Best fleece jackets for 2024 | Tested and reviewed

Craghoppers is a staple outdoor brand for many, but you wouldn’t necessarily consider it to be at the cutting edge of industry innovation. Before we get into what makes this Craghoppers fleece an exception, we want to say that our testing of it proved it to be a very reliable, comfortable, ‘classic’ style fleece that works well in a range of scenarios, from hiking to everyday use.

The CO2 Renu Fleece is partially made (30%) from Bio3 carbon smart polyester. This polyester is made from captured CO2 emissions from a steel mill in China and converted into ethanol. The ethanol is converted into the chemicals needed to make polyester fibres, which are then spun into fabric.

The remaining 70% of the fabric is made from recycled polyester, while the labels and zip-tape are all 100% recycled materials. To reduce waste, Craghoppers designed the CO2 Renu Fleece using a 3D design programme, which reduced the need for prototypes. By changing the construction of the fleece to lapped seams it has also been able to minimise material waste in the production process too.

There are men’s and women’s versions, with half and full zip models of each. In all, this is a good, reliable fleece at an excellent price, and one that breaks new ground in the sustainability of hiking apparel.

Check out the women's version here

Read our full Craghoppers CO2 Renu Half Zip Fleece review

In our view, Montane has been one of the best producers of high-performing fleeces for some time and its Fury Lite Hooded Fleece Jacket is our current favourite.

It's simply everything you want from a fleece: warm yet breathable, durable, reasonably well priced, and comfortable.

We found the fit to be slim but the four-way stretch allows for excellent freedom of movement. The hem is quite short too, which is benefitial for scrambling and climbing.

The Fury Lite Hooded Fleece Jacket is made from Montane's Thermo Stretch material, which is a soft, fleecy polyester lining paired to a tough nylon face material. It's excellent to wear and is highly breathable for more strenuous outings. It's not great as an insulating layer for when you're idle but that's not what the Fury Lite Hooded Fleece Jacket is designed for.

In terms of sustainability, the Fury Lite Fleece uses recyled polyester and Montane is a Fair Wear Foundation member, and offers a repair service for its gear.

Check out the women's version here

The Halfmoon Bio Fleece is made from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles, which are transformed into PrimaLoft Bio fleece. This innovative fabric is biodegradable in oceans, wastewater and landfills (the three main places fleece fibres usually end up), thus helping to reduce the impact of microfibres in our oceans. 

The fleece is super-soft and smooth, with an almost velvety feel. Consequently, comfort and all-round warmth are impressive. Breathability is good and the fit strikes a nice middle ground – it’s bulk-free, ergonomic and athletic(ish), without being too tight or thin. Lycra wrist cuffs help seal in warmth, and a half zip boosts ventilation when required.  

We liked this fleece a lot, not only for the planet-friendly benefits, but also for its performance, which thoroughly justifies its premium price. We could happily wear it all day, without any drop-off in comfort levels. There is a single, large hand pocket and a chest pocket, both zipped.

Check out the women's version here

For those after an athletic, technical-style fleece whose price doesn't break into triple figures, this is for you.

Adidas proclaims this is its lightest mid layer. It certainly is quite light, weighing less than 250g. And it's also highly breathable, making it ideal for either high-intensity outings in cool conditions or as a just-in-case outer layer on warmer days.

We like the longer rear hem, which helps prevent it from riding up when you're wearing a pack. We also like the quality of construction. Adidas seems to have a knack for producing gear that outlasts rival products of a similar price.

There are two mesh-lined hand warmer pockets but no chest pocket. The main zip is one way but most fleece zips are. In terms of fit, the Xperior fleece is slim fitting and reasonably stretchy. This means it's also easy to layer underneath a hardshell.

Check out the women's version here

The Thrudark Centurion, which has won a Polartec Apex Award for its clever combined use of fabrics, is the result of 30-odd years of Polartec evolutionary design.

Even with a cursory glance there’s absolutely no mistaking this for a ‘car boot sale’ fleece (you know what we’re talking about). Part of the reason for that is the distinctive military silhouette – exactly the sort of athletic and slightly menacing cut you might expect from a brand founded by former special forces operatives.
To be frank, we find that pseudo military vibe a bit cringy, and there isn’t even a women’s version of the Centurion. However, a close look and testing from us reveals there’s more to this jacket than a stylish and technical design; the real magic is in the fabric.

We found Polartec’s Power Air fabric, which is used across the torso front and back, and over the upper arms and shoulders, makes the Centurion a warm midlayer even when the temperature drops below 0°C. Moreover, it’s less prone to shedding microfibres than conventional fabrics, helping to reduce its impact on the environment.

We liked the sturdy construction of the Centurion, the thoughtful design touches including surprisingly handy shoulder pockets, and its comfort (the chunky thumb loops are unusually comfortable, and the design of the hood means that even when it’s down, the collar remains raised and highly protective).

This means that although this is a pricey fleece, you’re getting bang for that buck.

