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Comparative review: Perfect for walking around the ridge in spring and summer. We compared the latest lightweight fleece jackets

What to wear to climb? This problem that occurs every time you pack the day before or at the morning trailhead, reaches its peak during this time of year from spring to summer.

Looking at the weather forecast, it was relatively warm, but when I went there it was chilly than I expected. On the other hand, there are many cases where the winter clothes I brought with me to be careful were left on my backpack throughout. That's how difficult mountain layering is. In particular, when it comes to choosing a middle layer (intermediate clothing), which plays a role in balancing heat retention and dryness between underwear and outerwear, many people find it troublesome to choose a wide variety of types.

Fleece jackets were born in the late 1970s and quickly gained explosive popularity from the outdoors to casual scenes, making them synonymous with middle layers. In recent years, the high-performance insulation jacket made of synthetic fiber padded material, which has undergone significant technological innovation, may have been taken away from its main role, but there is no doubt that it is still a "useful" item. For me, fleece jackets are a piece that I can't let go of all year round, from the field to everyday use.

The scene where the fleece comes into play is a course with a gentle temperature (with a course) where the fleece is active. Fleece, which generally allows the wind to pass through more vigorously than synthetic fibers, is not only used as a warm clothing when you feel chilly, but also allows for the most enjoyable mountain hiking in a place where it is a little hot but the wind is breeze. It is dangerous to cool your body with the wind, but in spring, autumn, or summer, where you want to actively utilize this cooling function, the balance between the amount of sweating and the speed of diffusion is just right. Compared to synthetic fibers, the bulky weakness is not bothering you when you keep wearing them. If this feels too cold, you can just put on a shell.

As you know, there are many models, from authentic outdoor use to casual, with a wide range of features, including not only thickness, pile length, density, surface texture, and elasticity.

This time, we have picked out five models that have been released this season, and compared the wearable thin, lightweight fleece jackets that are perfect for this warm season and are versatile and can be used all year round.

table of contents

About the fleece jackets compared this time

The fleece jackets we compared this time are of course not fashion models, but rather models for mountaineering and hiking that have a distinctive feature. Depending on the thickness and weight of the fleece jacket, there are many models for autumn and winter that can be used for winter cold, but this time we have selected lightweight fleece for the three seasons, spring to autumn, and weighing less than 500g, all of which have been selected from the latest models of this season. Furthermore, we have chosen a full zip model with a hood as much as possible due to its ease of use and versatility.

  • 2019 S/S model
  • It is intended to be worn as a middle layer when climbing.
  • Weight: 500g or less
  • Full zip model with hood as much as possible
  • Stylish enough to be used for everyday use as much as possible

Here are the five models chosen in this way.

  • Patagonia R1 Full Zip Hoodie
  • HOUDINI Outright Houdi
  • NORRONA falketind warm1 Jacket
  • MILLET Rocca Hoodie
  • mont-bell trail action parka

Test environment

Hokkaido from April to May. It can be worn over a base layer or as an intermediate under the shell, and can be worn for mountain climbing, running, camping, or everyday use. The following five points were set as indicators for review of the evaluation items.

  • Comfort and mobility: Fleece with a relatively tight silhouette is most important to have a comfortable feel and fit, and to be comfortable to wear even when moving around violently. A sense of material, elasticity, and overall comfort through cutting and sewing are required.
  • Thermal insulation: Blocking out the cold outside and keeping body heat away is essential as the basic role of the middle layer. It's not too hot, but even if it's for mountain climbing in the spring and summer, you need to have a minimum level of insulation.
  • Moisture absorption and quick-drying...How to efficiently expel the moisture absorbed by the base layer and keep your body dry? This is also the reason why it doesn't get stuffy when hiking.
  • Weight: If it is the same performance, it would be better to have a lighter one.
  • Usability: The number of pockets, location, arrangement, hood, sleeves, and zippers make them comfortable to use.

