The Puffiest, Coziest, Driest Sneaker-Loafer Yet
Sneaker-loafer or slipper-loafer? The North Face’s new Nuptse loafer is kinda both.
The North Face has taken its insulated Nuptse DNA, best known for being found on the brand’s ubiquitous puffer jacket, and infused it into an all-black loafer.
Boxy, padded, and practical, this sneaker-loafer sits somewhere between TNF’s puffy house shoes and a formal slip-on.
The upper is made from recycled polyester wrapped around HydroSeal, the brand’s waterproof-breathable membrane is packed with ThermoBall Eco insulation, and underfoot, a lightweight, high-rebound EVA midsole and rubber outsole grips both wet and dry. An elastic drawcord lets you cinch it all together.
The North Face leans into what it does best with this shoe, providing puffy warmth, weatherproofing, and mountain-proof utility. However, it brings all this onto an unexpected footwear style.
If you’ve watched hybrid shoes go from meme to must-have, you know the lineage. New Balance’s 1906L basically rewired the loafer into a comfort rocket and became the shoe synonymous with sneaker-loafers. Soon, more came, from the weirdo Mizuno Wave Prophecy Moc to HOKA's trail loafers to Nike's sporty air max loafer.
The latest to join the pack, the Nuptse Loafer, is available from September 4 for $142 on The North Face’s website.
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