In 1996, The North Face was founded by two hiking enthusiasts, Douglas Tompkins and a close friend, as a shop for mountaineering equipment in North Beach, San Francisco. Soon thereafter, that little shop became known as a retailer of high-performance climbing and backpacking gear. Since Tompkins wasn't completely confident with the stuff he was offering (or at least he believed he could do it better), he decided to create his own in-house brand by the name of The North Face. Through the 1970s, The North Face cherished a following amongst avid outdoor athletes, and eventually became the only supplier in the US to offer a comprehensive collection of high-performance outerwear, ski wear, sleeping bags, packs and tents in the 80s. While others chose to stress either design or technology issue, The North Face took both seriously and steadily searched for better fibers to satisfy the needs of their customers. Now, more than 40 years after its humble grand opening, The North Face delivers an extensive line of stylish performance apparel, functional equipment and footwear. They push the boundaries of innovation, so you can push the boundaries of exploration.