Berghaus vs TNF vs Barbour
1 | Three British Outdoor Brands — Very Different Animals
Berghaus, The North Face, and Barbour are three of the most recognised names in British outdoor clothing. We stock all three at OD's Designer Clothing, and customers frequently ask us to compare them. The honest answer is that they are not really competing with each other — they each do something distinct, and the right choice depends entirely on what you need.
Berghaus
Founded: Newcastle, 1966
Owned by: Pentland Group
Identity: Technical hiking & British hill walking
Price range: £80–£400
B Corp: Yes
The North Face
Founded: San Francisco, 1966
Owned by: VF Corporation
Identity: Expedition performance & global lifestyle
Price range: £80–£600+
B Corp: No
Barbour
Founded: South Shields, 1894
Owned by: J. Barbour & Sons Ltd (private)
Identity: British country & heritage clothing
Price range: £100–£800+
B Corp: No
The key distinction to understand from the outset: Berghaus and The North Face are outdoor performance brands that started with technical gear and expanded into lifestyle. Barbour is a heritage country clothing brand that started with practical workwear and has evolved into a luxury fashion brand. They each wear the "British outdoor" label differently.
Note: The North Face was founded in San Francisco. We include it here as it is firmly established as part of the British outdoor landscape and is stocked at OD's alongside the other two.
2 | Materials & Waterproofing
This is where the three brands diverge most clearly. Their approaches to keeping you dry in British weather reflect their entirely different design philosophies.
Berghaus — Engineered Waterproofing
Berghaus uses proprietary Hydroshell Elite (its own 2.5-layer membrane), GORE-TEX (in premium pieces), and Polartec fabrics across its range. These are technical membranes engineered specifically for sustained waterproof performance: they are tested to above 20,000mm hydrostatic head ratings and sealed at every seam. Berghaus is also the only brand of the three to offer free lifetime repairs on its products via the Repairhaus service. The construction is functional, durable, and precise.
The North Face — Technical Performance
The North Face invests heavily in proprietary fabric technology. FUTURELIGHT (its nanospun membrane) is considered industry-leading for breathability at high exertion levels. The entry range uses DryVent, a solid waterproof technology well-suited to everyday UK conditions. TNF uses premium insulations — 700-fill down, ThermoBall synthetic — for its insulated jackets. The construction standard is high across the range, particularly in its Summit Series and mountain-specific products.
Barbour — Waxed Cotton & Modern Shells
Barbour's heritage is waxed cotton: the Beaufort, Bedale, and Border jackets that define British country style. Waxed cotton provides genuine water resistance, wind protection, and durability — but it is heavy, requires periodic re-waxing, and is not breathable in the way that modern membranes are. It is a different kind of waterproofing: slower to wet through, but warm and capable of taking considerable punishment. Barbour's modern range also includes technical shells and GORE-TEX pieces, but waxed cotton remains the brand's defining material.
For Sustained Heavy British Rain
Berghaus and The North Face both beat waxed cotton for keeping you dry in sustained, heavy rainfall. A Barbour waxed jacket will cope with a shower, but a full day of persistent Lake District rain in the Autumn will eventually overwhelm it. For serious active outdoor use in bad weather, Berghaus or The North Face is the technical choice.
3 | Price Compared
All three brands span a wide price range, but their price-to-value propositions are quite different.
| Tier | Berghaus | The North Face | Barbour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry level | £80–£130 | £80–£130 | £100–£180 |
| Mid range | £130–£220 | £130–£250 | £200–£350 |
| Premium | £220–£350 | £250–£450 | £350–£600+ |
| What justifies premium | GORE-TEX, technical construction | FUTURELIGHT, expedition spec | Heritage brand equity, luxury positioning |
Barbour's higher prices reflect brand heritage and fashion positioning as much as material quality. You are paying partly for the Barbour name and its association with British country life and royalty. That is a legitimate purchase decision — brand heritage has real value — but it is worth being clear-eyed about what you are paying for.
Berghaus and The North Face at equivalent prices are more directly comparable on technical performance. Berghaus typically delivers better waterproof performance per pound. The North Face offers better global brand recognition per pound.
4 | Style & Versatility
Berghaus
Berghaus's aesthetic is functional and purposeful. The designs prioritise performance features — adjustable hoods, sealed seams, well-positioned pockets — over fashion detailing. In the city, Berghaus reads as outdoorsy and practical rather than fashionable. The brand does not have significant streetwear crossover appeal. For the buyer who cares about function and does not need their jacket to make a social statement, that is entirely fine — and arguably honest.
The North Face
The North Face has the most successful outdoor-to-lifestyle crossover of any brand in this comparison. The Nuptse puffer, the half-zip fleece, and the logo-forward aesthetic are recognised in cities worldwide. Wearing TNF signals outdoor credibility and fashion awareness simultaneously — a combination that has made the brand a streetwear staple. For buyers who want a jacket that works on the hill and looks credible in the pub afterwards, TNF has a genuine advantage.
