Hot-Taped Seems
Computer-aided Catenary Cut Design
All North Face tents use computer-aided design to create catenary cuts -- flat patterns cut for a three-dimensional shape with edges that curve in a precise arc. With a catenary cut, no area of the tent receives more stress than another, as evidenced by the absence of wrinkling along seams, loose sidewalls, or fabric pulling in at the corners. Catenary cuts increase the strength of a tent because taut, non-flapping sidewalls are better able to shed snow, rain, and wind.
Full-Coverage Fly Sheet
Each North Face tent comes with a full-coverage flysheet which extends fully to the ground, creating a "shield" that completely protects the tent. The canopy of all our tents is a breathable fabric layer that allows water vapor to escape before becoming condensation. The flysheet protects the tent from direct exposure to the elements. It also creates dead air space that insulates the inner tent, keeping it significantly warmer than unprotected or partially protected tents. In tents without a full-coverage fly, wind and precipitation attack the exposed areas and cause air movement within the tent, negating the insulating value created by dead air.
Hot-Taped Seems
The center floor seam and all flysheet seams on our tents are hot-taped in the factory. This ensures that water will not enter through the needle holes where two pieces of fabric are sewn together, a process that eliminates the need to use seam sealer on the majority of out tent seams.
Supercoated Floors
We insist on making five passes of polyurethane coating over our tent floor fabric. This reduces irregularities and creates a durable finish that is waterproof to a minimum standard of 165 pounds of water pressure per square inch. This level of waterproofing far exceeds the standard used by other tent manufacturers.
Anchoring System
All tents come with pre-attached external guylines and extra large staking loops at ground level so you can use skis or pickets to take the tent in deep snow. Tent flysheets all have ladderlocks that make it easy to tighten or loosen the fly.
Footprints
Sized to fit perfectly under your North Face tent, these waterproof ground cloths protect the tent floor, help prolong its life and prevent water pooling that can occur with an oversized ground cloth.
Pole Sleeves
Poles contained in sleeves distribute even tension across the tent canopy, enhancing the catenary cut and stabilizing the structure against snow and wind. When poles are housed in sleeves they apply pressure across the entire tent wall, making the shelter tighter and far more stable than tents with point-to-point suspensions such as clips.
EASTON
Aircraft-grade Aluminum Poles
We use the highest quality aircraft-grade Easton 7075-T9 alloy aluminum poles developed especially for The North Face for their optimum combination of lightness, flexibility, and strength. In a ny tent that has poles of different lengths, our poles and sleeves are color-coded to make it easier to match a pole to its correct sleeve even if you are working by headlamp. Unique locking pole tips keep poles fixed in their grommets.
Stainless Steel Zipper Sliders
Stainless steel zipper sliders used on our heaviest duty expedition tents outlast traditional nickel-plated zipper sliders by a factor of ten. They have been tested to 200,000 cycles without failing.
Tent Accessories
When you purchase a North Face tent it comes with an accessory package that contains high quality tent stakes, guylines, line tighteners, pole emergency repair sleeves, seam sealer and storage sacks for the poles, stakes and tent body. In addition, you can purchase a Gear Loft and Footprint from you dealer.
Gear Loft
Sized to fit specific tents, these mesh lofts clip easily to ceiling loops to create additional storage space.
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