The 5 Best Hiking Fleeces

Having an excellent fleece midlayer for hiking is essential! The best hiking fleeces help retain your body heat while you are hiking. If you will be on the trails in the winter or cold temperatures, a hiking fleece is an essential piece of hiking gear so you can stay warm. This guide goes over everything you need to know to find the best hiking fleece!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you click through and make a purchase, my blog may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.

Why You Should Invest in Hiking Fleeces

Understanding how to properly layer your clothes if you will be hiking in the winter or cold temperatures is crucial. Layering will help keep you warm, and hiking fleeces make for excellent midlayers. Hiking fleeces help you retain your body heat while still providing breathability. Most will not be waterproof, so you will need an outer shell jacket to protect you from the elements. The best hiking fleeces are warm and breathable to help keep you warm while hiking!

Learn more about layering in my What to Wear Winter Hiking blog.

patagonia better sweater fleece jacket — Patagonia Better Sweater

The Best Hiking Fleeces

Patagonia Better Sweater Fleece Jacket

Pros:

Recycled material
Warm
Midweight
Breathable
Fair Trade Certified

Cons:

Can let the wind through
The slim fit makes it more restrictive than other hiking fleeces

Find at:

REI
Backcountry

The Patagonia Better Sweater Fleece Jacket is my favorite hiking fleece that I bring on almost every hike. It is considered one of the best fleeces for hiking by many. Patagonia is one of those brands you can always count on to make excellent quality gear, and the Patagonia Better Sweater is no different.

The Patagonia Down Sweater comes in a full-zip or quarter-zip, so you can get what works best for you. The face is wool-knit to retain your body heat while allowing your body to breathe, and the soft fleece interior is soft and comfortable. The yarns used to make the Patagonia Down Sweater are 100% recycled, which is incredible! There are also two zippered pockets on the outside, two internal pockets, and a small zippered pocket on the sleeve. If you are looking for a warm and soft fleece, the Patagonia Better Sweater is one of the best hiking fleeces!

Arc’teryx Kyanite Hoodie

Pros:

Warm
Midweight
Breathable
Stretchy

Cons:

Expensive

Find at:

REI

The Arc’teryx Kyanite Hoodie is one of the best fleeces for hiking because it is moisture-wicking, warm, and stretchy. Arc’teryx is another brand you can count on to make excellent quality gear.

The Arc’teryx Kyanite Hoodie is a midweight fleece with moisture-wicking Polartec Power Stretch Pro fabric to help keep you dry. It has an abrasion-resistant face, warm fleece interior, and breathable construction to help you retain body heat and breathe. The Arc’teryx Kyanite Hoodie allows for excellent mobility with the four-way stretch, so you can move freely while hiking. It also has two mesh-lined, zippered hand pockets to hold essential items. If you are looking for a durable and warm fleece, the Arc’teryx Kyanite Hoodie is one of the best hiking fleeces!

Patagonia R1 Hoodie

Pros:

Lightweight
Warm
Breathable
Compressible
Recycled materials
Fair Trade Certified

Cons:

Not as warm as other hiking fleeces
Hand pockets don’t have zippers

Find at:

REI
Backcountry

The Patagonia R1 Hoodie is another one of the best fleeces for hiking from Patagonia. It is warm, breathable, stretchy, and lightweight, making it the perfect hiking midlayer.

The Patagonia R1 Hoodie has Polartec Power Grid polyester that is lightweight and breathable. The fleece helps you retain your body heat and easily breathe when your body temperature rises. The fabric also provides excellent mobility because it stretches well so you can move freely on the trail. One of the best things about the Patagonia R1 Hoodie is it uses Polygiene, which helps control odor. It also has two hand pockets and an internal hidden pocket to store essential items. If you are looking for a lightweight, warm, and compressible fleece, the Patagonia R1 Hoodie is one of the best hiking fleeces!

REI Co-op Hyperaxis Fleece Jacket

Pros:

Warm
Midweight
Stretchy

Cons:

Not as breathable as other hiking fleeces

Find at:

REI

The REI Co-op Hyperaxis Fleece Jacket is one of the best hiking fleeces because it is durable, stretchy, breathable, and warm. The midweight fleece will help you retain body heat while allowing your body to breathe while hiking.

The REI Co-op Hyperaxis Fleece Jacket has a Polartec Power Stretch Pro fleece that wicks moisture and allows your body to breathe. It also has a four-way stretch, providing excellent mobility so you can move freely on the trail. The REI Co-op Hyperaxis Fleece Jacket has seam-free shoulders, so you don’t have to worry about chafing under your hiking backpack. It also has two zippered hand pockets and a zippered chest pocket. If you are looking for an excellent midlayer, the REI Co-op Hyperaxis Fleece Jacket is one of the best hiking fleeces.

REI Co-op Trailsmith Fleece Jacket

Pros:

Warm
Midweight
Soft

Cons:

Thinner than other hiking fleeces, so it is not as warm as others

Find at:

REI

The REI Co-op Trailsmith Fleece Jacket is one of the best fleeces for hiking that is budget-friendly. The midweight fleece has a minimalist design that will help keep you warm on the trails.

The REI Co-op Trailsmith Fleece Jacket has a plush fleece that is durable and lightweight. The polyester helps retain body heat while still allowing your body to breathe as you hike. It also has two zippered hand pockets, allowing you to store essential items. If you are looking for a budget-friendly midlayer, the REI Co-op Trailsmith Fleece Jacket is the best hiking fleece!

Hiking Fleece Features

Fleece Weight and Warmth

Most hiking fleeces fall into the lightweight and midweight categories. The weight of a hiking fleece generally correlates to the warmth it will provide. Midweight fleeces work better for colder temperatures because they have more warmth than lightweight fleeces, while lightweight ones will provide more breathability.

Full-Zip vs. Quarter-Zip

Most of the best hiking fleeces will be either full-zip or quarter-zip. What you decided to choose is a personal preference. Full-zip hiking fleeces have the most versatility and are easy to put on and take off. Quarter-zip fleeces are pullovers, so they are more difficult to put on and take off but tend to be lighter and cheaper. Both provide excellent warmth, so choosing between the two will depend on what you prefer.

Breathability and Water Resistance

One of the best things about the best fleeces for hiking is their breathability. Since they are a midlayer, they need to provide warmth while allowing your body to breathe. Most have a type of polyester, which has tiny holes throughout, providing breathability. The more breathability it has, the less wind resistant they tend to be, but hiking fleeces are for warmth rather than protection against elements.

Since hiking fleeces are supposed to be a warm midlayer, they are not usually water-resistant. Typically a hiking fleece is paired with an outer shell jacket that protects you from the elements. Some hiking fleeces have a DWR finish that will help a little, but you will still need an outer shell jacket to provide the water and wind resistance.

Hiking Fleece Features

As always, any additional features in a hiking fleece will be a personal preference. Most of them have hand pockets to help store essential items. If you want more warmth, getting a hiking fleece with a hood will help. Since most of our heat gets lost through our heads, a hood will provide an additional layer of warmth while hiking. I recommend trying on different fleeces to find what features you enjoy the most!

Hiking fleeces are essential pieces of hiking gear every hiker should have. This guide has everything you need to find the best hiking fleece!