Barbour
Barbour is the most versatile of the three in terms of social contexts — but in a different direction. A Barbour waxed jacket is appropriate at a country estate, a dog walk in the rain, a smart-casual dinner in a country pub, or a school run in a market town. It carries established associations with British country life, the rural establishment, and understated affluence. For buyers who want a jacket that looks as at home at a point-to-point race as it does on a muddy footpath, Barbour is unrivalled.
The Versatility Matrix
Berghaus: best outdoors, acceptable urban. The North Face: excellent outdoors, excellent urban. Barbour: excellent country/heritage, excellent smart-casual, limited technical outdoor performance.
5 | Head-to-Head Comparison
| Category | Berghaus | The North Face | Barbour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Waterproofing | Excellent (Hydroshell, GORE-TEX) | Excellent (FUTURELIGHT, DryVent) | Good (waxed cotton) / Excellent (GORE-TEX range) |
| Breathability | Very good | Industry-leading at high output | Poor (waxed cotton) / Good (technical range) |
| Weight / packability | Very good | Excellent in performance tiers | Heavy (waxed) / Good (technical range) |
| UK hill walking | Excellent — purpose-built | Very good | Adequate for mild conditions |
| Expedition performance | Good | Excellent | Not designed for this |
| Country / heritage style | Limited | Limited | Unrivalled |
| Streetwear appeal | Low | High | High (different demographic) |
| Repairability | Excellent (Repairhaus free) | Standard | Good (re-waxing service) |
| Sustainability credentials | Excellent (B Corp, 93.1) | Good (ongoing commitments) | Good (heritage + longevity) |
| Price-to-performance | Excellent | Very good | Moderate (brand premium applies) |
6 | Decision Framework — Which One Is Right for You?
Choose Berghaus if...
You primarily walk, hike, or run in British conditions and want the most precisely engineered waterproof performance at a fair price. You care about free lifetime repairs and strong sustainability credentials. You are not looking for fashion-forward styling or a brand name that makes a social statement.
Choose The North Face if...
You want a jacket that performs seriously outdoors and also looks credible in urban and lifestyle settings. You do high-output activities where breathability at pace matters. You want a globally recognised brand name with strong streetwear crossover. You might want expedition-grade performance at the premium end of the range.
Choose Barbour if...
You want a jacket that works in country and heritage contexts — country walks, rural pursuits, smart-casual occasions. You want something that looks authentically British in the way that a waxed Beaufort jacket does. You prioritise style and social context over technical outdoor performance metrics. You are comfortable with the brand premium as part of the price.
The Honest Multi-Jacket Answer
Many OD's customers end up owning more than one of these. A Barbour Bedale for the country and smart-casual occasions. A Berghaus Tephra for hill walks and active outdoor days. These are not competing purchases — they serve genuinely different situations. At OD's we can help you work out which combination makes sense for your life.
7 | Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better for hill walking — Berghaus, North Face, or Barbour?
For serious hill walking in British conditions, Berghaus is the strongest choice. It was designed specifically for this purpose and delivers excellent waterproof performance and breathability at fair prices. The North Face is a very close second and may edge ahead for very high-output activities. Barbour's waxed cotton jackets are not designed for sustained active outdoor use and will perform poorly in prolonged rain.
Is Barbour warmer than Berghaus or The North Face?
Waxed cotton Barbour jackets offer reasonable warmth but have poor breathability, which means they can feel clammy on active use. Berghaus and The North Face insulated jackets (using down or synthetic fill) will be significantly warmer per unit of weight than a waxed cotton Barbour for active outdoor use. However, Barbour quilted jackets and Polar quilted designs offer solid everyday warmth for low-activity outdoor wear.
Does Barbour count as a waterproof jacket?
Barbour waxed cotton jackets are water-resistant rather than fully waterproof in the technical sense. They will handle a shower and moderate rainfall effectively, but unlike GORE-TEX or Hydroshell membranes with sealed seams, they will eventually let water in during prolonged heavy rain. They also require periodic re-waxing to maintain water resistance. Barbour does also make technical waterproof jackets in GORE-TEX, which perform to the same standard as any quality waterproof shell.
Which has the best resale value?
Barbour waxed cotton jackets hold their resale value exceptionally well — they are durable, well-made, and highly desirable on the second-hand market. The North Face also retains value well, particularly iconic pieces like the Nuptse. Berghaus holds less resale value in lifestyle contexts, but the Repairhaus free repair service means you are less likely to need to replace a Berghaus jacket in the first place.
Can I try all three brands at OD's?
Yes — we stock Berghaus, The North Face, and Barbour at OD's Designer Clothing, 44 Barrow Street, St Helens. You are welcome to come in, try the range, and discuss which brand or combination makes sense for your needs. Our team knows all three ranges well and can give you an honest comparison in person.
8 | Shop at OD's Designer Clothing
We carry all three brands — Berghaus, The North Face, and Barbour — at OD's Designer Clothing in St Helens. Browse online or visit us in store to try the range.