backpacking fleece

The Patagonia Micro D 1/4-Zip Fleece is a minimalist, packable midlayer that delivers surprising warmth for its weight and price. It excels for backpackers, travelers, and those prioritizing simplicity and layering, but is not built for high-output activities or deep-winter warmth.

The Konseal Hoody is a breathable fleece with a built-in balaclava feature, excellent layering, and a trim yet comfortable fit that makes it a strong choice for backpacking, rock climbing, and skiing. It’s lightweight and packable, but it sits at a higher price point and is not a rain shell, so plan to pair it with appropriate weather protection.

The Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody is a supremely comfortable, stretchy midweight fleece ideal for four-season use, delivering exceptional mobility and versatile warmth for activities like hiking, backpacking, and resort skiing. It emphasizes comfort and stretch over rugged durability, with some wear concerns to the face fabric and limited hood adjustments.

The Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody is a warm, midweight fleece that blends sweatshirt comfort with technical performance. Its Power Stretch Pro fabric offers exceptional mobility and a plush interior, making it versatile for travel, crag, hiking, and camp, though the zipper is not wind-resistant and it commands a premium price.

The Kyanite Lightweight Hoody is a lightweight, highly stretchy fleece mid-layer with an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio, designed for long-distance hikes, backpacking, and travel. It offers surprising warmth, a snug, wind-blocking hood, and versatile layering potential, though its short cut, lack of interior pockets, and price point are notable drawbacks.

The Kyanite AR Hoody is a warm, incredibly comfortable midweight fleece built for movement, thanks to Polartec Power Stretch Pro and a brushed interior. It excels for cold-weather climbing and skiing with a snug fit and a low-profile hood, but can feel too warm in milder conditions and lacks thumb loops, while breathability isn't ideal for high-output activities.

The Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody is a versatile midweight fleece that works around town and on the mountain, with a brushed interior for comfort, a Nylon face shell for weather resistance, and 4-way stretch that keeps you mobile for activities like rock climbing, skiing, and winter hiking. It offers excellent warmth and breathability for a fleece, though it pills over time, is relatively heavy, and lacks a chest pocket, with a baggy fit that may not suit everyone.

The Patagonia R1 Pullover Hoody is a long-standing, versatile midlayer fleece that balances warmth, comfort, and durability for a broad range of mountain activities. After more than a decade of field use, the reviewer still regards it as a top all-around fleece, especially for cold-weather mountain travel, with excellent weight-to-warmth and strong layering capability; drawbacks include being too warm for high-output movement in milder temps and a style more suited to technical use than everyday wear.

The Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody is a versatile lightweight fleece that blends stretch comfort with midweight warmth and strong breathability. It excels as a mid-layer for travel, camping, and active pursuits, with a soft interior and fitted hood that traps warmth during movement. Drawbacks include a slim fit that may not work for all body types, limited wind resistance, and a lack of thumbholes.

The R1 Pullover is Patagonia's highly versatile, breathable, and compressible lightweight fleece jacket, a go-to layer for alpinists and backcountry skiers. It excels in high-output activities and fluctuating temperatures, packing down small, but is not very wind resistant and isn’t as warm or durable as heavier fleeces, making it less ideal for casual wear around town.

The Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody is a lightweight, highly breathable fleece designed for high-exertion cool-weather activities. It excels in comfort, breathability, and layering, making it a versatile layer for hiking, bouldering, ice climbing, and backcountry skiing, though the chest pocket is tight and the hood can be fiddly to use when fully zipped; some may notice odor.

The Patagonia R1 Hoody is a lightweight, highly breathable fleece that excels as a versatile mid-layer for active use. It offers an athletic fit that moves well and layers easily for climbing, running, hiking, or skiing, but it isn't very warm when stationary and offers limited weather protection.

The Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody is a standout technical fleece that blends breathability with warmth and stretch for versatile backcountry use. Its hollow-core zigzag fabric delivers excellent heat retention during rests and remains breathable during activity, making it a strong choice for ski touring, climbing, and cool-weather hiking. Note that the updated fit can feel a bit baggy and the fabric can lose softness with repeated washing, but it remains a top all-around fleece.

The R1 Full Zip Hoody is a versatile technical fleece that delivers exceptional breathability and thermoregulation for alpine and backcountry use, serving well as a mid-layer under a shell or as a standalone layer in milder conditions. It’s lightweight, durable, and packable with a helmet-compatible hood and clever pocket design, but it’s not weather-resistant on its own and can be pricey; Patagonia has discontinued this style as of 2022.

The Patagonia R1 Hoody is a high-performing technical fleece layer designed for active cold-weather pursuits. Breathable and lightweight, it excels as a mid-layer for rock climbing, backcountry skiing, and cardio-heavy hikes, with a fitted balaclava-style hood and thumb loops. However, it's not very warm and offers limited wind and water protection, so pair it with a shell in harsher conditions.

The Patagonia Better Sweater is a classic no-frills full-zip fleece that's warm, versatile, and easy to layer for casual wear or light backcountry use. It features raglan sleeves for comfort and a knit-style exterior, but it's heavy and bulky with below-average breathability, making it less ideal for backpacking or high-output activities.

Patagonia's Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T is a plush, warm fleece best suited for casual, everyday wear and lounging around town; it's soft and comfortable but bulky and not very breathable, and it lacks waterproof protection, making it less ideal for backcountry or high-output activities.

The Patagonia Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T is a warm, casual midweight fleece that shines as a standalone layer for lounging around camp or at home, but it's not a technical performance piece. It focuses on warmth and wind resistance, while breathability and layering versatility are limited, making it best for casual wear rather than strenuous activities.