Fleece rating question

J

jw2n

Joined
Sep 22, 2009
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I have been using fleece for the past 12 years. I have yet to determine what the rating micro, 100, 200 or 300 mean, other than an arbitrary number used, depending on manufacturer. With wool, I can at least get a good comparitive idea due to ounces per square yard. Do the fleece rating numbers mean something that I have missed? I have researched this many times, and can not come up with an answer.
 
The heavier the weight the warmer the fabric ... 100 is extremely light, 200
is a mid, and 300 is a very warm piece of fleece.
 
I well understand, and own the various thicknesses, but I am looking for a more concise explaination of the meaning of the numerical rating system other than "thin, medium, and thick". Probably looking for something which is non existent.
 
If you own similarly cut clothes in the various "numbers," you could weigh them and see if there those numbers actually might mean something. If they do, a 200 weight pullover should weigh approximately twice what a 100 weight pullover weighs. A 300 weight jacket should weigh 50% more than a 200 weight jacket. A scale should get you at least close to an answer.
 
deeds said:
It's the weight of the fabric in Grams per Square Meter (GSM). ;)
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Right on, as does Woolpower reports its weight in the same manner (usually 200 or 400 GSM).

I find the biggest thing with fleece is the quality of the source. Polartech is good stuff as are some of the name brands who generally use it like Sierra designs, Northface, MEC etc. A crappy fleece is not only less warm, but begins pilling right away. My wife and I have a couple of 300 weight polartech fleece jackets from MEC that we have been wearing since 1997. Damn good stuff, albeit they are bulky.
 
deeds said:
It's the weight of the fabric in Grams per Square Meter (GSM). ;)
Click to expand...

Some info I found-

In ounces the difference is:
100 = 9.5 oz per linear yard
200 = 12.5 oz per linear yard
300 = 16 oz per linear yard
 
300 is heavy enough to wear as an outer jacket almost down to freezing if you are moving at all. Much more of a primary layer, or an inner layer if it's going to be very cold and you are going to be sitting still, like bowhunting.

Fleece is just an awesome layer, particularly when things get wet.
 
those are different #'s them I've seen

100= 5.7 oz/yd^2
200= 7.4 oz/yd^2
300= 10.7 oz/yd^2

what may even be more telling is the clo value

100= 0.3
200= 0.75
300= 0.92
 
KuRUpTD said:
Some info I found-

In ounces the difference is:
100 = 9.5 oz per linear yard
200 = 12.5 oz per linear yard
300 = 16 oz per linear yard
Click to expand...

This doesn't make sense. If the gms thing is right, and a 100 weight fleece = 9.5 oz per linear yard, then a 200 weight fleece would have to = 19 oz.per linear yard. So, either the above is wrong, or the gms thing is wrong.
 
Scott Free said:
This doesn't make sense. If the gms thing is right, and a 100 weight fleece = 9.5 oz per linear yard, then a 200 weight fleece would have to = 19 oz.per linear yard. So, either the above is wrong, or the gms thing is wrong.
Click to expand...

Don't know what to make of it either :confused:

Polar Fleece weight conversions :

Weight - g/yd - oz/yd
100 - 250-300 - 7.5-9
200 - 350-400 - 10-13.5
300 - 400-500 - 14-18
 
Grams per square yard/meter was what I had guessed, but I was not sure. That would convert to 100 weight being 3.5 oz, 200 at 7 oz, and 300 at 10.5. This contradicts the weight given in the above tables. The numbers shown have 100 at near the weight of 300, rated at GSM. Still puzzled. I have a hard time believing that the 100 I have weighes anything close to 10 oz/yd as shown in some charts. Oh well.
 
Not sure about numbers, but I know that you get what you pay for in the fleece world. Quality brands like North Face and Columbia are much better and longer lasting than WalleyWorld fleece.
 
In the situation the numbers are irrelevant, you have to think that the fleece companies just invented a way for everyone to have a rough idea of what the fleece is. Also, are you going to want to buy a fleece that's number is 400 instead of 100 to keep you warm? The average consumer would say huh that must mean it is 4x as good and warm. Also, it just makes the fleece sound better, instead of 7.5 oz per yard or whatever. Hope i helped a little.
 
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