Fleece hoodie Jacket

[Many Moons]

Hey, anyone know why they are not making fleece hoodie jackets for hiking? 3 years ago I had to choose between many options. I bought a light weight one by Marmot. It is my extra gear I carry for comfort. Use it for warmth in leaving camp and inside out for a pillow at night. I put my down jacket in it's own pocket, then into the hoodie's hood and wrap into small pillow.

Now I can only find sweater type hoodie's and casual style. Mine is worn out from 3 years of long section hikes. Wish I could find one just like it!

Any advice? I may have to just go with my down jacket, that used to be only for camp! Hike On!!!

Miller
aka: 11

[Many Moons]

Oh yea. I have the full front zipper one.

[HooKooDooKu]

IMHO, a fleece hoodie is a waste of weight. Instead, you need a separate warm hat and warm jacket (in addition to a rain jacket).

Keep in mind that you loose about 30% of your body heat thru your head. I find that once I warm up, I only need a wool toboggan to regulate my body temperature. Because of its small size, I can stuff a wool toboggan in an easy to access pocket (like a pants pocket). That way, I can put on and take off the hat as needed without missing a beat.

By contrast, if I have to put on or take off a jacket, I've got to at least stop and take off my back pack.

I also find that if temperatures are just a little too cold (or if it is raining) that all I usually need is my rain jacket (as a wind breaker) to keep me warm.

Now while I do have to take the pack off to either take the wind breaker off and on, I do at least store it in an easy to access external pocket. That way, it's readily available if I need it because the hat by-it-self isn't enough to keep me warm, or when I pause for a pack-off-break, the rain jacket is easy to access to keep me from getting cold while I pause.

By contrast, when I have a fleece jacket (or other style of warm jacket), I have it because of potential cold temperatures. If that jacket gets wet, it either isn't going to keep me warm (or at least isn't going to be comfortable keeping me warm). So I always keep a layer jacket inside the water-proof layer of my backpack (trash back of some sort in the bottom of my pack to ensure cloths, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad stay dry). It's an extra pain if during the day I have to either access or put away my warm layer.

And if I already have a separate toboggan, then I don't need a warm jacket with the additional weight of a hoodie.

[daddytwosticks]

I've been looking for a reasonably priced fleece hoodie (200 wt) for a long time. Not for hiking the trail, but to use around town. No luck. Saw one at an outfitters in Chatanooga Tn. recently, but hey wanted $180 for it! :)

[The Cleaner]

I've quit using any fleece except for a beanie and a pair of very lightweight cheap gloves for cold weather hiking. I now use a Marmot Dri-Clime wind shirt which is more like a jacket. I wear a merino top with a Marmot Trail Wind Hoody (4-5ozs) if windy. If it's really cold I wear a Marmot Tempo hooded soft shell, till I heat up or wear it at camp. Last item is a Patagonia Nano Puff pullover for camp. I quit using my rain jacket(Go-Lite Tumalo) for a wind breaker because using it for a windbreaker just sweats it up shortening it's lifespan. Also using any of these for a pillow is just a hassle and I bought an Exped air pillow which only weighs about 4ozs. By alternating these pieces of gear I can hike more comfortably. Yes there is a little weight penalty but after hiking, eating and getting right into my sleeping bag is not something I do. Thru hikers are on a mission and I'm out there to enjoy being there.

[Praha4]

checkout the Patagonia R1 hoody. About the only fleece hoody I would take on a hike.

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Fleece-Jacket-Reviews/Patagonia-R1-Hoody

[Ktaadn]

It isn't about the hiker market. It is all about the mall market. Look around. Puffies and puffies with hoods are all the rage right now.

Personally, I don't take a fleece with me hiking. I use it as an around town jacket. Only my shell has a hood on it.

[Another Kevin]

I'm a dirtbagger. I wear a fleece sweater that I got at Salvation Army (or once in a while, one that I got at REI Outlet on clearance). The one from Aunt Sally has a company logo on it. So what? It's still warm. I pair it with a fleece balaclava from the job lot store. On my last day trip (http://dftscript.blogspot.com/2014/12/21-blackhead-mountain.html), I hiked most of the time with the balaclava around my neck. I kept catching my ice axe spike on overhanging branches. Having something wrapped around my neck helped keep the snow from getting down my back. Wearing the balaclava would have been too warm.

I was wearing a hardshell jacket, because glissading would have shredded my usual Dri-Ducks. When we were snowshoeing or cramponning the steep stuff, I would up taking off the fleece and wearing just the hardshell over my poly baselayer. I didn't worry about perspiration wetting things out, because we were hiking in cloud all day. Everything that was out of the pack was going to be wet anyway. I still wanted the hardshell to keep my baselayer from getting snowy.

