Over the past few years, the outdoor industry has come to realize that its lightweight, pricey, and often overly technical gear does not necessarily appeal to a younger crowd. Traditionally, hikers and campers have looked for the best gear possible to keep them warm and dry while taking part in their favorite outdoor pursuits, and often have been willing to pay top dollar for better performance.
But as a younger generation heads into the backcountry for the first time, they are looking for gear that is fun, functional, and does not cost an arm and a leg. To meet the needs of this new breed of outdoor explorer, The North Face released its Homestead Collection, which is a line of products that offers good performance at a reasonable price.
One of the first things that sticks out about the Homestead Collection is the colors of the fabrics used in its construction. Most outdoor brands –including North Face — tend to play it safe when it comes to the color schemes used on tents, sleeping bags, and backpacks, often sticking to conservative earth tones. But this line of products employs prints with names like Tibetan Orange Heat Map, Darkest Spruce Yosemite Sofa, and Vintage White Sparse Mo to help them stand out from the crowd. The result is products that are eye-catching and fun, characteristics that most definitely appeal to a younger crowd.
When creating the Homestead Collection, North Face designers leveraged the company’s extensive history in creating outdoor gear to deliver a wide range or products that provide solid performance at an affordable price. For instance the new Homestead Domey 3 is a three-person tent that is waterproof, easy to set up, and offers three doors for ease of access. It is also equipped with mesh skylights for stargazing, a “tentertainment” center for securely holding an iPad, and is affordably priced at $250.
Similarly, the Drift 55 is a full-featured backpack equipped with a suspension system, hydration sleeve, and nine pockets that costs just $159, while the Homestead Twin 20/-7 is a sleeping bag that provides warmth down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit with a price tag of just $119. Other products include a smaller two-person tent, a daypack, and the Snackle Box, whch is a 52-liter duffel bag that doubles as a picnic basket for carrying food and supplies to the campsite.
All of the items in the Homestead Collection are available now.
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