Which iconic down jacket did The North Face introduce in 1992?

The North Face introduced the Nuptse jacket in 1992.

The jacket was created as part of The North Face’s Expedition System, a high-alpine layering concept designed to let climbers combine garments for insulation, weather protection, and mobility. Its name comes from Nuptse, a Himalayan peak near Mount Everest; “Nuptse” is Tibetan for “west peak.”

The original Nuptse used down insulation and a distinctive baffle design intended to reduce down migration and improve warmth. That practical mountain design later became recognizable far beyond climbing and skiing. The 1996 version is especially associated with the jacket’s enduring streetwear silhouette, while later retro releases revisited both the 1992 and 1996 designs.

A common mix-up is confusing the Nuptse with The North Face’s Summit Series. Summit Series is a broader family of technical products, not the name of this particular jacket. The Base Camp duffel is luggage, and Denali is a fleece jacket line.