Best women’s North Face waterproof jackets: four options compared
Among these four women’s North Face shells, consider Alta Vista for pit zips and pocket storage, Antora for a mesh-lined everyday layout, Quest for a regular-cut jacket with a taffeta lining, or Sangro for a stowable hood and adjustable cuffs. Choose around the details you will use.
Based on 1,065 included owner reviews. Owner evidence spans multiple revisions; current specifications do not describe every reviewed jacket.
The differences that matter
Alta Vista uses 2.5-layer DRYVENT and is listed at 265 g. Antora, Quest and Sangro use two-layer DRYVENT with separate linings. Those different constructions do not establish a controlled ranking of rain protection or comfort across their owner groups.
Hood and cuff details separate the lined options. Sangro combines a collar-stowing hood and adjustable cuffs with a slim fit, while Quest has a bonded-brim hood and elasticated cuffs in a regular cut. Antora adds a storm-flapped front zip and ripstop face. This guide covers these four models and their stated style codes.
Technical comparison
Antora
Two-layer DRYVENT with a 75-denier recycled polyester ripstop face and a separate mesh body lining. An adjustable hood, secure zipped hand pockets, a storm-flapped front zip, elasticated cuffs and an adjustable hem. The manufacturer describes a regular cut.
Alta Vista
DRYVENT 2.5-layer construction with a 70-by-70-denier recycled nylon face. An adjustable hood, underarm vents and secure zipped pockets. The jacket stows in a pocket. The manufacturer lists a weight of 265 g. The manufacturer describes a regular cut.
Quest
Two-layer DRYVENT with a 75-denier recycled polyester face and a separate polyester taffeta lining. An adjustable bonded-brim hood, a front zip with an internal draft flap, zipped hand pockets, elasticated cuffs and an adjustable hem. The manufacturer describes a regular cut.
Sangro
Two-layer DRYVENT polyester construction with a mesh-taffeta body lining. A hood that stows in the collar, a storm-flapped front zip, two zipped hand pockets and adjustable hook-and-loop cuffs and hem. The manufacturer describes a slim cut.
What do owners report?
Antora
This product has 582 included owner reviews. Repeated strengths include a comfortable fit (28.9%; 168 reviews); staying dry in rain (26.8%; 156 reviews); and low weight (18.7%; 109 reviews).
Published drawbacks include body sizing that feels too small (5.0%; 29 reviews) and sleeves that feel too short (2.6%; 15 reviews).
Read the Antora owner reviews for the full published findings and revision scope.
Alta Vista
This product has 168 included owner reviews. Repeated strengths include low weight (25.6%; 43 reviews); staying dry in rain (23.8%; 40 reviews); and a comfortable fit (23.2%; 39 reviews).
Published drawbacks include body sizing that feels too small (5.4%; 9 reviews).
Read the Alta Vista owner reviews for the full published findings and revision scope.
Quest
This product has 130 included owner reviews. Repeated strengths include staying dry in rain (30.0%; 39 reviews); a comfortable fit (28.5%; 37 reviews); and low weight (23.1%; 30 reviews).
Published drawbacks include body sizing that feels too small (5.4%; 7 reviews).
Read the Quest owner reviews for the full published findings and revision scope.
Sangro
This product has 185 included owner reviews. Repeated strengths include staying dry in rain (35.7%; 66 reviews); a comfortable fit (34.1%; 63 reviews); and low weight (22.2%; 41 reviews).
Published drawbacks include wanting an inside pocket (10.3%; 19 reviews) and body sizing that feels too small (7.6%; 14 reviews).
Read the Sangro owner reviews for the full published findings and revision scope.
These mention shares describe separate owner groups, rather than performance measured under the same conditions.
Choose around your needs
Start with Alta Vista if ventilation and self-storage are important on your walks. Compare Antora and Quest if you prefer a separate lining, and Sangro if putting the hood away matters. Check the women’s sizing findings, especially when moving between Sangro’s slim description and the other regular-fit designs. None of these shells supplies an insulated midlayer by itself.