What is the name of The North Face's technical ski apparel line?

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What is the name of The North Face’s technical ski apparel line? The North Face’s technical ski apparel line is called Steep Tech.

Steep Tech was developed with extreme skier Scot Schmidt and launched in 1991. It was among The North Face’s earliest athlete-designed collections, built around the demands of big-mountain skiing rather than ordinary resort clothing. Functional details and a bold, highly technical appearance defined the range.

The line reflected a period when ski apparel was becoming more specialized. Features such as articulated construction, protective shells, multiple pockets, and equipment-oriented details were intended to support movement and changing conditions on steep terrain.

Steep Tech also crossed from the slopes into popular culture. Its oversized silhouettes and vivid color blocking became recognizable in 1990s New York streetwear, where the clothing was often worn by people with no connection to extreme skiing. That urban afterlife is why the name is sometimes remembered as a fashion label rather than a performance line.

Steep Tech is commonly confused with Steep Series, another North Face snow-gear name. They are related in theme, but Steep Tech is the specific line asked for here and was the earlier Schmidt-associated collection.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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