The North Face Morphed Its Fan-Favorite Rugged Duffel Bag into … an All-Weather Boot?

The North Face’s Base Camp has been among the best weekender duffel bags for years. It’s most often compared to the Patagonia Black Hole — the industry standard — but has carved out a solid reputation and fan base for itself.

You’ve probably never heard anyone say, “The North Face Base Camp Duffel sure would make a great pair of boots,” but they might now. That’s because the brand has taken its iconic duffel and morphed it into footwear.

Specifically, it’s been transformed into the rugged and capable Base Camp 100 Waterproof Boot and Base Camp 200 Waterproof Boot.

The North Face

Camp kicks

Funnily enough, we actually covered the first launch in this Base Camp footwear series — the Base Camp Waterproof Mule — a few weeks back. While the mules share some similarities with these new additions, they’re definitely the most casual, least capable of the offerings.

The Base Camp 100 Waterproof Boots see the iconic duffel bag transmogrified into a highly capable mid-height hiker. They boast EVA waterproof uppers, which cause rain, sleet, snow and more to bead right off. Even mud is no big deal — just give ’em a rinse once you get home.

That hardworking upper is paired with the brand’s signature Thermoball insulation, which helps keep feet warm even into the winter months.

The North Face

The boots also have webbing loops on the back, pulled directly from the design of the bag that inspired them, that act as pull tabs for easier on and off. And they have a secure lacing system complete with lace locks to keep them secure on any terrain.

Speaking of any terrain, the big highlight here might just be the grippy, deep-treaded Vibram outsole, which can handle even uneven mountainous paths with ease. They’re even slip-resistant, meaning you can hike in inclement weather, should you so choose (or if you get caught in a surprise storm.)

The North Face

Big brother boot

The second duffel-turned-boot, the Base Camp 200, shares much in common with the 100, but has some key differences. It also looks like something you might see Antarctic scientists or Deadliest Catch fishermen don.

Unlike the 100s, these boots don’t have a lacing system. Instead, they rely on their much greater height to stay on. However, they still boast the same seam-sealed, waterproof EVA shell as their smaller, more traditional brethren.

The North Face

Similarly, they have the same Vibram outsole for stable, secure terrain conquering. They even have the same Thermoball insulation, albeit a bit thicker for even worse weather.

Whether this is a one-off experiment or if there’s more Base Camp-inspired gear to come is anyone’s guess, but there’s no denying the boldness of these launches. Hell, if they’re half as dependable as the bag for which they’re named, they could be a big hit for years to come.

The North Face

Pricing and availability

The North Face Base Camp 100 Waterproof Boot is available in two colorways — Black and Mocha Brown — for $180 per pair. The bigger TNF Base Camp 200 Waterproof Boot is in Black and Summit Gold for $200 each.

The North Face

The North Face Base Camp 100 Waterproof Boots

• $180 at The North Face

The North Face

The North Face Base Camp 200 Waterproof Boots

• $200 at The North Face

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