Water-Repellant Down Jacket With Technical Chops: TNF Summit Series Breithorn Review

The canyon walls blocked what little sunlight was left, and it was mostly dark when I stopped hiking to set up camp. I was about 2½ miles up Grizzly Creek, a tributary to the Colorado that snakes up a narrow arm of Glenwood Canyon.

The first crisp notes of fall were in the air. As my body heat dropped and the sweat on my back turned icy, I dug in my pack for The North Face Breithorn Jacket and pulled it out.

Within seconds, I was comfortable again. I set up my camp for the night, cozily swaddled in the Breithorn, unperturbed as the temperature dropped even further. This jacket had been too warm for most of my summer adventures, but now I was grateful it was in my pack.

As part of TNF’s Summit Series, the Breithorn is one of the brand’s most technical down jackets. With 800-fill water-resistant down, it retains its loft (read: warmth) even when it gets damp. It’s dialed for alpine adventures in cold conditions and environments. It even packs into its own pocket for easy storage.

This jacket came with me on several camping trips and on numerous hikes last spring and this fall. It isn’t bulky and has a generous range of motion for active pursuits. While I have questions about its durability, the warmth-to-weight ratio this jacket offers made me look past them.

In short: The TNF Summit Series Breithorn Down Jacket ($380) is a warm layer with water-repellent down. It’s treated with a PFAS-free DWR, and the brand’s proprietary ProDown retains its loft even when damp. The jacket is remarkably lightweight for its warmth and compresses very well, making it an easily packable garment. For outdoor adventures in cold environments, this technical down jacket is a versatile tool for staying warm and comfortable.

Compare the Breithorn to other jackets in GearJunkie’s guides to the Best Down Jackets and the Best Down Jackets for Women.

TNF Summit Series Breithorn Down Jacket Review

I went on many camping trips throughout the late spring and early fall, and this jacket was always in my truck. I brought it on hikes and backpacking trips as well; however, it was almost always overkill for the conditions I was in. This is a truly warm piece of gear, best suited for genuinely cold weather.

TNF also makes matching Breithorn pants, which, together, would make a furnace-like kit. I found it easy to overheat in this jacket, and I can’t imagine how hot it would be in both the top and the bottom. If you’re the kind of person who gets cold easily or likes to play in severely cold weather, these Breithorn pieces could be perfect for your needs.

Another GearJunkie editor used the jacket regularly during the winter of 2025 as insulation under a ski shell. He loved its warmth and close fit that still allowed a generous range of motion.

Fit & Weight

The Breithorn Jacket’s fit is slim, as it’s meant to be worn under a shell or other layers. That makes it hard to fit extra layers underneath (although the jacket is warm enough, you really shouldn’t have to). An elastic cord around the hem makes it easy to adjust the fit so warm air doesn’t escape.

I normally wear a large jacket, but could have sized down to a medium. The fit wasn’t baggy by any means; I was just on the fence between sizes. If you prefer slimmer fits, size down.

At just 12.45 ounces, this is a remarkably lightweight jacket for the amount of heat it provides. Compared to the jackets in our guide to the Best Down Jackets, it lands squarely in the middle-weight class.

Layout & Design

I’m always a fan of jackets that have lots of pockets, and the Breithorn delivers on this front. There are two generous front pockets (one on each hip) and a third on the chest. Inside, two large dump pockets are perfect for skins, gloves, hats, or even water bottles. The amount of storage this jacket offers is ample; a major benefit for active backcountry use.

As mentioned, an elastic cord is located at the hem to adjust the fit. The hood is helmet-compatible and has its own cinch cord, located on the back of the head. The jacket’s sleeves feature a comfortable elastic closure that would easily accommodate a glove. It has a YKK zipper on the front with an insulated internal draft flap to prevent cold air from penetrating.

Like some other down jackets, this one has the ability to stuff into its own pocket. That makes storing, transporting, and packing this jacket easy.

Materials

TNF used its Pertex Y Fuse material for the face fabric. It’s made from 100% recycled nylon ripstop that’s treated with PFC-free DWR. So, while not waterproof, it does have some light water-resistance if you’re caught in a drizzle. The cuffs are made from recycled polyester blended with a stretchy elastane knit twill (also treated with PFAS-free DWR).

The Breithorn Jacket’s insulation is where the real magic happens, though. It is water-repellent, 800-fill Prodown. Not only is it responsibly sourced, according to TNF, but it is also designed to retain its loft even when it gets wet. That means the down will maintain its heat-trapping abilities to keep you warm, unlike standard down, which loses its insulating properties when wet.

However, let me be patently clear: This is not a rain jacket. Water repellency is not the same as waterproofing. If you try to get this jacket wet, you will succeed.

TNF Summit Series Breithorn Down Jacket: In the Field

Summer in Colorado was hot and dry this year, but around the end of July, we got some proper cold and wet weather up near Twin Lakes. I was camping up there and got a lot of use out of the Breithorn Jacket when the temperatures dipped. I never wore the Breithorn in a downpour, but for misty and drizzly conditions, the DWR seemed to do a good job of keeping the down from getting soaked.

This is one of the warmer down jackets I tested this year. The 800-fill down really packs some heat, but it also compresses exceptionally well. This is a very easy jacket to stuff into a backpack. When I went on hikes in the spring and fall, I’d pack it into its own pocket and drop it into a pack. It’s about the size of a book when packed up (and compresses even more if you need it to).

For most of the hikes, this was overkill for the uphill sections. If it was cold and I was moving slowly, I’d break it out for the downhill. But even then, this jacket is a furnace.

Most of the time, I’d end up wearing it with the front mostly unzipped. It would be very well suited as a winter rock or ice climbing jacket. If you wore a waterproof shell over top, you’d be ready for some truly arctic conditions.

Overall, it’s a very comfortable jacket to wear. The Pertex fabric is soft on the skin, and the elastic cuffs hug the wrists gently. My Breithorn was big enough that I never felt constricted, but still kept warm air trapped close to my body.

Room for Improvement: Face Fabric

The only area where I think the Breithorn could be improved is in the face fabric that TNF used. It’s very thin, and while it is ripstop material, I still question how durable it is. If you really snagged this jacket on a rock or a branch, there’s a possibility you could tear the face fabric wide open.

That’s speculative, though. What isn’t, is my experience staining that face fabric. Over the months I used this jacket, numerous stains appeared on the back of it. The jacket has either been on a coat rack or in a pack (not stored near food) the entire time I’ve had it. So, I’m not sure how those got there. Just be cautious not to spill anything on this jacket, and don’t let it come into contact with oily substances. It will stain.

TNF Summit Series Breithorn Down Jacket: Who Is It For?

While I didn’t get to test the Breithorn in bitterly cold alpine environments (yet), my experience testing it in rainy camping conditions and on colder spring and fall hikes gave me confidence that it will be an exceptional cold-weather, mid-output puffy. It’s very warm.

The layer is designed to fit under a shell, and the hood is helmet-compatible. It’s got an amazing warmth-to-weight ratio and compresses easily to pack away. The TNF Breithorn Down Jacket has all the technical chops for serious outdoor pursuits.

If you’re just looking for a puffy jacket for around town, this is overkill. Check out the jackets in our guide to the Best Winter Jackets for alternative options.

However, if you’re looking for a dialed piece of gear to keep you warm in severe environments, the Breithorn should be at the top of your list. Like all TNF gear, it’s also covered by the brand’s lifetime warranty, so if anything ever happens to it, TNF will repair or replace the jacket.

I’m excited to test this jacket in colder and more severe conditions this winter. Based on my impressions so far, it will serve me well as I ski, hike, and camp through the winter.