REASONS TO BUY
Top-shelf breathability
A nice aesthetic
Cozy next-to-skin feel
REASONS TO AVOID
Not ideal for precipitation
Less heat retention
The North Face Tek Approach Review
When you don’t want or need a hood with your softshell, layers like this offer great ventilation and style for a variety of applications
Credit: Mark Lovell
By Zach Lovell ⋅ Review Editor ⋅ November 4, 2025
RELATED: The Best Softshell Jackets for Men
Our Verdict
Softshell jackets are commonly designed with a hood for improved warmth and weather protection, but The North Face Tek Approach is an excellent hoodless layer if you want more breathability. We trudged uphill for extended mountain outings and were able to keep this layer on far longer than most of the competition, with the inner grid fleece fabric allowing body heat to easily escape. The inner fleece also provided a particularly inviting feel against the skin, even while wearing a t-shirt, and we were happy to wear it all day long. Without a hood, it's less protective and probably works better as part of your layering system with other jackets that already have hoods.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
The North Face Tek Approach | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  A Great Hoodless Option |  Best Bang for the Buck | Best Buy on a Tight Budget | ||
| Price | $160 List Check REI (on sale!) | $130 List Check REI (on sale!) | $175 List Check Price at Backcountry | $78 List Check Amazon (on sale!) | $36 List Check Amazon (on sale!) |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | When you don’t want or need a hood with your softshell, layers like this offer great ventilation and style for a variety of applications | This well-fitting option is one of the most breathable softshells available today, also weighing less than much of the competition | This midweight layer offers high performance without a premium price, making for a more affordable all-arounder | This feature-filled option boasts excellent weather protection at the cost of being one of the heaviest softshells available | A budget softshell that tops the charts in heat retention, with a casual aesthetic for around-town hangs |
| Rating Categories | The North Face Tek A... | Rab Borealis | Cotopaxi Yermo Hooded | TACVASEN Special Ops... | Amazon Essentials Wa... |
| Weather Protection (30%) | |||||
| Breathability (30%) | |||||
| Mobility (25%) | |||||
| Weight (10%) | |||||
| Versatility (5%) | |||||
| Specifications | The North Face Tek A... | Rab Borealis | Cotopaxi Yermo Hooded | TACVASEN Special Ops... | Amazon Essentials Wa... |
| Fabric Weight Class | Midweight | Lightweight | Midweight | Heavyweight | Heavyweight |
| Material | 75D WindWall 91% recycled polyester, 9% elastane fleece with non-PFC DWR | Lightweight Matrix single weave with 2-way stretch (85% nylon 6, 15% elastane) with DWR | 91% recycled polyester, 9% spandex | 100% polyester shell, fleece inner | 92% polyester, 8% spandex |
| Measured Weight (Size) | 11.3 oz (small) | 9.7 oz (medium) | 14.9 oz (medium) | 29.4 oz (medium) | 24.1 oz (medium) |
| Number of Pockets | 2 exterior zip hand, 1 upper sleeve | 2 exterior chest zip | 2 exterior zip hand, 2 exterior zip chest, 1 internal phone within exterior chest | 2 exterior hand zip, 2 exterior arm zip, 2 exterior rear zip | 1 exterior chest zip, 2 exterior hand zip |
| Insulated | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Hood | No | Yes, under helmet with Lycra binding | Yes with visor | Yes, helmet compatible, adjustable | No |
| Unique Features | Adjustable hem | Chest pockets become ventilation, packs inside chest pocket | Adjustable drop hem, thumbholes, visor | Tactical-focused design, additional rear hip and bicep pockets | Top-tier heat retention |
| Layering Capabilities | Best worn near base layer | Can be layered over or under other layers | Can be layered over or under other layers | Best worn over other layers | Can be layered over or under other layers |
| Adjustable Cuffs (Material) | No (fixed elastic cuffs) | No (fixed elastic cuffs) | No (fixed elastic cuffs) | Yes (Velcro cuffs) | Yes (Velcro cuffs) |
| Available Sizes | S - XXL | XS - 2XL | S - XXL | S - 2XL | XS - 5XL |
| Breathability Test (In-Use Absorption) | 31 sq in | 18 sq in | 35 sq in | 41 sq in | 47 sq in |
| Warmth Test | 23.11 min | 21.55 min | 26.18 min | 34.33 min | 43.82 min |
| Water Retention Test (1-Min Soak) | 248 sq in | 340 sq in | 29 sq in | 17 sq in | 332 sq in |
| Drying Test | 28.11 min | 6.08 min | 31.01 min | 31.72 min | 41.17 min |
Our Analysis and Test Results
While hoods are an invaluable jacket feature, they aren't always necessary in friendlier climates or when a garment is used as a mid-layer. The North Face Tek Approach is a great example of a quality hoodless option that's both friendly on your skin and friendly to your wallet.
