heavyweight fleece jacket men's:Fleece Mid Layers

Fleece is an excellent choice for winter exercise – it’s fast drying, continues to perform when wet, and provides great warmth. It actually teams up really well with other mid layers – you could put it under a down jacket, for example, if you were looking for that added layer of warmth. Fleece has evolved a lot over the years, and you can now find many technical fleece layers on the market.  Our Alpine Series Pitch Fleece (mens and womens), for example, is made from Polartec® High Loft Fleece, providing great breathability and heat regulation without unnecessary bulk.

When to wear it: Fleece is great for high intensity winter activities such as trail running and ski touring. It doesn’t have to be a standalone mid layer, and can instead be easily teamed with a down jacket or softshell for maximum warmth. Other non-technical fleeces such as the Quasar (mens and womens) and Kepler can be worn on their own on top of a base layer.

FLEECE MID LAYERS – PROS

FLEECE MID LAYERS – CONS

✓ Fast-drying.

✓ Continued performance when damp.

✓ Exceptionally warm.

✓ Highly versatile – works well for both high and

low intensity activities.

✓ Hard-wearing – great in rugged conditions.

✖ Less breathable than wool – could develop an

odour after extended wear.

Mens and Womens Supanova Down Jackets

Mens and Womens Supanova Down Jackets

Down Mid Layers

Down is nature’s most efficient insulator – it is unmatched in terms of its warmth-to-weight ratio by any synthetic insulation. Exceptionally lightweight and packable, it easily stows away into your pack until you need it, taking up very little room. Down layers are best for cool and dry conditions, as down loses its ability to insulate when it gets wet. If you’re likely to get damp, there are hydrophobic down options available – such as our Sundowner (mens and womens) and Supanova Jackets (mens and womens), although these make better outer layers.

When to wear it: The key with traditional down as a mid layer is keeping it lightweight, and only using it in cold, dry conditions where it’s not likely to come into contract with any moisture. When you’re hiking in crisp conditions, a lightweight down jacket such as the Uber (mens and womens) would be excellent. It easily fits under additional layers and provide just as much warmth as a sweatshirt, without the bulk. When you’re skiing or mountaineering, a hydrophobic down jacket such as the Supanova is ideal because it is not only warm, lightweight and water-resistant, but it’s also highly compressible. This jacket is more of an outer layer, but it’s compressible nature means it can easily be layered with other garments – eg, with a waterproof jacket on top. Down is less suitable for high intensity activities such as trail running.