Does The North Face Run Small? (Read Before Buying)

The North Face clothing tends to run true to size. Their jackets, in particular, fit very well, and thus there is no need to size up or down.

Perhaps due to its recent collaborations with major brands, The North Face, which was once restricted to the outdoor clothing category, has come with all guns blazing into everyday casual wear.

Therefore, I decided to review their sizing. After reading this article, you will know exactly what size you need to buy at The North Face.

How does The North Face Fit?

the north face

The North Face gear fits really well, with most of the clothing fitting you true to size. Their jackets provide you with ample room for layering.

TNF is known for its puffer jackets, especially the Nuptse and the Lhotse jacket. Both of these fit very well and raise no cause for concerns in sizing.

Their clothing is very functional in nature, which is something that you would expect from such an outdoorsy brand. There is ample room in their garments for layering underneath, something that cannot be said about their biggest rival Patagonia.

So, what size should you buy when shopping from them?

Here’s what I recommend. Take a look at the official size chart on The North Face website. Compare your body measurements with it, and simply follow the chart as is. There is no need to size up or down.

If you are using their gear strictly because of the quality and the materials involved, just go true to size.

But if you are trying to wear their stuff due to fashion reasons, then sizing up might work because of the general trendiness that oversized clothing is enjoying these days. As always, the choice is entirely yours.

Quick Tip 👉 Sometimes The North Face website shows discounts on products only after going through the clearance section and not if you directly go to the product page. Thus, make sure that you always check for your product in the sale section on The North Face website.

What size should you get?

When ordering clothing from The North Face, you should measure yourself and compare your measurements to the size chart provided on their website or on the product page. You should measure your bust, waist, hips, and inseam and match these measurements to the size chart to determine the best fit.

It is also important to consider the type of fit you prefer in your clothing. The North Face offers regular, relaxed, and slim fits, so you should choose the fit that best suits your body type and personal style.

Keep in mind that different countries may have different sizing standards, so be sure to check the size chart for the country in which you are ordering.

Which North Face Items Run Small?

North Face ClothingSizing
Puffer JacketsTrue to size.
Waterproof JacketsTrue to size.
Fleece Sweaters and JacketsTrue to size.
HoodiesRun small for women.

Puffer Jackets

North Face puffer jackets fit true to size, albeit a bit short in length. However, you can size up if you want to layer a hoodie or a thick sweater under it.

North Face is a brand that is synonymous with puffer jackets, at least in North America. The two most popular puffer variants they offer are the Nuptse jacket and the Lhotse jacket.

While both fit true to size, I would recommend that you size up if you live in an extremely cold climate so that you can layer more heavily under the jacket.

Also, while the Nuptse is a bit cropped, the Lhotse jacket goes past your waist for added warmth.

Waterproof Jackets

The North Face waterproof jackets tend to be true to size, which eliminates any need for sizing up or down.

The North Face is known for its heavy emphasis on outerwear and utility clothing. Well, the brand, combines both these aspects to create its waterproof jackets; they are functional, but they also look extremely good.

Luckily, you don’t have to think too much before purchasing one. Just go with your regular size.

Fleece Sweaters and Jackets

The fleece sweaters and jackets at North Face run true to size for most individuals. There is no need of sizing up or down.

Like its competitor Patagonia, the North Face also focuses a lot on its fleece jackets and sweaters. The quality of both brands is comparable, and so are the prizes.

But where North Face wins for me is their immaculate sizing. The fleece sweaters and jackets fit just as you would expect them to.

Hoodies

The North Face hoodies fit true to size for men, but they run big for women. Therefore, sizing up may be necessary depending upon your body type.

I tried out the hoodie from the men’s section, while my girlfriend tried out the hoodie from the women’s section. Mine fit perfectly fine, but hers was just too big. It looked like she was swimming in fabric.

Therefore, if you are a woman, you need to go one size up in North Face hoodies.

The North Face Size Chart For Men

All measurements are in inches.

Jackets and Sweaters

SizeChest HipsSleeve Length
S36-38 in35-37 in33.5 in
M39-41 in38-40 in34.0 in
L42-44 in41-43 in34.8 in
XL45-48 in44-46 in35.5 in
2XL49-52 in47-49 in36.3 in
3XL53-56 in50-52 in37.0 in

Trousers

SizeWaist Hip Inseam (Short)Inseam (Reg.)Inseam (Long)
3029-30 in35-36 in29.5 in31.5 in33.5 in
3231-32 in37-38 in30.0 in32.0 in34.0 in
3433-34 in39-40 in30.0 in32.0 in34.0 in
36 35-36 in41-42 in30.0 in32.0 in34.0 in
3837-38 in43-44 in30.5 in32.5 in34.5 in
4039-40 in44-45 in30.5 in32.5 in34.5 in
4241-42 in46-47 in30.5 in32.5 in34.5 in
4443-44 in47-48 in30.5 in32.5 in34.5 in

The North Face Size Chart For Women

All measurements are in inches.

Jackets and Sweaters

SizeChest WaistHipSleeve Length
XS31-32 in24-25 in33-35 in31.5 in
S33-35 in26-28 in36-37 in32.0 in
M36-38 in29-31 in38-40 in32.5 in
L39-41 in32-34 in41-43 in33.3 in
XL42-44 in35-38 in44-47 in34.0 in
2XL45-48 in39-42 in48-51 in34.8 in
1X43-45 in36-38 in46-48 in31.5 in
2X47-49 in40-42 in50-52 in32.25 in
3X51-53 in44-46 in54-56 in33 in

Trousers

SizeWaist HipsInseam (Short)Inseam (Reg.)Inseam (Long)
XS (0)25-26 in34-35 in28.5 in30.5 in32.5 in
XS (2)26-27 in35-36 in28.5 in30.5 in32.5 in
S (4)27-28 in36-37 in29.0 in31.0 in33.0 in
S (6)28-29 in37-38 in29.0 in31.0 in33.0 in
M (8)29-30 in38-39 in29.0 in31.0 in33.0 in
M (10)30-31 in39-40 in29.0 in31.0 in33.0 in
L (12)31-33 in40-42 in29.0 in31.0 in33.0 in
L (14)33-35 in42-44 in29.5 in31.5 in33.5 in
XL (16)35-37 in44-46 in29.5 in31.5 in33.5 in
XL (18)37-39 in46-48 in29.5 in31.5 in33.5 in
1X (14)36-37 in46-47 in28 in30 in32 in
1X (16)37-38 in47-48 in28 in30 in32 in
2X (18)40-41 in50-51 in28 in30 in32 in
2X (20)41-42 in51-52 in28 in30 in32 in
3X (22)44-45 in54-55 in28 in30 in32 in
3X (24)45-46 in55-56 in28 in30 in32 in

Does North Face Make Plus-Size Clothing?

North Face does make plus-size clothing. Their jackets and hoodies go up to a maximum of 3XL in size and are true to size in nature.

While the brand is certainly doing much better than its main competitors like Patagonia and Moncler in terms of sizing, there is still a lot that can be done.

There is room for expansion in both the number of sizes as well as qualitative improvements in the plus-size collection.

Final Remarks

In this article, I tried to cover every nuance of the sizing system at The North Face. While their competitors lag behind in getting their sizing right, this brand has already got it all figured out.

Here’s a quick recap of the article:

Does The North Face run small? No, The North Face clothing does not run small. Their jackets, hoodies, and sweaters are true to size. Only size up if you want a baggier fit.