The North Face Summit Series Papsura Futurelight Review

The lighter-duty construction of The North Face Summit Series Papsura Futurelight wasn't our favorite for storm-riddled trips, but for drier snow and occasional thunderstorms, this was all the weather protection we needed. It's also more affordable than many hardshells on the market.

Weather Protection

Despite a ridiculously low weight, the Papsura Futurelight offers a 3-layer construction that was effective against some storms. However, the thinner build was less ideal for prolonged monsoons.

The North Face made the Papsura Futurelight with nylon fabrics and a DWR finish that held up fairly well throughout testing. In colder weather, snowstorms are typically drier, and we stayed completely dry while skiing and winter hiking in the Papsura. In warmer temperatures, wet snow or rain eventually began to seep through the neck seams, and we had minor zipper leaks during longer rains. For an ultralight hardshell, the Papsura exceeded our expectations, but it isn't the best choice for lengthy expeditions in super-wet climates.

Mobility and Fit

Overall, the Papsura Futurelight is a mobile hardshell jacket that is unlikely to impede your upper body, whether carrying a backpack, scrambling, or climbing. However, its relatively relaxed cut has some excess fabric that led to a slight score reduction.

We found the most fabric bunching around the shoulders and stomach area, even for testers who had a more precise fit in a men's medium. Additionally, this ultralight model doesn't have any adjustability at the wrists or hem, so you can't dial in the fit like much of the other hardshell competition. In the field, this excess fabric and lack of adjustment didn't hinder any of our testers' movement and was more of a nitpicky annoyance, and shouldn't be a deal-breaker if the other attributes of this jacket are a priority for you.

Venting and Breathability

The Papsura Futurelight leans on a thinner fabric construction, a 3-layer design, and a more relaxed fit to offer breathability. To shed weight, The North Face didn't put pit zips on this layer, though for many of our testing days, we didn't get too sweaty in the Papsura.

Ultralight layers like the Papsura Futurelight can feel a bit like a trash bag in terms of breathability, with thinner waterproof fabrics trapping body heat. In cooler temperatures, however, we were pleasantly surprised by the Papsura, with a relaxed fit that encourages airflow and a 3-layer construction that helps release body heat. After wearing this jacket in a wide variety of conditions and activities, we found it to still be breathable enough for moderate output days in warmer temperatures, even with typical mid-rain humidity.

Weight

This is the lightest three-layer hardshell we've tested. If you're a gram counter needing some peace of mind from the elements, the Papsura Futurelight is a great choice.

At a measured 9.4 ounces in a men's medium, the Papsura Futurelight is The North Face's lightest shell in their fabled Summit Series line of mountain clothing. It also neatly fits into its own pocket, with a carabiner clip for attaching to a backpack strap or climbing harness. We always managed to find room for this layer in our packs. Ultimately, determining if an ultralight layer like this is right for you comes down to the climates you typically recreate in and how often you're willing to brave an incoming storm.

Features and Design

This is undoubtedly a bare-bones hardshell, given that The North Face stripped the Papsura Futurelight of many classic features seen in heavier models. As a “just in case” layer, we were happy overall with a simpler design in the name of saving weight.

The Papsura Futurelight doesn't have a drawstring adjuster at the hem, there's no Velcro at the wrists, and there's just a single adjustment drawstring in the hood. This jacket also has only two exterior hand pockets, which get covered up when wearing a backpack hipbelt or a harness. We did like the mesh cell phone holder in the left pocket, but otherwise, there aren't many bells or whistles on this ultralight layer. Our favorite feature of the Papsura was that its right pocket doubled as a storage sack with a carabiner loop, which was nice when we wanted to keep the jacket accessible, clipped to a backpack hip belt or climbing harness.

Should You Buy The North Face Papsura Futurelight?

We'd recommend the no-frills Papsura Futurelight if you're looking for a superlight emergency hardshell layer. The North Face has done an incredible job of getting this jacket down to 9.4 ounces, but it is not a layer we'd wear if we're knowingly headed into a lengthy rainstorm or needed serious sustained weather protection. This model doesn't offer much adjustability, but it has decent mobility for a wide range of outdoor activities. Last but not least, it's relatively affordable compared to the heftier hardshell jackets out there.

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