There’s something wonderfully absurd about mixing espresso culture with outdoor gear—and somehow, The North Face and Bialetti pull it off. Their new collaboration is one of those ideas that feels obvious only after you see it: two brands that have been fueling very different kinds of adventures for nearly a century finally crossing paths.
The TNF x Bialetti Moka Set is exactly what it sounds like—a limited-edition coffee kit that dresses Italian tradition in North Face’s familiar Summit Gold and black. At the center is a three-cup Moka Express, the same aluminum stovetop brewer that’s been bubbling in Italian kitchens since 1933. This one carries both logos and The North Face’s “Never Stop Exploring” slogan. Because apparently, your caffeine fix is now part of the expedition.
Despite what the marketing might hint, this isn’t meant to replace your ultralight camp stove. The boxed set is substantial: two stainless-steel cups (one Summit Gold, one deep Bialetti black), matching spoons, and a 100-gram tin of pre-ground Bialetti coffee. It’s coordinated, stylish, and maybe a touch too elegant for real backpacking. More “espresso ritual on the porch of your A-frame cabin” than “fuel for the final push to base camp.”
What makes it interesting isn’t utility—it’s the cultural mash-up. The Moka Express is a bona fide design icon, instantly recognizable in any Italian kitchen. The North Face, meanwhile, turned technical mountaineering gear into mainstream fashion. Both carry decades of history and a sense of belonging. One democratized espresso; the other democratized exploration. Together, they’ve brewed something that sits neatly between nostalgia and novelty.
That Summit Gold color is the real star here. Anyone who’s owned—or lusted after—a vintage North Face jacket knows the shade. Seeing it on a Moka pot feels strange and somehow perfect. The black-and-gold palette gives the whole set a calm, premium tone, as if the collaboration was always meant to happen.
And yes, there’s the $220 price tag. You could buy four standard Moka pots for that. But that’s missing the point. This isn’t about efficiency—it’s about storytelling. You’re paying for two design heritages and a small slice of collectible culture. It’s a coffee set that just happens to make excellent espresso, or a design object that just happens to brew coffee.
Realistically, it’s better suited to a kitchen counter or glamping setup than a backpack. And that’s fine. Not every outdoor product needs to summit Everest. Sometimes you just want your morning coffee to feel like an expedition, even if it’s from the comfort of your apartment.
This collaboration also fits neatly into a bigger pattern in design right now: that blurred line between function and lifestyle. We’ve seen it before—Supreme logos on Coleman coolers, high-fashion tents, $800 hiking boots that never touch dirt. It’s about identity as much as performance. We want our tools to say something about us, to tell the story we’d like to live.
So, is the TNF x Bialetti Moka Set worth the money? That depends on what you’re buying. If you love coffee, collect collaborations, or appreciate when classic forms get reimagined, it’ll probably speak to you. If you’re looking for ultralight gear, keep scrolling. Either way, it’s proof that adventure and design share a heartbeat—and maybe a cup of espresso, too.
