still tough-wearing, along with being designed to brief – in this case, to be reliable when conditions go south.
Design
The Terra Peak Hooded Jacket is touted by The North Face as “your perfect companion for any weather” and the design reflects that. The jacket uses the company’s ThermoBall synthetic fill for warmth (and so, when wet, it still offers warming capabilities), shrouded in a rugged Pertex Quantum outer fabric (Meadow Grass-Forest Olive colours, if you’re asking), which protects the wearer from wind.
Reflecting the jacket’s all-rounder/all adventures brief, it features underarm gussets that incorporate a four-way stretch to eliminate any hindrance of movement. Recycled nylon is used throughout, there are set-in sleeves (where the seam goes all the way around the attached arm section), covered zip pockets, an internal chest pocket and the exposed front zip is backed by an internal draft flap (with a comfy lined chin guard up top) to keep wind/wet out. The left pocket is where the jacket can be stowed when not in use, while the elastic hem (on sleeves and bottom hem) keeps the warmth in. Add in the three-piece hood (attached) and there’s really nothing that The North Face’s designers have missed; this jacket does – on paper – fulfill that all-rounder design brief effectively. But what about out in the wild?
In the field
Thermoball insulation was first introduced by The North Face way back in 2013. This tester was fortunate enough to review (and use long-term) one of the original Thermoball jackets and I have always been impressed with this insulation tech’s capabilities. It has, of course, been improved since then and the Terra Peak Hooded Jacket shows by just how much; this jacket offers more warmth (but still acceptable breathability) than that first-generation model I tested (and, ironically, still own) and does so in a more feature-rich package.
It initially seemed like a bit of a laugh to receive a warm outer layer near the end of spring here in Australia, but we’ve experienced a wide range of conditions since then – and during our testing; from exceptionally windy but sunny days, through to cold chills off late snowfalls, the Terra Peak has done its job and provided ample protection while retaining comfort for the wearer.
On one more active jaunt – a day hike/scramble in the Blue Mountains – I got caught out in the valleys by a fast-arriving southerly change. The wind was cold, and I was wearing only a merino t-shirt, but I did have the Terra Peak in my backpack. Hiking and climbing at a fast pace back to my car, wearing the jacket, I found it gave good protection from that cold blasting wind, without making me sweat up too much due to my higher exertion rate. I did end up getting a bit wet from the rain when it arrived, but the Pertex Quantum outer layer did a pretty good job of keeping me sort-of-dry and, more importantly, I remained warm.
It’s still early days, but so far, the jacket has done all it’s been asked to do – reliably and without fuss. We’ve had it on review for five weeks now, and coming into summer it is getting less use (although it’s still always packed when heading out), so we are keen to keep it through 2025’s autumn and winter before a final verdict on its in the field performance.
The not-so-final word on The North Face Terra Peak Hooded Jacket
This jacket reflects the experience of The North Face in designing outdoor gear that simply works. It also shows what happens when a company sticks to well-proved technology – in this case, Thermoball – and continually tweaks and improves said tech for the benefit of us end-users. The North Face Terra Peak Hooded Jacket is impressive in its design, and in how that design proves itself in the outdoors when required to do so. For anyone looking for an all-rounder warm outer layer, this is definitely worth consideration.
We have another six months of long-term testing coming up for the jacket, but we’re confident it will provide the same effectiveness and performance it has so far to date. Look for our long-term report mid-2025.
RRP: $400 See The North Face for more info.
