I have a couple of fleece tops, yet they are all fairly heavy, > 1 pound. Does anyone know of a supplier of ultralight fleece tops?
Randy
Randy Brown
Lightest Fleece top
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#2
My Columbia Fleece weighs 2.25 lbs. I wish I could find a Fleece Blanket less than 2 lbs. Any suggestions?
Dawg
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#3
If you are looking for something like a fleece jacket, I have a 100 wt fleece full zip jacket, 2 side zip pockets, made by Ragged Mountain Equipment, Intervale, NH. It weights 12.4oz, I have had it a long time and it goes almost everywhere I go. This place is just up the road from North Conway, NH. At the time I bought my jacket they were sewing a lot of what they sold.
gardenville
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#4
I have a very light fleece which keep me very warm. They are made by Black Diamond. Got them on sale for $20 each. Target also sells thin fleece, around $8. I use them mainly for cycling as a mid layer, but have used them on colder days (28 degrees) and they do fine. Don’t be fooled by their light weight.
Hikingmonk
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#5
Just weighed my fleece. The minimum weight of the scales used is 1lb. It read 1lb but I know it’s lighter than that. It’s a “windblocact” so it’s windproof (advertised as 97% windproof. The other 3% is said to aid ventilation??) I’ve used it on very cold days wearing just a thermal top base layer. I also use it at work (I work inside a massive fridge running at 2* celcius) and it’s really comfortable. My buddy swears by Sprayway fleece’s. They are heavier but even warmer. Good luck finding the right thing for you.
Ross
Ross
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#6
I have an MEC Expedition Weight fleece top that weighs in at 6.6 oz. They call it expedition weight because they consider it an undergarment. It is equivalent to a 100 wt. fleece or a microfleece. With an 8 oz. PL1 jacket, it is all I use for warm top wear May-Sept (plus hat). For my legs, I use the bottoms that complete the set.
My fleece sleeping bag liner from campmor, mummy style, weighs 28 oz. I have considered using it as a summer bag (July, August) with appropriate clothing, but have yet to try this.
Alligator
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#7
That’s a PL1 vest, not a jacket! If you have the dollars, go PL1 or Polarguard, they are warmer than fleece ounce for ounce. My polarguard jacket is 6 oz. lighter than my 300 wt. fleece, and the polarguard is still warmer IMHO.
Alligator
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#10
I have a Victorinox 100wt Fleece pullover and a Mountain Hardwear 100wt fleec epullover and bother weight just under 8oz. Anything thicker then that I would probably go with a lofting insulating jacket like the MEC Primaloft stuff. They will weigh less, pack smaller, and be warmer then any fleece alternative. With a 3oz windshirt I can be quite comfortable laying around camp in my 100wt fleece top in pretty chilly weather.
JinE
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#11
Go to K-Mart I found a good fleece top, very warm, for $9 and I swear it weighs under a pound. It didn’t come with a draw string at the bottom but I made one and it works fine. Every bit as good as brand names that cost $50 more.
steve hiker
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#12
Is “fleece” a type of material, or is it just a type of clothing? I always thought i owned a fleece…but it’s cotton. So…is it just a nice sweatshirt?
C-Giddy
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#13
C-Giddy, I’m glad you asked that question, and I hope someone has an answer. I’ve seen a lot of ‘fleece’ garments in various department stores, but when I look at the tags, they say that they’re some cotton/polyester blend. I’ve looked for a definition of fleece, and it just says “a soft, bulky deep-piled fabric.” Just now I did a google on ‘fleece fabric’ and found this website:
http://www.denverfabrics.com/pages/static/fleece/fleece-fabric.htm
It says that fleece is usually made with 100% polyester, but can be mixed with other fibers like cotton, lycra, wool and rayon. Presumably, the non-cotton blends would be better for trail use, but I don’t know. I only have the cotton/polyester type, and I’ve never gotten them soaked. I’ve never seen non-cotton blend fleece in a department store, and the stuff online can be rather pricey. The ones I’ve seen online don’t say what type of blend they are. I’d hate to spend $40 for a fleece shirt and end up with something I could have bought at Wal-Mart for $10-$20. I would also hate to spend the extra money if the cotton blend works just as well.
Ardsgaine
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#14
Oops…i was wrong. My fleece is 100% Polyester. Questions: Is 1 to 1.5 lbs about right for a fleece, or is that way too heavy to bring? Does polyester get really heavy when wet? Does it dry quickly? Thanks again.
C-Giddy