The North Face Mountain 25 Review

The North Face Mountain 25 is a top-notch expedition and winter camping tent that is easily among the most robust models in our review. It's best for applications where storm-worthiness, versatility, and ample livable space are appreciated, and its heavier-than-average weight is less of a big deal. Its lighter than several other of the most classic expedition models like the Trango 2 and the Tarra. It is heavier than the Hilleberg Jannu or the Black Diamond Fitzroy but more spacious and livable than either of those models and costs $300-$400 less.

Performance Comparison

The Mountain 25 is one of the most storm-worthy, livable, and versatile tents in our review.

Ease of Set-Up

The inner tent pitches with a combination of pole sleeves and a few clips on the lower sections of two of the poles. This sleeve design is ultra bomber once the entire tent is set up, but does require slightly more caution when setting up in high winds so that you don't bend or break the poles in the process. The problem with pole sleeves on a dome tent is they can turn the inner tent into a sail in strong winds while erecting the tent. If it is very windy, you'll have to hold onto the poles securely to support them, making sure they don't bend or break.

An example of one of the pole clips used on two of the poles on the Mountain 25.

The Trango 2 addresses this problem by using pole clips that do not bend the poles as much and are easier to control; simply start by clipping all of them from the bottom moving upward during windy set-ups. Hilleberg dome tents like the Jannu and Tarra address this problem by using short pole sleeves at the bottom and pole clips for everything else.

The Mountain 25 uses a combination of pole sleeves and clips. Pole sleeves are advantageous over clips because they spread the weight more evenly, but clips are quicker and easier to set up, and the poles aren't as exposed to being bent during the actual setup process. The Mountain 25 primarily uses pole sleeves but has a few clips on either side of the two middle poles to help speed up the pitching process.

The poles of the Mountain 25 fit securely into grommets, while the fly attaches via the same grommets underneath the main body. We think attaching the fly to the body in this manner is incredibly easy and secure. This tent has 16 much nicer-than-average DAC aluminum stakes and four snow parachutes, something our testing team found to be an excellent extra touch.

The Mountain 25 has several small features to help with setup. One of the most useful is how all the ends of the pole sleeves are color coded to match the corresponding pole. One corner of the body is also red to match the corresponding corner of the fly. While small, our testers loved these features that helped us set up the tent more efficiently when it was stormy, or we were just plain tired.

As a whole, this contender's performance was average when it came to ease of set-up, though it does become a bomber shelter once pitched. We do think the Trango 2 and the Hillberg Jannu are easier to set up in general, especially in windier conditions. Most people will still find the Mountain 25 easier to set up than the BD Fitzroy, which is comparable in strength but sets up with poles on the inside.

The Mountain 25 isn't the lightest tent, but it is easily among the most storm-worthy. It also isn't terrible for compressed sized and overall weight, but it isn't as light most other models we tested. However, for trips like this one on a ski descent of Mt. Rainier's Fuhrer Finger where the winds were forecasted to be quite strong, we were happy to haul a little extra weight to help make sure our tent survived the night so we could enjoy the much-improved weather the following day.

Weather Resistance

This is where the Mountain 25 excels; it is an extreme conditions tent that has been proven to offer high performance in absolutely atrocious conditions. It excels in nearly all mountain conditions, as it features a bomber pole design, a nice tight pitch, and several strong guy points that make it one of the strongest tents in our review.

The only other tents that can offer similar performance are the Black Diamond Fitzroy, the Hilleberg Tarra, and the Mountain Hardwear Trango 2. While the Jannu is bomber and offers other advantages, it isn't quite as burly as the Mountain 25. This model is undoubtedly stronger than the Black Diamond Eldorado or Hilleberg Nammatj 2.

The Mountain 25 has two peak vents on either side of the center of the tent. These vents can be opened all the way, or with the bug screen. On the fly, two stiffened sections with Velcro attachments help hold the vents open for more effective ventilation.

Compared to most of the 4 season tents in our review, with nearly all of the tents offering limited ventilation options, this tent's inner fabric handles moisture and condensation better than most. Some moisture would be present if we zipped it up in cold and dry environments, but the Mountain 25 gets noticeably less condensation than the Trango 2 or BD Fitzroy.

The Mountain 25 equalizes four sets of guylines using a slick ring system shown here. It pulls from three points into one guyline to more effectively distribute the load. Overall, we found the Mountain 25 to be one of the more bomber and storm-worthy models in our review. If you securely tie down its six major guy points and three vestibule points (two in the front and one in the back) this tent can withstand as much as can be expected out of any 4 season tent on the market.

It has snow flaps on the vestibule, which create a tight seal; this can help keep new snow out when buried. This not only made the tent more secure but also minimized the amount of spindrift that would enter during a storm.

The Mountain 25 offered plenty of living space and proved to be one of the more comfortable models we tested for two people to hang out in for extended periods of time. It's ample venting also helps to manage moisture and internal temperature, making it a good option for more moderate climates or occasional three-season use. Here, the Mountain 25 is set up on the edge of the treeline in Boston Basin, North Cascades National Park.

