I need a new fleece jacket for everyday use (ie. working outdoors during the week) and as it will receive a far amount of abuse, I'm looking for a real bargain!

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

I've checked with Magic-Mountain to see whether they have any Mountain Equipment fleeces in my size but to no avail.

In an ideal world I'd love to find someone stocking the old ME ultrafleece at a giveaway price.

<bump>

Try TKMaxx...

Today in TK Maxx land...only Regatta and Outdoor Scene stuff :((

Yeah...I know. The one in Wolves was particularly crap. Not much stuff at all.

Hey this should go in the "other" thread!

yeah but I was referring specifically to fleeces. Sorry Alix, I should have said that.

Like my noo piccy?

Not wishing to be a gear snob, but I would rather not bother with TK Max (based on the fact that I hate it).

Please don't ruin my thread debating the merits of TK Max!

By suggesting ME, I was hoping someone could come up with a suggestion?

Sorry, can't help there.

I have a theory about the ME Ultrafleece, - because they are so well made and wonderful and those of us who have one, including me, really look after them and they last for a long time and don't need to be replaced very often. Therefore sales have fallen off and ME have decided to replace with something else.

Believe me, if I found one now in a shop, even at full price, I would buy it.

Jonathon, try this site:

http://www.onward-outward.co.uk/index.htm

But Jonathon - and to ignore your comment - if you are lucky you can pick some some Patagonia Fleeces in TKMaxx.

Alex,

I've done the TK Max trawl and it's the same sh*t every time I go in; which is maybe once a month when the missus drags me into Cardiff.

Ohhh dear. I am lucky that I have a few to chose from. It's fun to pick the shite out from the good though.

Have you tried ebay, btw???

Alex I know the Patagonia Fleeces you mean. I think there all manner of colours, but the black R2 Jackets were in the Blackpool branch. Great I thought until I checked the price....wait for it...£120 reduced from £170!!! WHAT!!!

Don't always believe TKMAX is the cheapest. As for the R2 jackets they will have to come down in price, cause no-one will buy them at that price, my GOD!

R2 in Aberdeen's TKMaxx down to £60 - but only if you want the luminous green one. It's resolutely failed to sell for about six months now.

The bright orange ones are a just as bad!

Was someone having a laugh at Patagonia when they came up with these fleece colours?

Having a laugh or deciding that radioactive chimp stylee was the new thing in outdoor fashion. Or insane. Probably insane. There's a thin line between overpriced but excellent outdoor gear to overpriced crap.

When you say 'working outside', what exactly do you mean? If you're talking about manual work, then I'd go for the cheapest, crappest old fleece around. Which would be about £5 in Aldi, Lidl, Matalan, Primark (regularly have fleeces for £4), etc, and the sort of thing I'd wear to dig the garden.

The cheaper fleece materials are much more felted than the likes of Polartec, and so tend to be more windproof.

Being a gear snob is one thing, but I wouldn't 'waste' a good fleece on labouring.

Oh, and I quite like my burnt orange R2 fleeces from TK Maxx. But then I paid £27 and £18 for them...

<radioactive chimp>
oook! oook! where's them uranium bananas?
</radioactive chimp>

I liked the orange one too. Dint but it like. But I liked it anywayz.

I've got a nearly new Berghaus Polartec 200 fleece size Large. Unfortunately it is too big for me. Cost £70 new; if you want you can have it at half price. Interested?