Best fleeces tested for 2024: our ultimate guide to the cosy, must-have midlayer

Looking to beat the chill, or in need of a new midlayer? We review the best fleeces on the market.

By Rachel Howatson

Published: Thursday, 04 April 2024 at 14:48 PM

For most countryside walkers and hill hikers who enjoy four-season strolling in Britain, a good fleece jacket is the best midlayer option to wear while out wandering.

These insulating jackets made of synthetic fibres are held together in a lightweight napped fabric that resembles wool or felt. A fleece fits perfectly over the top of a baselayer and beneath a waterproof shell.

Before buying your fleece, think about the kind of layering you’re after. Are you looking for a lightweight and breathable fleece for active hikes, or a warmer design for evening campsite wear? Here at BBC Countryfile Magazine, we’ve put a number of fleece designs to the test – at varying price points – to help you find a suitable match for your outdoor pursuit of choice.

You can also jump to our short buyers’ guide for more on what to consider when buying a fleece.

If you’re looking to upgrade your footwear too, take a look at our review guides of the best walking boots and the best walking shoes.

Reviews by Pat Kinsella, Joe Pontin and Rachel Howatson

Best fleeces reviewed for 2024

Montane Protium Lite Hooded Fleece Jacket

Best for high-energy activity

New for the season, Montane’s Protium Lite Hooded Fleece Jacket is designed for wear in the mountains and hills, and on test we found it made for a great running jacket too in particularly chilly climes. The fit is true to size and the close-fitting style allows you to move freely, and we were impressed by its lightweight nature. The brand has cut down on fabric to make a ‘super-lightweight’ design, and as a result you’ve got a breathable, stretchy and packable fleece on your hands.

There are plenty of welcomed touches which make the Protium Lite a great choice for high-energy activity: the sleeves stay securely in place when rolled up; the hood fits snugly for helmet wear and the fast-drying, anti-odour fabric means you can wear this fleece again and again before chucking it in the wash.

While the £90 price tag sounds a lot, this is a technical design you can wear in all seasons and for a range of activities, whether that’s a weekly tennis match, or a weekend’s climbing.

Pros: Incredibly lightweight, breathable, versatile design
Cons: Expensive

CO2 Renu Half Zip Fleece

Best innovative eco design

Cream fleece

Craghoppers’ CO2 Renu Half Zip Fleece has a compact, rather than overly fluffy, feel. This makes it an ideal choice for winter walks as we found the design fits well under both waterproof jackets and down jackets. Layer up in cooler climes, without feeling overly stuffy.

The fleece is very wearable thanks to a straightforward yet stylish aesthetic. The lining of the shoulder is slightly off, with the hem sitting a few inches down the arm rather than neatly on the shoulder, but this doesn’t cause any discomfort or irritation.

The elasticated cuffs and hem result in a snug, yet not restrictive, fit. If you’re looking for a relaxed fleece that’s not too baggy, we’d recommend the CO2 Renu Half Zip.

You’re covered for warmth, storage (thanks to two large front pockets) and comfort with this fleece, plus the innovative green design used to create the garment makes it an appealing purchase.

Pros: Good insulating properties, innovative eco-design, comfortable
Cons: Not the most exciting of styles in a competitive market

Finisterre Axiom 1/4 Snap Fleece

Best durable fleece

Finisterre Axiom 1/4 Snap Fleece

While designed for hardy surfers, you don’t have to be on a beach to spot the Finisterre label. The brand’s sustainable approach to fashion paired with its durable and good-looking designs have made it a popular choice for outdoor enthusiasts.

It’s hard to fault Finisterre’s newly released Axiom 1/4 Snap Fleece. Well-fitting; soft and comfortable, this is a wearable design you’ll end up reaching for again and again, suitable for camping, casual walks and day-to-day wear. Plus, we are fans of the fleece’s boxy style.

The Axiom 1/4 Snap Fleece is not overly baggy, so you can easily layer with a waterproof, and we’d say it’s suitable to wear as a jacket on dry spring walks.

We particularly appreciate the underarm panelling. Made from a more hardwearing, non-fleecy material, the panels remind you this is a fleece designed to handle life outdoors. There are also flatlock stitches for added durability.

