This is not just any fleece, this is Polartec Thermal Pro with Hardface Technology... pictured are the new for 2012 Mammut Eiswand Jacket for men (right) and the women's Schneefeld Jacket both priced at an eye-wincing £190.
There was a time when fleece was just, well, fleece, really. Comfy, synthetic stuff that you layered under a shell that kept you warm. Polartec made three basic weights - 100, 200 and 300 - and that was your lot.
Fast forward a decade or so, and fleece has got sophisticated. In particular, Polartec invented Thermal Pro, a textured type fabric, which was often fluffy - high loft - or gridded to give better insulation with lower weight and bulk and, let's be honest, to differentiate Polartec from own-brand fleece fabrics that were getting better and better.
And now the brand's added its Hardface Technology to Thermal Pro to make a sort of 'super fleece'. On the inside it's efficient, packable, warm Thermal Pro fleece, but the outer surface, the Hardface bit, is - and we quote - 'a revolutionary surface-fusion polymer application', oh yes...
Which in English apparently means much improved snag and abrasion resistance, so worn alone with a pack, the material won't bobble and wear in hours, along with a DWR to shrug off light rain and tea disasters plus a smooth surface which outer layers will slide over easily for good mobility. And all without sacrificing existing fleece properties of breathability and insulation.
In other words, it should give some soft shell-esque properties. It does, in the case of the two Mammut fleeces pictured above, come at a price however, and that price is a not inconsiderable £190. The Schneefeld women's jacket - left- and men's Eiswand Jacket are both made from made from Polartec® Thermal Pro® with Hardface® Technology with added ® and feature flatlock designed seams; thumb loops; taped pocket openings reinforced with Gorilla tape; covered chin protector; high collar.
If you baulk at those prices, Rab's Shadow Hoodie uses the same Polartec Hardface Technology, but with Wind Pro fleece as its basis - we like it a lot and while it's probably down on warmth to weight compared to the Mammut jackets above, with a SRP of £125, or less if you look around, it's also a little cheaper.
And yes, in our experience, Hardface does what Polartec claims, making for a significantly more versatile garment. More Polartecness at www.polartec.com.