Livability

Offering 32 square feet of floor space, it feels super cush inside and is a great option for expedition style climbing and base camping use. Its main competitor, the Trango 2, has an additional eight sq. ft. of interior space. We appreciated the increased living room in the Trango 2, it is a little over one pound heavier than the Mountain 25.

This tent has 32 square feet of internal space, making it among the most spacious model in our review. It's shown here with two full-sized Therm-a-Rest pads and there is still enough room for some gear without feeling too crowded.

That said, the Mountain 25 is one of the more comfortable and livable two-person 4 season tents we tested. If you are looking for a base camp style tent for Alaska, Patagonian, or Himalayan living, then it should be near the top of your list. Despite offering a slightly more significant floor area (36 square feet), the Black Diamond Fitzroy didn't feel much bigger. Compared to our other top scoring tents, the Mountain 25 feels a little roomier than the Hilleberg Jannu or Black Diamond Eldorado.

On top of having one of the more spacious interiors, the Mountain 25 features a hooped 8 square foot vestibule. We have cooked over two dozen nights in this vestibule and found it big enough for two packs with plenty of room to crawl past them when entering or exiting the tent.

For comfort and livability, our testers loved all the mesh pockets, and spacious (8 square foot) hooped front vestibule; the vestibule easily fit two packs and still has enough room to get in and out of the tent while shedding wet layers before entering the central part of the tent. We cooked over two dozen nights in the vestibule, and we made extensive use of the snow flaps. They helped create a nice secure place that also helped anchor the entire tent. The smaller three square foot vestibule was big enough to store boots or one to two mostly empty packs, but only if you leaned them against the main wall of the inner tent.

The Mountain 25 features two large pockets on each side as well as two "attic" pockets above, which can be a great place for an alarm, listening to music, or watching a movie on your smartphone.

Durability

Overall, this is a pretty bomber tent that is certainly one of the burlier options in our review. The latest version uses a different fly than the older one. While technically thinner, it should hold up better over time in several ways. The new fly features 40D nylon and 1500 mm PU/silicone coating, which offers superior longevity and will hold its water resistance longer than the previous polyester fly. The previous fly was considerably more prone to hydrolysis (chemical breakup) than silnylon fabrics (now featured on the current version) that might last twice as long in wet conditions. It uses high-quality DAC poles that are an industry standard. Beyond most company warranties, our testers found the newest model to be above average for construction quality, and we even felt like it was better than the previous model.

Weight/Packed Size

We love that this tent tips the scales at around eight and a half pounds. The Mountain 25 weighs a pound less than the Trango 2 and the Hilleberg Tarra. This weight savings can be huge when you're huffing and puffing, trying to suck in thin air. While it is lighter than the Trango, it isn't as light as the comparable-in-strength Hilleberg Jannu, which weighs about a pound and a half less at 7 lbs 1 oz.

The Mountain 25 is one of the more adaptable and versatile 4 season models in our review. Its inner fabric handles moisture and condensation better than most, and in addition to its two vents at the top, each door has a mesh option for better ventilation.

Versatility

The design allows the tent to excel in a wider range of conditions and seasons than nearly all of the lighter single wall tents (with the possible exception of the Black Diamond Ahwahnee) and many of the double wall tents in our review). For example, the Mountain 25 is a better choice for most three-season low elevation camping endeavors because of its above average ability to handle moisture and condensation.

Best Applications

This tent performs best when used for general and high altitude mountaineering, winter camping, and base camping. While it's okay for three-season use (compared to tents designed for that use), its performance is average among 4 season tent options. If you're looking for a 4 season tent for alpine climbing and mountaineering, primarily in the lower 48, we might recommend getting something a little lighter like the Hilleberg Jannu or Black Diamond Eldorado. If you want something you can climb with but is also a little more comfortable for winter camping, and you have greater range ambitions, we'd recommend the Mountain 25 over the Hilleberg Tarra or the Mountain Hardwear Trango; it's noticeably lighter and a little more packable than either of those models.

The Mountain 25 (second from left) is a bomber, comfortable shelter that will excel for expedition style climbing and winter camping, but is also light and versatile enough for the occasional 3-season backpacking trip.

Value

A $590, the Mountain 25 is a decent value if you need an expedition tent. It is $60 less than the very comparable Mountain Hardwear Trango 2 ($650), and $210 less than the similarly designed, but single- walled Black Diamond Fitzroy ($800). While it is heavier, the 25 is comparable to the Hilleberg models, which are $200-300 more.

The Mountain 25 is a versatile tent. It's undoubtedly burly enough for expedition use, from Alaska to the Himalayas, but it's also comfortable enough for winter camping and occasional three-season use.

Conclusion

The North Face Mountain 25 is a sweet expedition and winter camping tent. It is light enough that it's serviceable for other applications like general mountaineering in the lower 48. However, if you see yourself mostly mountaineering in the lower 48, we might recommend something a little lighter and more packable.