Pros: Fully recycled materials, soft, eye-catching design, good fit
Cons: Bulkier than other designs for packing

Rab Capacitor Hoody

Best lightweight fleece

Made with double brushed fleece and stretchy side panels, this ultra comfortable, mid layer fleece will keep you warm on mountain days. Thanks to the effective thermal protection, you could wear this fleece when you are hill walking, hiking, biking and climbing. The cut is sporty, with stretchy side panels to keep it close to your body.

We also like the thin hood which fits under a helmet and keeps ears nice and toasty on chilly days.

Pros: Lightweight, stretch fit for comfort, made from recycled polyester

Cons: The close fit may not appeal to everyone

Our verdict: Smart, technical, tidy and made with recycled polyester, the Capacity is a featherlight fleece boxing well above its weight

Read more in our full length review

Berghaus Prism Polartec InterActive Fleece

Best for value

Blue Prism fleece jacket from Berghaus

This 200-weight midlayer fleece is designed to form part of a multi-garment all-weather walking system, attaching directly to interactive Berghaus waterproof jackets to keep you warm and dry all winter long, and as such it has a fairly tight and tailored fit. However, it also works perfectly well as a stand-alone fleece.

As is typical with Berghaus, there are few bells and whistles, you just get a sensibly priced garment that works. The Prism has a full-length zip, two zipped side pockets on the outside and a pair of generously proportioned mesh pouches on the inside, for extra carry capacity. It has thumb loops, so the sleeves don’t bunch up when you add the outer layer, a high collar to stop you getting a cold neck and a slight longer hem at the back to help keep your behind warm and stop drips from dropping in.

Pros: Budget-friendly, decent pockets, optional matching jacket

Cons: Not the most technical on review

Our verdict: An interactive fleece designed for walkers, which works in conjunction with Berghaus outerlayers

Craghoppers Spindle fleece

Best for style

Craghoppers Spindle Fleece

If the unisex Spindle looks like a throwback to the 1980s when the fleece was in its infancy, that’s 100% deliberate. Retro is, of course, all the rage, and vintage clothing shops up and down the country do a brisk trade in these seemingly indestructible garments.

The fabric is thick, soft and warm. Semi-elasticated cuffs and a cinch at the bottom hem keep out drafts; though you may find the collar isn’t the most close-fitting, so on freezing days you may want to fill the gap with a scarf.

It’s great for camping, watching the sun set on the beach, and all manner of outdooriness… as well as cosying up on the couch to watch Countryfile on iPlayer.

If you want to buy a fleece for hiking, the Spindle has some drawbacks. It’s bulky, so when you warm up and want to shed a layer, you’ll need a spacious pack to accommodate it.

Pros: Good-looking design, soft fabric

Cons: Bulky

Our verdict: A loose-fitting warm and soft fleece well suited to camping trips

66˚North Tindur

Best technical fleece

Made with Polartec Wind Pro Stretch and synthetic shearling (all 100% recycled), the Tindur Fleece offers the kind of thermal performance capable of keeping you warm in the most extreme conditions, from Arctic adventures to skiing escapades and serious sailing endeavours, especially when used in conjunction with a waterproof shell.

But you don’t have to be Ranulph Fiennes to feel the benefits of this terrific top – it also makes a brilliantly protective mid and outer layer for winter hill hikers. It boasts a bunch of features that make it impressively dynamic, ideal for wearing while engaged in high-intensity activity, including smart venting, high-reach sleeves and seamless shoulders. There’s no hood, but both the hem and the collar have elastic drawcords to keep the elements out, and the cuffs are tailored tight to avoid roll-up issues.

Pros: Impressive technical design, designed for high-intensity activity, warm

Cons: No hood, expensive

Our verdict: A seriously expensive shearling fleece – but it will literally take you to the end of the earth

BAM 73 Zero Fleece Jacket

Best recyclable design

This is BAM’s first foray into the fleece field, for the very simple reason that all of the brand’s clothing is usually made with bamboo, but fleeces are, by definition, synthetic. Accordingly, this comfortable, stylish, midweight top is made from 100% recycled 335g polyester, which is also 100% recyclable at the end of the garment’s life.

Beyond its impeccable eco credentials, this technical top is super soft and wonderfully warm.

The women’s version is double-sided and oversized by design, and has a hood, a half zip and a kangaroo through-pocket. The men’s version has no hood, but it features a full zip, high collar, two hand pockets and a chest pocket (all with zips), plus a pair of huge pouches on the inside, which can be used to store maps, tablets and many other things besides.

