For all you men who have been secretly coveting our down belay skirts, your suffering is over. After much design feedback from athletes, The North Face has created a down jacket that keeps your backside warm while completely staying out of the way of your harness.
The North Face sponsored team of Conrad Anker, Jimmy Chin, and Renan Ozturk recently reached the summit of 20,700 foot Meru via the Shark's Fin route last October. The North Face Fall 2012 Meru Kit is made up of products designed to specifically address problems encountered by the team on their original 2008 attempt of the same route. During the latest successful expedition, the trio were able to use prototypes of the resulting alpine climbing gear, the most innovative and technical built to date.
Included in the new Meru Kit is the men's Sharksfin Belay Parka. Constructed with a drop seat, your backside remains warm even when belaying for an extended period of time on those high alpine ascents. The raised front design stays out of the way of your harness and all your equipment.
The 800g belay parka features a full helmet compatible hood and extended neck that zips all the way up to protect your face. Two zippered pockets provide a place to store your climbing gloves or easy access to essentials you made need when belaying.
The North Face Sharksfin Belay Parka retails for $480, available for Fall 2012.