This hoodless softshell was comfy and offered great mobility for a variety of outdoor sports and social hangs. Credit: Natalie Bennett
Weather Protection
While it came as no surprise to our team when we got wet wearing the Tek Approach, since rain was able to enter our underlayers from above, it still offers some decent wind protection and moderate warmth. This wasn't its strongest metric, but The North Face didn't intend for this layer to be the most bombproof jacket out there.
Anybody needing some water repellency should think twice before purchasing a hoodless jacket, since rain and snow can soak you from the uncovered head and neck areas. The Tek Approach's material has a PFAS-free DWR treatment that was only effective at warding off very light precipitation, so you'll need a rain shell if venturing into a downpour. We love the inviting fleece inner, which offers a moderate amount of warmth on chilly summer nights in the mountains and during the shoulder seasons of the spring or fall. We found this midweight jacket kept us a bit warmer than some of the lighter-weight and unlined softshells we tested.
The fleece inner offered nice insulation for more moderate temperatures. Credit: Mark Lovell
Breathability
The Tek Approach offers excellent ventilation throughout a variety of outdoor adventures. There are a few ways this jacket achieves its breathability. First, and most obvious, the lack of a hood removes excess fabric around the neck and head areas, allowing one to shed heat more easily. Secondarily, the grid-patterned fleece allows body heat and moisture to travel between the fleece squares when you start warming up.
While there are a few more breathable models in the review, this is an excellent option if you intend to wear your softshell jacket for high-output activities in colder weather.
In cooler temperature, we were able to hike, climb, and backpack in The North Face Tek Approach without having to take it off. Credit: Natalie Bennett
Mobility
The North Face gave the Tek Approach a moderately relaxed fit that didn't restrict most upper body movements. While there were a few nit-picky complaints we had, this model scored well after concluding our testing process and quantifying our results.
We had a decent range of motion with arms overhead and were able to wear the Tek Approach for high-mobility activities like rock climbing. Where we began to feel restricted was when crossing our arms or leaning side to side. The fabric of the Tek Approach is very stretchy, so it's crucial to note that our qualms with some tight fabric are minor. If you're thinking this is the jacket for you and want a looser fit, consider going up a size if you aren't squarely one size or another.
While the mobility was decent, there were just a few movements that were slightly restricted. Credit: Natalie Bennett
Weight
While some may not put as much emphasis on the weight of their softshell jacket, we always encourage you to take a look at the weight of your prospective gear. We found the Tek Approach to land on the lighter side of the midweight category, scoring quite well when pitted against other softshell models in our tests.
It's fairly light at 11.3 ounces, especially when considering it's built with a fleece inner and feels quite durable. It compresses fairly small, too, so you can stuff it in the corner of your daypack and it won't take up a ton of room. There are certainly lighter jackets out there that pack down smaller, but the Tek finds a nice balance between weight and functionality.
At 11.3 ounces, this is a fairly light layer, but we really appreciated its packability. Credit: Zach Lovell
Versatility
We found the Tek Approach to be a capable layer in a variety of settings. While other softshells are more versatile in the mountains, we found the Tek Approach to be at home in a mix of outdoors and urban settings, sporting a nice “mountain casual” style.
Without a hood, this isn't as ideal as a winter jacket, though we enjoyed wearing it as a midlayer. However, we were able to wear the Tek Approach more seamlessly from the hike to the social get-together, and its breathability had us reaching for it even for summer adventures in the mountains. There are more do-anything jackets out there, but the Tek Approach is a great layer for a long list of needs.
We were able to roll right from the outdoors to the urban hang, at least in certain cities or towns. Credit: Mark Lovell
Should You Buy The North Face Tek Approach?
If you're looking for a hoodless softshell to work as part of a layering system where your other layers already have hoods, this is a good option. We like the Tek Approach for adventures in all seasons, as a standalone piece or layered over or under other base layers or jackets. It's not super weather-resistant, but it provides some protection from wind, and its gridded fleece inner provides some warmth and allows some heat to escape when you heat up.
What Other Softshell Jackets Should You Consider?
For a more protective layer from precipitation, the Rab Kinetic 2.0 is our pick. For a great lifestyle piece, consider the Cotopaxi Yermo Hooded, which has a very similar grid-pattern fleece liner to the Tek Approach, but has a hood and a shell fabric that we really like. If you're wanting something even more breathable than the Tek Approach, we strongly suggest you check out the Rab Borealis.
—Zach Lovell
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