Pros: Great eco-credentials, soft

Cons: No hood on the men’s design

Our verdict: A fantastically comfy fleece that performs well and has great green creds

Quechua Hiking Fleece SH500 X-Warm

Best for battling the elements

Available for a very pocket-friendly price, this warm, mid-weight (280 g/sqm) fleece from Decathlon’s homebrand Quechua offers several intelligent features missing from far more expensive garments. We were particularly impressed with the reinforced panels on the shoulders, where backpack harnesses rest (and, sometimes, rub), which really adds to the longevity of this hardwearing top.

It also has a surprise waterproof hood, which is stored in a zip pocket on the back of the neck – it’s not the most stylish lid, but it’ll keep your ears warm in a storm, and it’s almost unnoticeable when put away. With a full-length zip, it has two zipped hand pockets, elasticated cuffs with an extra insert to stop wind and snow from getting in, and stretchy side panels to allow good freedom of movement. The main drawback of this otherwise excellent fleece is that it’s not made with recycled polyester – a great shame.

Pros: Great price, hardwearing design, waterproof hood

Cons: Not made from recycled materials

Our verdict: A budget-friendly fleece packed with plenty of technical and desirable features

Artilect Men’s Halfmoon Bio Pullover

Best midweight fleece

Available in three colours, including an incredibly bright sun-yellow option, the Halfmoon Bio is a midweight fleece with a half-zip that ends in a tall collar with a chin protector, which keeps the wind off your neck. Except for the Lycra in the cuffs, which helps banish breezes, this stylish garment from Artilect, a brand based in Boulder, Colorado, is made entirely from PrimaLoft Bio, which is 100% recycled.

Comfortable and very soft to the touch, this material is reliably warm, breathes brilliantly and dries quickly. The manufacturers also claim that most Primaloft Bio fibres – though possibly not all – will biodegrade more rapidly in landfill and ocean environments than conventional polyester. This hoodless fleece features two zipped hand pockets and a generous vertical chest pocket. We found the fit to be slightly on the small side, so sizing up is recommended.

Pros: Plenty of pockets, great eco-credentials, very soft

Cons: Sizing on the small side

Our verdict: An eco-conscious, high-performing, midweight fleece

Craghoppers Frey Overhead recycled fleece

Best for chilly walks

This pullover-style unisex microfleece has an unusual design, with an ultra extended neck tube that – like a snood – can be worn loose, folded over or pulled right up over your nose to supply protection against wind, rain, sandstorms, plagues of locusts – whatever goes down around you. Not everyone will like this design, but others will absolutely love it.

The lack of a front zip helps keep this top very light, but its warmth-to-weight ratio is excellent, and the additional neck and lower face cover can really be a bonus on frosty morning walks and chilly evening strolls. The Frey also features elasticated cuffs and an adjustable hem. On the front there are two enormously deep pockets for plunging hands in, which near-enough meet in the middle and zip shut.

Pros: Great warmth-to-weight ratio, additional neck cover for added neck warmth

Cons: Unusual style may not suit everyone

Our verdict: A quirky unisex microfleece with in-built snood-style neck protection

Mountain Warehouse Men’s Relic Recycled Fleece

Best for warmth

As you might expect from Mountain Warehouse, who produce reliable outdoor gear for affordable prices, this is a no-frills, few-thrills fleece that does exactly what you want it to do without costing a fortune or pretending it’s the answer to all the world’s problems.

This poorly named (in our opinion) midweight top is made from entirely recycled polyester, and it offers all the features essential in a fleece, including wonderful warmth. There’s no chest pocket or hood, but it has a full-length zip, two outer hand pockets with zips, and a couple of pouches on the inside, big enough to take an OS map. There are stretchy panels on the arms and shoulders to give it some shape and definition, and while the hem can’t be tightened, the cuffs are elasticated to keep out drafts.

Pros: Low cost, large pockets for maps etc, stretchy panels for a fitted look

Cons: No chest pocket

Our verdict: An unflashy fleece that quietly goes about its business of keeping you warm

Thrudark Men’s Mantra Fleece

Best for extreme conditions

Made with 100% recycled Polartec Shearling material, the Mantra is at once a classic fluffy fleece and a cutting edge modern garment designed and ready to serve in really quite extreme conditions, if the need arises. And this brand, launched by former soldiers, keeps its marketing muscular and its products firmly focused on serious stuff, like staying hidden in the shadows.

