Help with potential fake The North Face Jacket

[DanShell]

I am only new and still learning a lot about gear so I was wondering if I can get an expert eye over these series of pics and tell me if this is fake or not?

It is supposed to be a TNF Summit Series Gore-tex jacket and a fleece liner. My research suggests there is no such thing but the only info I can find is fairly outdated so things may have changed. It is second hand by the way so I dont know how old exactly it is. Thanks for any help. The seller assures me it is water proof (she said she checked after I asked her to check) and she also claims she has no idea if it is fake or not because she is not up with the brand or type of jacket, but says it looks like its good quality and sees no reason why it would be fake.....im skeptical.

http://www.auctiva.com/hostedimages/sho ... 0&format=0

[Ellobuddha]

Mate,

Someone may have a definitive answer on here. Its hard to say but I would steer clear. I was in Nepal last year and saw rolls and rolls of "gore tex" patches for sewing onto the inside of copy jackets.

There were literally thousands of North Face, arc'teryx, Mammut etc etc knock offs everywhere.

In any case the goretex XCR no longer produced. They have all had name changes. XCR is known as Performance or Active. Goggle search will confirm. Looks like a fake to me - especially with the gloves. Where is the seller based? How much is it?

Its best to buy from reputable stores either online in Aus or overseas for some good prices. Many overseas stores cant sell direct to Australia but you can easily purchase using a shipping company such as USTOOZ ( my preference as its a really nice Aussie girl living in Colorado)

I would steer well clear of that particular jacket. Cheap knockoff fleeces etc are not really an issue besides fit but you don't want to muck around with something as vital as a quality hard shell in my opinion.

EB

[radson]

Ha, of course it's fake.

[icefest]

I'm 80% sure it's a fake.

I bought a fake one 5 years ago in China, I need a cheap jacket for non-hiking use and it was ~20 AUD.

To be sure - have a close look at the seam sealing. My seams came unsealed within a week of use and the fake-tex delaminated after a short time.
I still use the fleece underjacket though.

[DanShell]

The seller is a used clothes shop in QLD and the jacket is $80 second hand. I have already purchased it and then upon research realised this brand is copied

She has offered to refund my money and any postage costs if it turns out to be fake or I'm not happy with it so I'll have to wait until it arrives.

[DanShell]

Ha, of course it's fake.

Care to elaborate as to why you came to this conclusion?

[wayno]

the rainshell lining is wrong for a gore tex rainshell

[Moondog55]

Just call Gore and ask them; it's a 1800 number and won't cost you any money

[Ellobuddha]

Sweet that you can send it back. Return to sender I think.

[DanShell]

Thanks gents I appreciate your input.

I think I will phone goretex and see what they say. I'm not fussed about the fleece inner but I was hoping it was a genuine shell. At $80 it's a good price if it's genuine but it's a waste of $80 if it's a non performing fake.

When it arrives I'll have a good look at it, phone goretex and do the old shower test to see if it is in fact waterproof. Even if it's fake it may be water proof enough to find a use somewhere. But then again I'll probably send it back and stop looking for a bargain and just bite the bullet and buy a new quality shell.
I'm just trying to introduce ourselves into this as cheaply as possible.

[Franco]

Take a good look at the Summit Series logo.
The genuine one has a different font and is always in red, no yellow thread in it.

[Ellobuddha]

Nice work Franco.

The seams are what will let you down as probably not taped. The material may seem waterproof - initially. Then it will wet out and you will get soaked.

[radson]

Ha, of course it's fake.

Care to elaborate as to why you came to this conclusion?

I actually dont mind the TNF summit series stuff and have their Himalayan down suit, a really cool hooded fleece and also one of their down jackets.

So where do I begin. Goretex with fleece liner is probably the first giveaway. Then theres the poor design, the garish logos and the fact I have passed a gazillion of these jackets in Thamel.

[Nuts]

Yes, fake jacket. Try google, google images, TNF site archive(?), Trailspace.
Lack of detailed care instructions on the rear of the size tag?
Goretex XCR is 3 layer, It doesn't 'need' a liner.
Even if sold 'used' entertain the possibility that you still may have found a scammer.

It looks familiar, a BWA forum member bought a shell/set.. they didn't last long.

[blacksheep]

Fake,no doubt. Sorry ...

[DanShell]

Thanks everyone, it's very disappointing, I thought I grabbed a bit of a bargain it's the old story, if it looks to good to be true........!

Back to the drawing board finding a good jacket on a budget!

[Franco]

Another one because this is often the only one that many look at :


and this is the real one :

note the O and R in particular

and on a product :

[stry]

Regarding a reasonably priced jacket, have you looked at Wilderness Wear ?

Australian made. Straightforward products. Not always the highest tech whiz bang materials, but that is not necessarily a problem.

I have a few items from them and quality is fine on what I have.

[slparker]

Nice work Franco.

The seams are what will let you down as probably not taped. The material may seem waterproof - initially. Then it will wet out and you will get soaked.

'Then it will wet out and you will get soaked' - You mean just like real gore-tex?

[DanShell]

Thanks very much everyone. I managed to get in contact with the shop this morning and they hadn't posted it yet so my money was refunded no problems. It will be interesting to see how she advertises it again!

I bought one of these second hand for $50 http://www.gearguide.info/2011/01/25/cl ... et-review/

Hopefully that will get me started and I can hand it down to my son when I can upgrade to something better.

[wayno]

The north face and possibly the authorities would have a field day with the shop if they caught them selling jackets like that...

[DanShell]

The north face and possibly the authorities would have a field day with the shop if they caught them selling jackets like that...

I'm not sure if it is against the rules to post this link here so I apologise if it is, but here's the link to the persons eBay store.
100% feedback so I'd say she doesn't sell fake gear as a rule.

http://stores.ebay.com.au/familyskigear ... sdaughter/

[wayno]

just looking through it, theres no other north face gear, so they wouldnt have much familiarity with the brand to know the difference between real and fake.

[DanShell]

just looking through it, theres no other north face gear, so they wouldnt have much familiarity with the brand to know the difference between real and fake.

I agree. My communication with her suggested she genuinely had no idea and was more than willing to refund so I can't complain really but I admit I was deep down hoping it was real

[wayno]

gore tex have recently changed their pro shell material. there should be good deals around selling off the old pro shell jackets.

[wayno]

there was a guy selling fake north face gear en masse through trademe in nz... he said he didnt have a clue it was fake, he met someone in thailand who supplied him with it. some online traders just don't know enough to know the difference... True Alliance the australsian distributors and the authorities pulled him up on it, i cant recall if or how he was prosecuted... if you dont understand how rampant pirated goods are in asia i suppose you might not realise what you've got....

[corvus]

Regarding a reasonably priced jacket, have you looked at Wilderness Wear ?

Australian made. Straightforward products. Not always the highest tech whiz bang materials, but that is not necessarily a problem.

I have a few items from them and quality is fine on what I have.

+1
corvus

[dancier]

I was chatting to a girl who's into making gear and I made a comment about her North Face rain jacket, she got it from Sapa in Vietnam, but said it was a knock off. They take patterns and manufacture the gear, with near enough the same material and most people wouldn't know the difference, apparently it comes from China.