Test results and spec comparison table

If you find it difficult to see the table because it is lightweight for smartphones, click here

comprehensive evaluationAAAAAAAAAAAAA
itemPatagonia R1 Full Zip HoodieHoudini Outright Houdi Blue Illusion SHOUDINI Outright Houdi[Millet] LOKKA HOODIEMILLET Rocca Hoodie[Norona] Fleece Jacket 333014NORRONA falketind warm1 Jacketmont-bell trail action parkamont-bell trail action parka
Reference price22,680 yen28,080 yen15,120 yen19,440 yen7,776 yen
This is ◎
  • touch
  • Breathable
  • Durability
  • Fit
  • Excellent feel
  • Thermal insulation
  • Stretchable
  • Hood drawcord
  • Colors available
  • lightweight
  • Quick drying
  • compact
  • Breathable
  • Thermal insulation
  • Hand gaiter
  • compact
  • Durability
  • price
  • Thermal insulation
  • Easy to layer
This is △
  • Storageability of left and right pockets, snag
  • Weight and bulky when stored
  • Poor pills easily
  • price
  • Moisture absorption and quick drying
  • Thermal insulation
  • Durability
  • There's no food
  • Moisture absorption and quick drying performance
  • The zipper is a little hard
  • It gets bulky when stored
Comfort and mobility★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★☆☆☆
Thermal insulation★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★★★★★★★
Moisture absorption and quick drying★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★★★★★★☆☆★★★☆☆
weight★★☆☆☆★★★☆☆★★★★★★★★★☆★★☆☆☆
Easy to use★★★★★★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆★★★☆☆
Specs
Actual weight (g)401363298319410
material

6.9 oz Polartec Power Grid Recycled Polyester 93%/Polyurethane 7%. Polyzine is permanently deodorizing. Blue Sign certified. Fair trade certified sewing is adopted

Polartec® Power Stretch® Pro LightThermal Bi-Face Ultralight Polyester 100%warm™1 / Polartec® Power Stretch®Stretch Clima Plus® [47% nylon + 36% polyester + 17% polyurethane]
pocketZippered chest pocket, 2 hand pockets2 zippered hand pockets3 zippered pockets (1 chest, 2 hands)2 zippered hand pockets3 zippered pockets (1 chest, 2 hands)

Impressions of each model

No.1 in overall strength:
Patagonia R1 full zip hoodie

This is ◎

  • touch
  • Breathable
  • Durability
  • Fit

This is △

  • weight
  • Storageability of left and right pockets, snag
  • Poor pills easily
  • It gets bulky when stored

This is a classic model that is extremely popular every year among Patagonia. It has been updated many times based on the opinions of many people who are very active on the field and are extremely history, and it is said that this R1 is the best ever.

It's understandable when you wear it. The uneven pile fabric inside is brushed material, and the texture is indescribable and comfortable. The gap between the body is minimized, and the fit is excellent, making it excellent in heat retention and has a quick-drying ability to absorb moisture and dry quickly of the five models.

The fabric uses Polartec Power Grid™, making it extremely good at preventing sweat from getting cold. In fact, it's not a problem to wear it as a base layer. Thanks to the highly elastic cuffs, rolling up the sleeves is stress-free. The back of the left chest pocket is made of mesh material, and by releasing the zipper, it acts as ventilation.

The downside is that there are no zippers in the hand warmer pockets on both sides, so I often felt very stressed when my hands were caught in the pockets while I was operating. I look forward to the next update. And the rest is weight. The actual size is unexpectedly over 400g. The fabric itself is thick and has excellent heat retention, so it may be a point that you have to sacrifice, but it is not recommended for those who want to wear light fleece. Also, pilling will stick to more than you think, so you will need to carry out regular maintenance.

I've added a few negative points, but the author's favorite out of the five models was the "R1". This item has a high rating of comfort, mobility, heat retention, moisture absorption and quick drying, and functionality, making it the most well-balanced item, and is sure to be useful in any season.

Once you put it on, you will never forget the ultimate comfort:
HOUDINI Outright Houdi

created by Rinker
HOUDINI
¥31,900 (As of 16:17:30, 2025, 05/06, 2025, Amazon research - Details)

This is ◎

  • touch
  • Stretchable
  • Thermal insulation
  • Hood fitting with drawcord
  • A wide range of colors

This is △

  • Moisture absorption and quick drying
  • price

Scandinavian is a historic brand that Sweden is proud of. HOUDINI. It seems to be called the Rolls-Royce, a fleece world. The first thing that surprised me when I tried wearing it was the feel and elasticity. When it comes to feel, it is safe to say that there is a huge difference from the other four models. It's just soft. The pleasure of being wrapped in the chewy fabric is indescribable. The finest quality Polartec Power Stretch Pro Light used provides a magical feel. Furthermore, the excellent elasticity made me feel stressed not only without any stress when exercising, but I ended up forgetting that I was wearing it.

