What is a fleece jacket?
Read on to find out more about fleece jackets – a great option for winter layering in cold climates!
Whether you are gearing up for a winter hike, or a getaway in a city with cold weather, effective winter layering is key to a good time.
We’ve talked about how base layers are crucial to a good layering system, but choosing the right mid-layers are just as important!
If you are planning to do winter sports where you will perspire, a breathable mid-layer is of utmost importance.
What does breathability mean?
In a nutshell, breathability refers to the ability of a fabric to absorb moisture and release it through the material itself, allowing it to breathe.
Breathability is important for many reasons:
Firstly, it prevents you from overheating. Fabrics that are designed to provide warmth should be breathable so that you do not feel stuffy or hot and sticky.
Secondly, it allows air to travel through the fabric to keep it fresh. This not only refers to you staying fresh but also the material, especially when it comes to lingering odour.
Thirdly, it prevents blisters! This is a little-known fact, but breathable boots actually prevent the formation of blisters as moisture can cause feet to do this.
With more air traveling to your feet, this won’t be a problem to deal with.
In short, your mid-layer should at least have heat-trapping properties! This layer is all about insulation and is crucial in helping you retain the heat that is radiated by your body.
The better the layer is at trapping heat, the warmer you will be.
However, one common shortcoming of middle layers is that they usually do not provide rain protection. If your holiday destination is going to be rainy and wet, you would definitely need a protective outer layer in order to keep water out.
Pro-tip: Check the weather before you start packing!
There are 3 common materials for mid-layers: down feather, synthetic down feather, and fleece.
Today we are going to introduce you to fleece jackets! These are in high demand as they are one of the most effective jackets for mid-layers.
What are fleece jackets?
Fleece is a soft, insulating fabric that became more popular in the 80s.
With the many benefits of fleece jackets, this is one of the go-to mid-layers for outdoor sports in the cold.
Fleece jackets are relatively more breathable. With their ability to wick away perspiration quickly, they also make a very good layering piece.
Another major advantage of fleece jackets is that they dry very quickly. So even if they get wet, they'll dry fast and be able to provide you warmth in no time.
Choosing your fleece jacket is relatively simple – basically, the heavier the fleece, the warmer you will be.
Before you start reaching for the heaviest fleece jacket, however, it’s important to know the kind of activities you will be doing first before choosing a mid-layer.
While they may provide you with more warmth, thicker fleece jackets also mean that is less breathable. This would mean that it would not be able to wick away sweat as easily and end up making you colder.
Therefore if you are planning to go for outdoor sports like skiing or snowboarding, it is wiser to go for a mid-weight fleece jacket instead of the heaviest one so that it will be able to provide you the warmth needed, yet keep you perspiration-free.
For chilly days in the city, or if you’re just going camping, a down jacket will be perfect to keep you nice and warm.
Having the right mid-layer aside, wearing multiple thin layers can actually keep you much warmer than a single thick layer as well.
This is because layering can actually trap the warm air in between, which helps act as an insulator!
Winter layering also depends heavily on the type of activity you’re doing.
I hope this article has been helpful in helping you find the perfect mid-layer for your winter adventure!
