The North Face Women’s FD Pro 160 Synthetic Base Layer: Fair Price, High Performance

When I’m camping overnight in the heart of winter — which doesn’t happen often — you bet I’m reaching for the fastest-drying base layers for women. Fortunately, The North Face created the Women’s FD Pro 160 Crew and Tights, which are perfect for the job.

I wore this set while cat skiing with Baldface Valhalla in British Columbia’s Selkirk Mountains, where I logged 13 miles and 5,600 vertical feet in a single day before camping overnight in frigid, snowy conditions. I also wore them on cold, blustery resort days at Crested Butte, Whitewater, and RED Mountain.

The takeaway? This set is sleek, technical, and doesn’t sag despite back-to-back days stacking vertical feet. It’s ready to work hard in cold weather.

In short: With a tight, second-skin feel, The North Face designed the FD Pro 160 Crew ($70) and Tights ($70) for high-output activity in freezing conditions. These lightweight base layers for women offer premium moisture management, dry quickly, and are budget-friendly. With a lean textile and close fit, they don’t budge or sag even after multiple days of use.

See how these thermal layers compare to our other favorites in the Best Base Layers for Women buyer’s guide.

Testing Conditions: TNF Women’s FD Pro 160 Base Layers for Women Review

When I’m gearing up to go skiing, I want women’s base layers that stay dry, don’t bunch, and help regulate temperature on cold, sweaty missions. The North Face Women’s FD Pro 160 Crew and Tights check those boxes — and do it at a wallet-friendly price.

While cat skiing with Baldface Valhalla, despite riding in the elements for 5 hours — and sweating a lot — then basecamping in expedition tents (with nowhere indoors or warm, dry apparel), these base layers felt dry. They were ready for day two.

I rode with the FD Pro 160 on for 13 miles and 5,600 vertical. I slept in them. The following day, the skintight kit kept me dry for another 6 hours, 20 miles, and 6,700 vert.

Next, I tested these women’s base layers for two frigid days of snowboarding at British Columbia’s Whitewater Ski Resort and RED Mountain Ski Resort. Later, I wore the set on a wind-blasted day at Crested Butte Mountain Resort. All of the test days hovered between 5 and 15 degrees.

Super Breathable, Quick-Drying

Even after 5 hours of steep and variable sweat-inducing backcountry riding, the fabric felt dry enough to sleep inside an expedition tent, with no warm lodge in sight.

The North Face constructed this crew top and tights with 100% recycled polyester, a synthetic fabric that dries faster than wool. But there’s more: the density — 160 g/m² — of the grid-knit is designed to feel featherlight while insulating. That checks out. This is one of the leanest base layers for women I’ve ever tested.

That grid structure increases airflow and breathability, helping the fabric release excess heat when you’re moving. They also integrate FlashDry-Pro technology, which embeds hydrophobic (water-repelling) particles into the yarn to pull sweat away from skin.

I’m usually a merino girl. I sweat and prefer the safety net of wool’s warmth and odor-blocking power. But it was hard not to notice how fast these layers dried compared to my favorites.

Tight-Fitting, Budge-Free

This set is not truly a compression design. But it’s the most form-fitting base layer I’ve pulled on that’s not technically compressive. Some women don’t like that against-body feeling. But there are benefits: This crew doesn’t shift or ride up, so it doesn’t leave gaps for cold air. The tights don’t sag or shift, either, even after thousands of feet of descent.

My favorite part of wearing a tight-fitting top is that the arms don’t slide up or bunch when I pull on a midlayer, officially ridding my nemesis. The arms are lengthy, but the thumbholes keep them neatly in place.

I loved the raglan sleeves, which remove the seam around the shoulder and directly under the armpits along the side. Instead, the underarm gussets helped my arms to move freely without seams rubbing under my ski backpack straps.

On the tights, a crotch gusset and wide waistband provided comfort and range of motion during uphill skinning and quick turns through tight glades. I appreciated the flat-locked seams, which minimized chafing during long days, on the top and bottom.

Lightweight Fabric, Attention to Detail

The North Face categorizes the FD Pro 160 as midweight, but it felt lightweight to me. Plus, the set’s density of 160 g/m² places it in the lightweight category. It’s ideal for layering without bulk.

The top weighs 219 g (7.72 ounces) and has a center back length of 26.25″ (on the size small, which I tested), while the tights weigh 185 g (6.53 ounces) and have a 27″ inseam. I have broad shoulders, a larger bust, and shorter legs, but I found that they are true to size.

The set is available in XS through XXL, offering extended sizing to suit more bodies.

Praise be! Another thoughtful touch includes tearaway tags (the bane of my existence is trying to remove multiple tags from fragile base layers). The set also has the slenderest internal locker loops, which are nearly impossible to feel and nice for hanging the layers to dry in a tent or foyer.

Where It Falls Short

While the FD Pro 160 layers perform impressively, they’re not without limitations. The most significant tradeoff is odor control. Unlike merino, recycled polyester doesn’t resist smells like wool, and after two full days in the backcountry, I could tell.

If you prioritize odor resistance over drying speed, something like Smartwool’s Classic Merino layers might be a better choice. However, they are much more expensive: $230 for the set instead of $140. Wool also has a softer hand feel. Also, not everyone prefers such a form-fitting base layer.

Final Verdict: Light, Lean, and Dependable Women’s Base Layers

I reached for the FD Pro 160 Crew and Tights on many ski trips this winter. Whether I was snowboarding in -15-degree F wind chill, winter camping, or grinding out 12,300 vertical feet on a 2-day cat-skiing trip in British Columbia, these base layers for women kept me dry, covered, and comfortably layered in freezing conditions.

Mostly, I appreciated that I could easily layer them with a midlayer without any bottlenecks in the fabric. They’re skintight but breathable, budget-friendly yet thoughtfully engineered, and ideally suited for cold-weather athletes who prioritize performance without spending a fortune. As a synthetic blend, the fabric will also be more resistant to pilling, fading, and abrasion compared to wool.

This bank-friendly set delivers if you run hot, move fast, or want a synthetic layer that can keep up with a solid winter pace, season after season.