Gear

Try EDZ they are a company that manufactures in UK I think and do a really warm fleece that was second best in a magazine review recently (think it was TGO). They have a shop in Keswick that was doing a discount on all stuff bought in the shop. The guy posts on here occasionally. They also have a website for the shop and another one with that has thermalshop or something in its name.

Check this link out for EDZ Yeti fleece. It seems to be a 400g double sided (hairy) fleece. IIRC it got thumbloops too if you wanted to use them. Checked the website and it came top apparantly in the magazine review. Certainly looks a good bet and if used under a suitable  windshirt would be quite warm too.

Hi Martin, thanks for the Jaguar recommendation, that's  looks great.

I've found one at Jackson sports at 69.99, bargain I thought, so I've ordered one!

Cheers

Hi

 I'm usually a medium, though sometimes get away with a small if it's a biggish small, and if the arms are long enough.

Cheers

i have medium subzero factor 3 jacket in medium and a montane - possibly the jaguar - sitting in my cupboard awaiting a better home for a smallish consideration. both never worn on and outdoors jaunt. my rotundity makes them too small.

message me for more info for everything i have cluttering the place up if interested.

So my hunt for a fleece goes on!

I didnt get on with the Montane Jaguar I ordered, so sent it back. Overall the fit was pretty good, apart from the collar, it was a bit tight when zipped right up, and only came to halfway up my neck, I prefer deep collars you can bury your chin in!

Also, the side panels, although probably great for when using a rucksack with wide waist straps, when worn alone I found the wind coming through these sections quite a lot when I had a few walks round the garden in it, and that was only in a moderate wind!

I also tried on today a Berghaus Activity jacket and the Polarplus jackets, both very warm, but the fit wasnt great on me, the small fitted well round the body, but the arms were a tad short. The medium was perfect arm length, but too baggy around the body. Looking on the Berghaus site these two fleeces are classed as relaxed fit, I could do with an active fit as I'm quite slim.

Cheers

Martin Carpenter wrote (see)

More mild necromancy, but clearly hooded thermal pro just doesn't sell (or perhaps get into shops to have the chance to sell)  - there's a batch of thule hoods turned up in Cotswold's rock bottom department. (thus)

Somehow feels like a gently unfair fate for the poor things but such is life.

I've just ordered one. Haglofs has a reasonably trim fit, I believe. Not windproof.

david hayter 3 wrote (see)

Also, the side panels, although probably great for when using a rucksack with wide waist straps, when worn alone I found the wind coming through these sections quite a lot when I had a few walks round the garden in it, and that was only in a moderate wind!

If you're worried about how the top will stand up to the wind, you might just be better off going straight for the softshell option, really. Something made of powershield will keep the wind out better, keep the rain out much better and still be quite warm.

Thanks for reply Serriadh, I did look at the Haglofs fleece, but the colour put me off a bit, I know vain or what!, and also I didn’t want a fleece with a hood. 

I appreciate your point about just using a softshell, but the softshells I have are not that warm, great when moving, but don’t give much insulation. 

I’m after a deep cosy fleece that gives instant warmth when putting it on, the 2 Berghaus jackets were very warm, just not a good fit, which is a shame as the Polarplus jacket is on offer at Field and Trek right now

If windproof isn't a requirement, then Montane Bear or The EDZ Yeti or the Helly Hansen Equivalents are good and cozy. 

But really not windproof to any degree

Which he does seem to want (cf the reaction to the Jaguar.). Its tricky.

There definetly are some (very - see Buffalo etc!) warm softshells about but often not cheap and normally hoods. (Of course for technical use you do definetly want one of those.).

The odd thing at ~100 here maybe others - Very warm Buffalo. Not as warm by any means, but still a high loft backer - Rohan. They call it fleece but it feels like/is described much more like a powershield derivative.

This is a bit like a less warm Buffalo bit (although you'd not want an endurance outer for 'real' use.). Or Paramo's taiga fleece. Not wind resistant at all really, but thick enough that this isn't a problem either. Quite a bit of water resistance too. Still looks/feels like fleece if that matters.

ah right - missed that bit (about wind getting through the jaguar)

just saw the OP about not having to be windproof!

Yep - If I wanted a 'warm fleece' for standalone use oustide, I'd want windproof.

I'd go for Martin's Buffalo suggestion or something similar (My old Montane extreme Jacket does duty as a 'warm windproof/showerproof  fleece' for wearing as a 'coat' for my other half...)

Hi Guys

 Thanks for replies, yes it must seem a bit strange when I first said I'm not worried about windproof, then say the Jaguar is no good as the strecth panels let the wind in!

It was just with the Jaguar it really did feel cold in the stretch sections. I would assume, maybe wrongly, that a thickish fleece would offer a small amount of wind resistance at least. Also I wasnt happy with the collar on the Jaguar.

Thanks for the links Martin, the OR Frostline jacket looks good. Maybe I'll try and get a second hand Buffalo or Montane jacket, I have tried the overhead jacket a few times, and dont really get on with that style.

Thaks again.

> It doesn’t have to be windproof, just really warm.

Since fleece is a relatively open material, intended to trap warm air whilst allowing evaporated sweat to escape from the body, it really needs to be protected from wind in order to be warm, or else be so thick or dense that wind cannot penetrate.

So, in order for a lightweight fleece to feel warm, it's best if it's protected by a wind-resistant shell, which can be removed it it gets warm.  Or go for a denser fleece, such as Polartec's WindPro.

I needed a new fleece this winter to replace my old WindPro fleece and it seemed to me that whenever outdoor brands have used Wind Pro in the last few years they use the expensive fluffy stuff or hardface stuff and then spoiled the design by using unsuitable cheap material for the side panels.

I found a better bet for a conventional Polartec Wind Pro fleece was work wear suppliers  e.g this one on Ebay at £50 although at my local building suppliers they were over the £100 mark.

In the end I went for the Rohan Gradient mentioned above. Its more windproof than Wind Pro and its internal furry layer makes it pretty warm, certainly warmer than the Powershield jacket I have

captain paranoia wrote (see)

> It doesn’t have to be windproof, just really warm.

Since fleece is a relatively open material, intended to trap warm air whilst allowing evaporated sweat to escape from the body, it really needs to be protected from wind in order to be warm, or else be so thick or dense that wind cannot penetrate.