The Best Fleeces for Winter
When it’s chilly out, fleece is hard to beat. Generally speaking, fleece isn’t renowned for being the most waterproof or technical of fabrics, but it is in contention for being the coziest. Below, you’ll find our team’s picks for the best fleeces for winter. From plush pullovers to heavy jackets and versatile pants, we’ve got you covered. And we mean that quite literally: you will be covered, head-to-toe, in fleece. Doesn’t that just sound like utter bliss?
Natural vs. Synthetic Fleece
Before we dive into the gear, let’s be clear: while fleece once exclusively referred to the wool of an animal (namely sheep), these days, it’s an umbrella term for any number of natural and synthetic textiles. Merriam-Webster defines fleece as both, “the coat of wool covering a wool-bearing animal” and a “soft, bulky, deep-piled knitted or woven fabric.” For this article, we’ve focused on synthetic fleeces—those soft, bulky, deep-piled fabrics we love so much. This is no slight to sheep and their woolly relatives. Far from it! We’re huge fans of natural fleeces, too. That said, synthetic fleeces are more widely available, often crafted from recycled materials, and frequently more affordable.
Don’t Get Fleeced: Why Rely on Active Junky When Shopping for Gear
There is, of course, another definition of “fleece.” When used as a verb, fleece can mean scam or swindle—to “fleece” someone out of their hard-earned cash. At Active Junky, we do the opposite: we’re all about saving you money while you shop for gear. For every purchase you make at one of our partner stores, we send you cash back—either in the form of a check or a deposit in your PayPal account. The point is this: if you want to shop for a fleece (or anything else, for that matter) without getting fleeced, you should start your search with Active Junky.
Interested in learning more about how Active Junky works? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.
The Best Fleece for Winter
Stay toasty during the coldest months of the year with a few of the Active Junky team’s favorite fleece layers.
KAVU Teannaway Fleece Jacket
KAVU’s Teannaway Fleece Jacket pairs a classic design with a funky colorway to make this one of our favorite men’s fleeces. The half-placket, mock-neck style has a four-button snap down the front, which allows you to pop open the collar if you get too warm or take cover from the winter wind behind a fleecy barricade. With two zippered handwarmer pockets and a stylish snap chest pocket, the fun-loving Teannaway is surprisingly practical. Reinforced elbow pads add a retro vibe while also fortifying the fleece should you decide to climb or scramble in it. We’ve rocked the Teannaway constantly over the past few months while road tripping across the Southwest and settling down for winter in the Rockies, and we’ve fallen in love with the 7.5-ounce polyester fleece material—it’s not too heavy, not too light, but just right. What’s more, the patterned fleece earns compliments like no other.
Filson Sherpa Fleece Jacket
Filson calls the Sherpa Fleece “lightweight,” but we couldn’t disagree more. The Sherpa Fleece is heavy as hell, and we mean that in the best way possible. The thick, curly polyester Polartec fleece makes it feel like you’re shrugging on a genuine sheepskin coat (though at a fraction of the price). The Sherpa is true to Filson’s ranch-ready roots, both in terms of the old-fashioned styling and the rugged overlays on the elbows. Hidden internal pockets add utility to this heirloom piece. We’ve tested hundreds of jackets over the past several years, but few have come close to the coziness of this Filson fleece. We loved testing it on fall fly fishing trips: when frost brushes the banks in silver and you can see your breath and barely feel your fingers, this is nothing short of the perfect layer.
Houdini Lodge Pants
The Lodge Pants are built for the duality of winter: they’re ready for both skiing and après ski cocktails, mornings spent braving the cold and evenings reading by the fire. Crafted from Polartec’s Power Dry fabric—a 91% recycled polyester, 9% elastane blend—the Lodge Pants are stretchy, breathable, and remarkably soft and fuzzy against the skin. If your long underwear isn’t cutting it and you get cold on the hill, chuck the Lodge Pants on underneath your ski pants—the extra insulation will go a long way to keep you warm. When the pow has been plundered and it’s time to relax and watch a movie, the Lodge Pants are a perfect choice. Best of all, Houdini offers the Lodge Pants in both men’s and women’s styles, so you can make sure to score a pair that fits you.
prAna Women’s Permafrost Jacket
prAna’s Permafrost Jacket takes coziness to the next level. The recycled polyester fleece fabric has a luxuriously high pile: simply touching the fleece feels like you’re running your fingers through the coat of a freshly primped alpaca. All jokes aside, the Permafrost is unbelievably snug thanks to the thick fleece material and the purposefully loose relaxed fit. Our tester loved the tall collar, which zips high above the neckline to keep you warm and cozy, no matter the weather. As is to be expected from prAna, the style is on point: the cut may be loose, but the diagonal seams, ribbed cuffs, and ribbed hem help add some shape.
KAVU Cavanaugh Fleece Jacket
KAVU’s women-specific Cavanaugh shares many features of the men’s Teannaway: it’s crafted from the same mid-weight polyester fleece, has a half-placket mock neck with four snapping buttons, and earns compliments left and right to boot. Our tester loved the elastic cuffs on the sleeves, which kept the Cavanaugh from riding up. She was similarly enchanted by the pair of zippered handwarmer pockets, which are a life-saver should you forget gloves on a brisk hike. Style-wise, KAVU kills it with the Cavanaugh: the patterns stand out in a crowd without being overkill.
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