Lost my bl**dy fleece, any recommendations on breathable alternatives.

Hello, 

I'm looking for a little advice as there seems to be rather a lot of choice out there and you will have seen and tried a lot more kit than me.

For years (about 11) I've had a fab little Patagonia 1/4 zip black fleece that I picked up in REI in Seattle while on a road / walking / rafting trip with a couple of mates. This minimally branded fleece has been all over the place with me as a warm layer over a shirt at night in hot countries, a mid layer if it got really cold skiing, a cushion to lean against on planes and a coat when walking the dog over the hills at home. 

I've lost the bloody thing.

It was great, small, packable, smart, fairly wind proof, enough to keep a brief light shower off and not so warm that I'd get sweaty (which I tend too).

For skiing and winter dog walks I've got a great Paramo Velez smock which I wear with just a long sleeve wicking base layer underneath. This is great as it keeps the wind and rain off and (in the winter) I don't overheat or get sweaty as it has lots of zippered vents. However, as the weather is warming up this is just too warm to wear, especially if I've got my toddler daughter in the backpack carrier. I've got a Rohan microrib stowaway V neck that I picked up a few years ago but this is paradoxically not very wind proof so cold in the wind on its own, yet too warm when there is no wind, I'd also prefer a collar.

Having had a look about, there seems to be an immense range of options out there from thick base layers, lightweight fleeces, softshells, wind shirts ... So I could do with a few ideas and recommendations if you have a couple of minutes.

I'd like something that is not bulky (so I can stuff it in a bag and take it everywhere); has a 1/4 zip (I just prefer this, but could be persuaded otherwise); is warm but not too warm (I get hot quickly and I really want this for UK spring / summer / autumn); does not have a hood (I prefer a hat, but a roll away hood would be ok); blocks most of the wind and will keep a brief light shower off. It does not have to have pockets but it must have sleeves/cuffs that will let me push them up to my elbows as I prefer to have my lower arms uncovered if the weather is not completely freezing. 

With a two year old toddler I'm finding that I'm either striding out with an increasingly heavy load which is wriggling or snoring, or happily dawdling as she makes her own way.  Wind proof yet breathable would be great.

I'm 6ft2in with a 46in barrel chest (and maybe a bit of a belly) so some clothes cuts that go round my chest can be a bit baggy on the shoulders, for example I tried an Arcteryx Delta AR Zip which seemed to fit the bill but the XL that went round my chest was very baggy on the shoulders and long in the arms (no L in stock). I don't mind paying a bit (but I'd be happy not to) if I'm going to get 11 years wear out of it.

Your help / suggestions greatly appreciated. 

Alex

If the Patagonia fleece was fairly windproof then it might have been their Synchilla top, since the more open weave R1 fabric they also use is not at all wind resistant. They still do Synchilla tops so far as I know so maybe just get another of those. The fit might well be better than if you got something from the likes of Haglofs.

Thanks Guy.

Running a quick google on the Synchilla brought up the US site which has the Patagonia Men's Micro D™ 1/4-Zip which looks very similar to the fleece I used to know and love. They only sell the hoody and women's jacket in the UK (which is why I'd not found it before).

Here's me all set to buy a Mammut Aconcagua Pullover, a Haglofs Lizard or the Patagonia R1.

I'm a fan of polartec fabrics for fleece appliances Look at the polartec site and decide for your self which fabric you want. Next search for fleece types of different manufacturers with that fabric.

Hi Zuma,

I've not much knowledge / experience here, any recommendations on a fabric that blocks most of the wind, packable, is warm but not winter weight warm and will let the sweat out?

Alex

That would be Polartec Wind Pro. It's a nice in between fabric  softhell (100% or almost 100% windproof but less breathable than normal fleece) and the not so windproof but also warm and packable Polartec thermal pro (a bit better than standard flelece for warmth retention further same).

Packability depends on the thickness of the fleece.

http://www.seattlefabrics.com/PT_WindPro_Colors.html

Oh yeah don't believe the wetness resistance claim on this site. Polartec doesn't boast this on their site so perhaps it does some wicking but not so waterproff as this sites screams

Wind proof, breathable/light shower proof and very light is a wind shirt. Montane do a bunch as do sundry others. The sort of midweightish ones like the ones from microlight last a long time or something like Paramo's ones essentially forever.

They won't add any intrinsic warmth of course, but that and some thin, more airy fleece is a very flexible set up.

Thanks for the ideas.

* Wind shirt - very light, packable, wind proof and possibly shower proof.
** Something from Montane
** Something from Paramo
** Something from Microlight
* Softshell - warmer, wind proof and a bit more shower proof.
** Something made from Polartec Wind Pro
* Fleece
** Patagonia Synchilla
** Patagonia Micro D™ 1/4-Zip

In terms of shower proofing: Unless there's a membrane - which inevitably drops breathability rather a lot - the shower resistance all derives from the treatment making the water bead on the outside.  That's universal for all of these things, so while you can top a windshirt it takes quite an effort.

(well the precise quality/durability does vary, but impossible to judge in advance ).

I don't think windpro has this sort of treatment, so shower resistance fairly minimal? Its more a mildly wind resistant fleece really.

If you do want warmth/mild weather proofing in one thing then either lined windshirts or say the Lizard would be very realistic. Nice to have a windshirt for summer by itself though.

If you move more oin the direction of a true softshell (more waterproof but also not 100%, therefor are hardshells)the Breathable is less. The OP wanted a warm, windproof and easy small package replacement of his fleece. About waterproofness nothing was asked. I never going to advice someone to replace a fleece with a softshell without thinking very hard about that. Softhells and hardshells combine bad if you want to stay dry. Best combination is a hardshell with a 100% breathable underlayer like a fleece from thermal pro or wind pro.

Softshells combine better with poncho's or UL shells. It's a totally other setup in the 3-layer system with softshells. It needs thinking things through.

Thanks for the ideas guys.

I picked up an Aconcagua and an R1 in various sales as they seem to meet my needs for warmth and without any other layers were fine for the early morning dog walks over the downs this weekend (cool but rain had gone and the wind had not picked up). The R1 was the thinner of the two and would certainly need a layer over the top if windy. The Aconcagua was also fab with only a little sweat to be felt cooling in the small of my back under the carrier as we crested the hill. Both cooler than tha Velez and a base layer now te weather warming up.

Will look into wind shirts as they seem to meet my summer requirements, hell, chucking one in my daily commute bag would would seem a no brainier. So do I choose a very light weight Montane (lite-speed on offer at field and trek) or the more substantial looking one from Paramo (25% off at Amazon)? Any other suggestions? How small does the Paramo pack (small enough to just drop into any bag or much bigger than the Montane one).

The Lightspeed is appreciably more packable and is surprisingly tough for its weight. For what you describe that's what I'd go for.

Thanks Guy.

OK, I'm a convert.

I picked up a Litespeed in the Field and Trek sale and it has turned out to be a great lightweight hill running shell for when it is raining / very windy. (I'm in Oxfordshire, so the hills are not what you would call the north face of the Eiger).

I also grabbed a Paramo Fuera off eBay and I love it. After a quick Nikwax it seems to shed all of the drizzle I've been put in for dog walks etc. It packs down into the size of an orange so now goes with me everywhere as the just in case coat.

Thanks for the help and advice.

Alex

i have both as well. litespeed for bigger hill walks or overnighters. fuera for low level walks including dog walking (as its more acceptable in public!)