The advantage of fleece over a lot of materials is that it stays warm when wet. Fleece is cold when wet mostly if you don't have wind protection for it. Down is very warm, but can't get wet at all. I carry a down puffy for use in camp or on longer breaks, but if I sweat it out, it'll be useless. Fleece kept me "not too uncomfortable" a couple of months ago when I fell in a river (http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=476234) on an evening with temps in the 30's F, until I got a fire going.

Oh. I notice that everyone else in the thread is from NC and TN and AL and FL. I live Up North. My advice may not be right for your conditions. But for mine, a (hoodless) fleece jacket paired with a fleece balaclava works well.

[cbr6fs]

I can sympathise as I've had exactly the same problem, only for me I want a smock not a jacket.
Also find it frustrating that all outdoor gear is tight these days, I hate tight clothing and much prefer something more Jin a baggy style, but there is nothing.

[Connie]

If you want a smock, UK.

Hoody, Smock. Same thing, right? Mouseclick my link, navigate under photo to Products.

Find Clothing, Gear, etc. for examples.

I have ordered online from UK. USA doesn't pay VAT (value added tax). Nice.

[2Ply]

Here's a fleece hoody (http://www.theunderwearguys.com/product_info.php?cPath=75&products_id=264). I have a pair of their pants and like them but no experience with the jackets.

[Glacier]

I've been looking for a reasonably priced fleece hoodie (200 wt) for a long time. Not for hiking the trail, but to use around town. No luck. Saw one at an outfitters in Chatanooga Tn. recently, but hey wanted $180 for it! :)

Condor tactical (yeah I know) makes a decent hooded fleece. I like it for snowshoeing. Pit zips help dump heat if I'm working up a hill. I believe Duluth trading also makes a windproof hooded fleece.

[MuddyWaters]

When conditions are right for it, I bring my melanzana fleece hoody pullover with me. Warm, breathable, hood tightens to be a balaclava for sleeping. The best hood design ever.

With just a light fleece beanie under my hoodie, and it cinched around face, I have slept down to 28 F with a quilt OK. My down hood is too hot at temps much above freezing, the 100 wt fleece hoodie/beanie combo is perfect from freezing to 50F.

I wear these around town a lot in winter too.

a 100 wt fleece paired with a light UL synthetic jacket like thermowrap or nanopuff is good for temps down to freezing in wet conditions, with long baselayer too.

[fiddlehead]

We still sell them:
http://theunderwearguys.com/product_info.php?cPath=70&products_id=264

[cbr6fs]

We still sell them:
http://theunderwearguys.com/product_info.php?cPath=70&products_id=264

Any idea on the weight of say a large?

[fiddlehead]

they are pretty heavy for hiking as they are double thick 200 weight fleece with the hood.
But, they are warm for around town.
Zippered pockets too.
Only bigger sizes left in the black.
We probably won't be getting more in as it is not a good seller as people (above) have mentioned.
When I originally decided to sell these, it was because the only double fleece, hooded jacket I could find was a "North Face" for well over $150, and I could understand why as the price of fleece has dropped dramatically since it's heyday in the early 90s.
Sure enough, they didn't cost that much to make.
It's just too much of a markup IMO, so, we had our own made (in China) and sold about 1500 of these.
Still have about 500 left.
Great price for the quality IMO.

[Nooga]

checkout the Patagonia R1 hoody. About the only fleece hoody I would take on a hike.

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Fleece-Jacket-Reviews/Patagonia-R1-Hoody

I don't have one, but have hiked with a couple of guys that love them.

[Many Moons]

This might be a winner. Best to what I got now. Thanks. I was looking a full zip, but like this is light!!

checkout the Patagonia R1 hoody. About the only fleece hoody I would take on a hike.

http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/Fleece-Jacket-Reviews/Patagonia-R1-Hoody

[Many Moons]

You are right. Puffs all over. I just use mine in camp at night. Hike in my fleece in morning till I warm up! The one i got 3-4 years ago is perfect, but worn out. They do not make any like it now.

It isn't about the hiker market. It is all about the mall market. Look around. Puffies and puffies with hoods are all the rage right now.

Personally, I don't take a fleece with me hiking. I use it as an around town jacket. Only my shell has a hood on it.

[aaronthebugbuffet]

This might be a winner. Best to what I got now. Thanks. I was looking a full zip, but like this is light!!
Check these guys out, very similar fabric to the R1.
http://melanzana.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/22/products_id/34

[Many Moons]

Thanks for info all!!! I bought the Patagonia R1 Hoody after much research!!! Hike On!!!


Miller

[Kevin108]

I have a ragged dark blue sweatshirt I bought years ago but it keeps the wind out and warms me up like nothing else. It's 100% acrylic and I can't find anything like it now.

[Mr. Allen]

I've been looking for the same thing recently , went with the Patagonia oakes hoodie

[Poppins]

Love my Patagonia R1 hoody. Favorite fleece ever.

[High Side]

I got a Burton fleece hoodie on STP for like $30. I used it from NOC to Fontana recently and it did well and did a decent job at repelling water. I alternated between it and a rain shell