Fleece Jacket Recomendations, Please?

That's why I despise "windstopper" membranes and everything Gortex. The human body puts out something like 50 times the moisture that can pass thru this crap. Plain fleece, with a serarate cover shell is way better than anything with a membrane. Wool is just plain hard to beat too. (It's just heavy).
 
No doubt Gor-tex doesn't breath all that well. It merely breaths better than rubber.

As to wool insulatuing better than polyester fleece, the science and all prior experience (consistent with my forty years of monthly experience in the upper mid-west and Rockies) is that polyester fleece retains double the insulation value of wool when equally wet/damp and dries out much quicker. The subject is easily researched. Fleece is the choice of high mountaineers and polar expeditions - U.S., Japan, Germany, China, England. Not to mention the advantages of fleece in terms of abrasion resistance and field maintenance. That's why all those nice surplus wool garments are on the market; they are clearly second-best. Troops inexperienced with cold weather might get in trouble by failing to vent/keep cool vs. more experienced troops in wool. Any way, who was in wool? We don't issue it anymore.

TAL
 
I also recommend Patagonia, their layering system is amazing, buy all three layers, you won't regret it.

- gadgetaddict
 
Lowe and Patagonia use Malden fleece for their garments -- good stuff, but you are paying a big premium for the label names.

TAL
 
I just ordered a Patagonia Synchilla fleece jacket. It is starting to get cold in Chicago, so I should know if I like it over the next month or so. I ordered the Campmor Polortec for my son, so we can compare both of these. As I get older I really dread the cold weather!!!
 
Ed, assuming the sizing is right, you will love either one. Warm without being scratchy, lighter than wool, wears like iron, warm when damp, dries quickly - what's not to like?
 
I wear a fleece vest from cabelas and if needed, a windstopper over it. Fleece is good stuff, but I also wear wool as I love to sit by a good camp fire when it's cold and fleece likes to melt.
 
Been wearing the Patagonia fleece jacket for a few days and it is warm and comfortable. Picked up a Gortex coat (Galyans own brand) that it will zip into and it seems to make a good pair. Wore it in upper 30 degree weather today and will see how it does out in the cold tomorrow night during the lunar eclipse. The fleece jacket and outer coat are pretty light together and I hope they prove to keep me warm as my winter clothing budget is now gone. I am going to give my son the Campmor fleece jacket for Christmas. It is lighter than mine but looks like a bargain for the $25 it cost.
 
I've actually since gotten a North Face Denali in trade on the forums. It is very nice. Today is the first really cold day we've had here this season, so I plan on taking a short hike with it to test it out. I'll let ya'll know what I think ('cause I'm sure you're all just dying to know...)

Thanks very much for the input everyone,

-John
 
Ed Gordon (or anyone else able to answer), we just got Galyan's in oor area. How is the quality of their house brands?
 
I looked pretty carefully at all the winter jackets at Galyans. I am not really knowledgable on the finer points at what makes one coat alot better than another. The Galyans coat uses Gortex and my fleece jacket zipped right in and fit great. It had pit zippers, a zip out hood and the double main zipper that has dual covers with velcro to stop wind. I tried on North Face, Columbia and Galyans brand coats and think the Galyans was built a little sturdier with heavier material than the Columbia coats. I couldn't really tell any difference between the Galyans and North Face except the prices. It would be worth your time to check out Galyans as they have a good selection of fleece jackets/liners as well as coats/outer shells? and you get 10% off of their house brand if you get their (free) preferred customer card. The Galyans coat was about 60% the cost of what looked like to me a similar North Face coat.
 
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