Somewhat contrary to The North Face's ubiquitous nature as an outdoor brand, this fleece is quite specialist with a niche approach.

At just over 200g, it's by far the lightest fleece we tested. The low weight is a good thing in itself, but we found it's also super breathable. The partially recycled material is very stretchy and sits close to the body in a slim fit.

The outer face is quite smooth and well finished but the inner consists of looping, pilly yarns. The idea is to have a maximum warmth to weight ratio. We found it works beautifully for fast or intense hikes, and insulates well behind a hardshell. But wind passes right through the Futurefleece if worn as an outer layer in a breeze.

There is just one pocket, located on the chest, but it's a good size and has a little security pocket within it. We like the don't-notice-you're-wearing-it fit and that the hood sits easily beneath a helmet.

So, for outright warmth, look elsewhere; for amazing breathability, look no further.

Check out the women's version here

You get everything you’d expect from Patagonia in the R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody – top-notch sustainability credentials, an on-trend look and solid all-round mountain performance.

It’s made from a 100% recycled polyester jacquard fleece with ‘hollow-core yarns’, featuring a grid-like zigzagging texture. While we found its ribbed pattern of gridded fleece isn’t the softest or comfiest against the skin, the material kept us warm while simultaneously wicking moisture, drying quickly and breathing effectively during high-output activities.

Breathability is good, thanks to the zigzagging pattern, which leaves tiny air gaps for ventilation between each line of fleecy insulation. But, it does let the breeze through.

Features include two handwarmer pockets, one chest pocket, a well-shaped hood (with good facial coverage), soft wrist cuffs and waist hem, and a full-length central zipper. Bright colourways and the contrasting colour-blocked chest pocket ensure the jacket looks great.

Patagonia describes the fit as slim, but we found it more average with a touch of roominess. The R1 Air is made in a Fair Trade Certified factory and the fabric is bluesign approved.

Check out the women's version here

Somewhat of a throwback to the old school retro polar fleece, the Abrazo Half-Zip Fleece is a versatile choice for cold weather.

Where some of the other options here have technical approaches to fabrics and fit, the Abrazo Half-Zip Fleece is more of very high quality classic fleece. Its 215gsm recycled polyester fabric is soft and warm. It is breathable, but not as much as many of the others here.

As such, it's suitable for the colder months of the year, but can be used for any scenario, from everyday use to hiking and après ski sessions.

There is a hooded, full zip version of the Abrazo as well, but the Half-Zip is £25 cheaper and is our preferred option unless you really want a full zip hoody.

Cotopaxi is proud of its sustainability efforts and says that in addition to being fully recycled polyester, the Cotopaxi Abrazo Half-Zip Fleece is made in a 'best-in-class factory...revered for its sustainability and energy efficiency.'

Check out the women's version here

If you're a fan of the good old gilet, this one from BAM should catch your attention. It looks and performs like a fleece gilet should, providing exceptional core warmth. But there is a twist.

This gilet is part of BAM's 73 Zero line, so-called because 73% of clothing ends up in landfill and BAM wants to change that. Therefore, the 73 Zero Fleece Gilet is not only made from recycled material, it's designed to be recycled at the end of its life in order to achieve a more circular model.

Big thumbs up from us on that. In terms of performance and fit, the 73 Zero Fleece Gilet is very warm thanks to the use of 305gsm heavyweight fleece. It's a pretty relaxed fit, which is a good thing or a bad one depending on your fit preferences.

Check out the women's version here

Fjallraven isn't really about fast and light hiking. It's more about leisurely trekking, and produces gear that is designed with comfort and quality in mind.

The Abisko Lite Fleece, despite having 'Lite' in its name, is certainly a trekker's fleece. It's durable, breathable, and very comfortable, if not a tad pricey as Fjallraven gear tends to be.

The inner fabric is in a gridded pattern to help maintain warmth, while the outer face is a smoother texture. Unlike the other options here, the Abisko Lite Fleece also has a two-way zip. We also like the thumb loop design, which hides away completely inside the cuff for those who don't like them (like us).

Fjallraven makes the Abisko Lite Fleece in lots of colours for both the men's and women's versions.

Check out the women's version here

Like the Cotopaxi Abrazo Half-Zip Fleece, the Nallo Half Zip from Swedish brand Tierra is a no-nonsense, well made, and reasonably sustainable fleece at a good price.

Its half zip makes it a better put-on-and-leave-on-layer than full zip options, but is still easy enough to take off if needed. We liked the fabric too, it felt thicker than the low 290g weight suggested and provided decent warmth.

Like the Fjallraven Abisko Lite Fleece, the Nallo Half Zip has hideaway thumb loops and a gridded internal fabric to maintain warmth at a lower weight. It also has a fit that isn't quite as slim as some of the lightweight fleeces, which will likely make the Nallo Half Zip more appealing to hikers rather than than alpinists.

We all know that fleeces aren't the most sustainable piece of clothing, being a product of synthetic materials, but the Nallo Half Zip is at least quite durable and uses recycled, bluesign-approved polyester.

Check out the women's version here