Windproof Fleece

Windproof fleece is a great addition to any outdoor enthusiasts kit, and gives you a level of flexibility you do not get with standard insulating fleece. Although windproof fleece does not retain heat as well as insulating fleece, it can be more practical as you do not have to have an outer shell over the top to keep the heat in. They are also more breathable than a hard shell, so can offer performance benefits - if the rain stays away!

Fabrics and Windproofness

There are many types of Windproof fleece from Goretex Windstopper, Polartec Windbloc through to brand specific fabrics such as North Face Windwall. All of them will do the same job of keeping the wind off your back, but they differ when it comes to breathability. The Sciencey bit comes in a fabrics CFM rating. CFM stands for Cubic feet per minute per square meter, and is a measure of the wind resistance or air permeability of a particular fabric. A fabric that has a 0 CFM then is completely windproof but you can get windproof fleece up to around 20 CFM. You may not feel the breeze through them, but they will breathe a lot better than their 0 CFM rated cousins!

Waterproof?

No Windproof fleece will be totally waterproof, but they will to a greater or lesser extent be good at shedding some rain. The CFM rating will give some sort of clue as to a windproof fleeces water resistance with the lower the rating the better at keeping out the rain. The other key thing to look out for is if they have had a DWR treatment. DWR stands for durable water repellency and if a jacket has had that, it will keep those showers at bay for even longer.

Features

Windproof fleece tends to come in jacket form, so you will get a range of features that you can choose from. Pockets are perhaps more important on windproof fleece than insulating fleece as you are much more likely to wear it as an outer layer. Velcro cuffs, pit zips, hem cords are also features you can find on many windproof jackets, so think carefully about which of these are important to you.