Fleece

One thing you can expect nearly everyone to have in their outdoors wardrobe is a fleece. First arriving on the scene back in the early 1980's, a fleece layer has become a mainstay of any walker or climbers kit. Used as part of a layering system, fleece is excellent at wicking moisture and regulating temperature when used in conjunction with a base layer, hard shell or soft shell outer. The range and choice has grown massively since the 1980's, and can appear a little overwhelming when you look at our stock above! We here at Webtogs want to help guide you with the information we have put together below though. As always however, if you have any questions, simply give our experienced customer service team a call on 0117 911 3869

Types of Fleece

There are two main choices when it comes to fleece. Standard or insulating fleece is the better known type. It delivers excellent warmth to weight and is fantastic to be used as a layering piece under a shell. It is great at wicking sweat away, and works by trapping air to retain heat. The second type is windproof fleece and does exactly as it's name suggests. Dependent on the type of windproof fleece, it will let little or no wind through. With windproof fleece you can use it as an outer shell, and most, though not all, will have some sort of water repellant treatment to keep light showers at bay.

Weight

Nope, we are not talking about a diet here, but instead the differing weights of fleeces you can get with insulating fleece! Lightweight fleece (sometimes referred to as 100 weight fleece) is generally the lightest fleece you can get and is excellent as a layer to keep stashed in your bag without taking up too much space in case you feel the cold. Lightweight fleeces can generally be found in jacket or quarter zip form. Mid-weight (sometimes referred to as 200 weight fleece) is a more substantial weight and generally comes in jacket form. Ideally suited for colder weather when more heat needs to be retained, these are more bulky but deliver warmth. Heavy weight (sometimes referred to as 300 weight fleece) is the daddy of all the fleece weights, and is strictly a winter piece for when the mercury sinks through the floor. Bulky and retaining a serious amount of heat, these pieces will keep you warm when the snow starts to fall.

Features

Fleeces tend to come in two main forms, zip tops and jackets, it is a personal choice as to what you prefer. Zip tops save weight but are harder to vent, whereas jackets are easy to open up, but are more bulky. Hoods are for some an easy means to keep cosy, whereas others hate the hunch back they give under a jacket! Pockets are also worth considering as does the importance of a drawcord in keeping the fleece snug in to the body. As with jackets, velcro cuffs are a feature on some fleeces and are worth thinking about as a way regulate heat when out on the hill or crag.