This time, there is a drawstring on the hood and hem, which can be fitted. Furthermore, the cuffs are designed to be longer on the back of the hand and the cutting of the cuffs and sufficient heat retention, so it can handle sudden changes in weather. If the fabric is so soft, we were concerned that it would lose its shape when worn and washed, but it is also highly durable and surprisingly does not lose its shape. There are a wide range of colors available, with six colors, and the vibrant colors unique to Scandinavians are rarely overlapping with those around you.

The negative point is that it has excellent heat retention and moisture absorption and quick-drying performance are relatively poor, so you will want to release the zipper and ventilate it immediately when you are exercising. It is the most expensive out of the five models, but I think it's understandable if you wear it.

Excellent sweat processing ability to dry out:
MILLET Rocka Hoodie

This is ◎

  • lightweight
  • Very compact
  • Breathability
  • Moisture absorption and quick drying

This is △

  • Thermal insulation
  • Durability

The first thing that surprised me was how light it was. The published specs are 390g, but the actual measured values ​​are below 300g. Furthermore, the storage size is also impressive. If it's this compact, I think it's a good idea to carry it as a spare middle layer.

The back is made of 3D honeycomb fabric, and the ventilation and moisture absorption and quick-drying performance are extremely excellent. With excellent fit, flat seams and raglan sleeves, cutting makes it easy to move in, providing comfort in running tests that involve a lot of movement and sweating. The zippered pockets on the left chest and both sides are just as effective as ventilation. Also, although there are no drawstrings, elastic is provided on the sleeves and hem that tightens with moderate force, so there is no need to worry about the raised sleeves slipping off. It's easy to use, with hand pockets on the left and right sides as well as chest pockets that can hold smartphones.

Instead, this is the type with the lowest heat retention performance out of the five models. Recommended for summer activities, especially those who are serious about trail running.

A lightweight and warm piece that can be used all year round:
NORRONA falketind warm1 Jacket

This is ◎

  • Thermal insulation
  • Hand gaiter
  • lightweight
  • compact

This is △

  • Moisture absorption and quick drying

Like HOUDINI, it is a luxury brand from Norway, Scandinavian. Among NORRONA's fleece mid-layers, the falketind warm 1 jacket is the most versatile and can be used all year round. Of the five models, it is the closest to the classic fleece, and although it is thin, it is as impressive as I imagined. You don't notice the stiffness that is typical of fleece, which is a concern, and it is warm, light, and easy to move in. The fabric used in the body is warm™1, a unique fabric based on Polartec® Thermal Pro® recycled material. It feels good on the skin and is very durable. It is less likely to pilling, so you can rest assured that it will rub against the backpack belts, and it will be very easy to maintain.

Polartec® Power Stretch® was used from the armpits to the upper arm, making it highly elastic and no stress in movement. The zippered hand warmer pockets on both sides have large openings, allowing for smooth in and out, and also serve as a ventilation system. Also, the pockets are located at the top, making it difficult to interfere with harnesses and other items, which is a highly rated point. It also comes with a hand gaiter with a thumb hole, making it a very useful specification when used as a middle layer in winter. This is the only model of the five models that do not have a hood. The lack of a convenient hood is a disadvantage, but I also felt that there was no stiff back when wearing hard shells or rainwear.

After trying it out, I realized that it can certainly be used widely throughout the year, just as the slogan says. I think this item will really show your true potential, especially as a middle layer from autumn to winter.

A reasonable model with a shrewd, high performance that is safe:
mont-bell trail action parka

This is ◎

  • price
  • Durability
  • Thermal insulation
  • Easy to layer

This is △

  • The zipper is stiff
  • Large storage size

From the multiple fleece jacket lineups released by Japan's proud Montbell, we chose this time a trail action parka, which is said to be suitable for active scenes. To be honest, this item was not something I noticed much until I checked it this time. After trying out all the methods, it's truly a Montbell. I want to be even more proud of my Japanese brand.

The fabric is made of Stretch Clima Plus, which is excellent in elasticity and heat retention. Even after trying it out, it didn't get too tight and was stress-free throughout. In addition, the overall construction is sturdy and is highly durable. The surface is made of smooth jersey material and is slippery, so there was no stress when wearing outerwear. In addition, the pockets under the arm are placed high, making it easy to access even when the waist belt of the backpack is closed, making it a very highly rated point.

However, there are many attractive points when viewed as a stand alone, but in this comparison, it is difficult to say that the points that stand out and are particularly excellent compared to other models. However, despite this quality, it must be said that the incredible price of 7,200 yen is truly excellent in value.

Next page: Go to detailed reviews of each item

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