The Mantra is only available in obsidian black, but the traditional knit, napped and sheared finish of the top makes you feel a tad black-sheep-like when you’re wrapped in its embrace. However, it is windproof, durable and has sensational thermal properties, keeping you warm in the coldest conditions.

Wearable as an outer or a midlayer when things get wet, it has a full-length zip, which ends up parked in a good size garage to avoid the risk of beard or skin snags. On the outside there’s a pair of hand pockets and a chest pocket, all zipped, while inside you’ll find deep pouches on either side. Additional features include thumb loops and elasticated cuffs and hem to keep the cold and wind at arm’s length.

Pros: Impressive thermal properties, versatile, lots of storage options

Cons: No bright colourways

Our verdict: A premium-quality, highly protective fleece that’s always ready for action

Animal Men’s Carter Recycled Fleece

Best for casual wear

This midweight fleece made from recycled fabric has a rather different design to most. With a quarter-length front zip, it dispenses with hand pockets and instead offers one massive kangaroo-style pouch on the front, complete with a zip and a cover flap. While this could prove pretty useful for carrying sheet maps somewhere they’re always close to hand and easy to access, there isn’t much else we can think of that people will happy use this for, since anything bulky will just look like a beer belly. This aside, it’s soft, warm and comfortable, and has a high, neck-protecting collar.

Pros: Comfortable, soft fabric

Cons: Not the most practical of pocket designs

Our verdict: A casual fleece with a front pouch, for laid-back urban and countryside outings

Alpkit Mamalute Jacket

Best hooded fleece jacket

As soon as you put the Mamalute on it feels as though you’ve been embraced by a protective force. Although it doesn’t look particularly technical, the dense weave of this heavyweight (727g), windproof fleece keeps chilly breezes at bay brilliantly, but it doesn’t feel too chunky or overbearing.

It has a two-layer construction, with the classy outer knit backed by a soft, brushed-finished inner, which effectively traps and warms air to keep you cosy in all sorts of outdoor scenarios. With a full zip (and a chin guard) and a hood, this garment is available for men and women, and looks great and works best as an outerlayer.

There are a couple of zipped hand pockets on the outside, and two generous pouches inside. The cuffs are subtly elasticated to prevent the cold seeping in, and stop sleeves getting bunched up if and when you put on a shell when it rains. The materials used are not recycled.

Pros: Windproof design, feels light yet cosy

Cons: Made with non-recycled materials

Our verdict: A tough, windproof top that looks after you on hillsides, campsites and crags

How we tested

Our team tested the fleeces in the great outdoors, taking the following factors into consideration:

What to consider when buying a fleece

Weight

Fleeces are available in a variety of thicknesses, and bulk can sometimes be a downside. However, you’ll find many fleeces are bulky, but still lightweight, so while taking up a fair bit of pack space, they’ll not weigh you down.

In terms of weight, you’ll find lightweight, midweight and heavyweight fleeces available, so you can find the right garment depending on whether you’re trail running, layering up for a casual walk or wrapping up warm for extreme conditions.

Eco credentials

Right from the beginning, most fleeces were made using recycled plastics, and brands are continuing to refine this process. Many fleeces are made from polyester, and it’s easy to spot whether your design is made from 100% recycled materials thanks to clear labelling. You can even find fleeces that are recyclable themselves.

Additional features

If you’re wearing your fleece for hiking and camping, a few trusty pockets are sure to come in handy for snack and map storage. Plus, a cosy fleece pocket is an easy way to keep your hands warm in the evening when you’re huddled around a campfire.

For added warmth, look out for a close-fitting hood. An effortless way to retain warmth, a hood helps block out chilly winds. If you’re a cyclist or climber, make sure to opt for a hood that’ll fit under a helmet.

Who invented fleece?

The first fleece was made in the US state of Massachusetts in 1979, the fruit of a collaboration between Polartec (then Malden Mills) and US outdoor firm Patagonia. The researchers were looking for a cheap and effective alternative to wool. Malden Mills CEO Aaron Feuerstein chose not to patent the new invention, allowing other brands to cheaply produce their own versions of the fabric, and soon fleeces were selling by the million worldwide.

For more winter gear, check out our favourite down jackets, reviewed by our team.