Known for some seriously cold and severe weather, Emma took TNF’s Descendit Jacket and Freedom Bib for a whirl. Here’s what happened.
This fantastic jacket is super warm and very substantial in all conditions. Worn in minus 18 and minus 16 degrees Celsius in Furano and Kamui Ski Links it was snowed on, iced on and misted on during blizzard mornings, snowy days and bluebird days. I’d like to say I take great care of my gear and I really want to, but the nature of the beast is that I use my jacket to lean on inside buses, I stuff it into my backpack and generally bask it around, so my gear cannot be precious!
The colour ‘Marina Blue’ is fantastic and I wore it alternating between white ski pants and the black Women’s Freedom Bib with my backpack strapped to my jacket. I love the colour contrast of black and blue and the sizing was true to size, this jacket is a medium.
Inda Hood
I like that the hood is roomy enough to go over the helmet, I’ve come across this issue in the past where you can’t get the hood over the helmet (and it’s just annoying) so this is really handy and it comes with a cord-lock adjustable system.
Good for the Conscience
The North Face lives by the credo, Exploration Without Compromise, with sustainable products and this product is made with recycled materials (70% post-consumer recycled content), which feels awesome to be part of something bigger than ourselves.
Tech Aspects
HEATSEEKER is the synthetic insulation used and is made with hollow-core fibres for warmth, performance and durability and it was super-warm. I wore 2 layers underneath the jacket, which is pretty standard for me.
DRYVENT is TNF tech, engineered to be fully waterproof, windproof and breathable and have a non-PFC finish to keep you dry. I didn’t feel overly hot, we hiked up some hills in Furano and did a lot of traversing to get out of some sticky situations so it was a brilliant choice.
The Waterproofing is 15,000–20,000 mm and means its designed to keep you dry in heavy snow and rain typical of resort conditions. I can definitely attest to it being bullet proof against the snow and wet. You won’t be cold in this jacket.
Women’s Descendit Jacket RRP $500 (currently on sale for $400)
I haven’t worn a bib before and I’ll be back for more, I like them! I honestly think I had bad memories of my kids not being able to get their bibs zipped down in time for the loo at ski school, those memories lingerrrrr, but as an adult, I could trust myself to plan our loo stops in advance – ha ha.
What I liked about the bib was it felt warmer, no ‘wind whistling up my back’, but also my body warmth was quite apparent. I’m not sure why I tried bibs before for just this reason alone. Nobody told me…I really like the Chimney Venting™ system, which is a ventilation feature that helps regulate temperature and manage moisture on the mountain (mainly through inner thigh vents and mesh). I was worried about wicking away moisture as we were working up a sweat hiking up hills.
Seams Put to the Extreme
Now, I’m going to be very honest about the seams – so here it is – those seams got a WORKOUT. I had ACL surgery in March 2025 and my weight blew out a bit but there was ‘no way’ I was giving in to getting the next size up. We snowshoed twice, (one hour there, one hour back) and lots of traversing, hiking and general backtracking on this trip and I could feel the seams maxed out in places with the load I was asking it to bear, it reminded me of those tests where you see how far you can stretch something without tearing. I am pleased to report – no tearing AT ALL, no seam rips, no button pops – at all .
Knees
It was helpful to have articulated knees (for mobility) in the bib because I was constantly kneeling, stepping up, kneeling on dirty floors or ropeways and deep sitting on short seats.
Cuffs and Ankles
I loved that the cuffs around the ankles went easily over my ski boots. My ankles were submerged in powder snow for extended periods of time, up to the calf with no wetness at all. The Freedom Bib uses breathable, waterproof DryVent™ made from recycled materials to protect you in the deepest powder. It has an all-round adjustable fit and strategically-placed vents down the legs allow warm air to travel up and escape, keeping you cool when you’re working hard. Reinforced kickpatches and hem were great as I really do hammer my gear, I don’t mean to, it’s just life and my gear cannot be precious. StretchVent™ gaiters with gripper elastic, a techy feature found on ski pants and bibs designed to keep snow out of your boots
Women’s Freedom Bib – RRP $400
