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Over the last decade, we have tested 70 of the best fleece jackets for women, and our latest review compares 12 of the top options side-by-side. Our team of testers wore these fleeces through all types of weather while exploring the world. Opportunities to go big wall climbing, sailing on the North Sea, and hiking in some of the most climatically diverse settings allowed us to put these jackets through their paces. Our years of testing help us dissect the nuanced differences in warmth, utility, style, and comfort. This comprehensive review features the top models on the market, and our team offers expert advice to help you find the best fleece jacket for your needs and budget.
No matter what type of jacket you need for the outdoors, odds are good we've tested it. Whether you're seeking the best women's rain jacket or a toasty and top-rated women's winter jacket, we can help you find one that suits your preferences and style. Looking for other ways to stay cozy? See our picks for the best women's slippers for use at home and camp.
Editor's Note: This review was updated on April 24th, 2024, to add two new fleeces to this line-up, including the REI Co-op Trailmade and North Face Denali jacket. The Outdoor Research Vigor jacket was retested with updates for its latest iteration.
Weight: 10.7 oz (size small) | Main Fabric: 100% Recycled polyester
REASONS TO BUY
Very stretchy and comfy
Warm for a lightweight fleece
Impressively breathable
Easy to pack
REASONS TO AVOID
Material can pill with heavy use
Not wind resistant
Fuzzy exterior collects debris
The Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoodie is an exceptionally dynamic fleece that performs well across the board. Rather than specializing in any particular use, the R1 Air has useful features everyone can enjoy. It's lightweight with midweight warmth. A fuzziness and impressive stretch add much comfort for lounging around the house and getting on the trail. A fitted hood fits nicely under a helmet, while the cleverly designed cuffs are comfortable even when pushed up our forearms. The zig-zag pattern in the fleece does an excellent job regulating body temperature without leaving us cold while on the move or when hanging out around camp.
While the zig-zag pattern allows ample breathability, it also allows big wind gusts to tear right through the fabric. While the fuzzy fabrics are warm, they grab and can hold debris. The fabric also pilled during our testing after carrying a pack for a few miles. Despite these few downfalls, this is still one of the coziest, stretchiest, and best-performing fleece we've tested, making it an excellent choice for any endeavor. If you're looking for something a bit less performance-oriented, check out the more casually styled Patagonia Lightweight Synchilla Snap-T or Patagonia Better Sweater 1/4 Zip.
Weight: 8.9 oz (Size Small) | Main Fabric: 94% Polyester, 6% spandex
REASONS TO BUY
Extremely stretchy with extended coverage
Comfortable thumbholes and cuffs
Very breathable
Excellent warmth-to-weight ratio
REASONS TO AVOID
Chest pocket lays lumpy
Extraordinarily long torso
Light colorways are see-thru
The Outdoor Research Vigor is considered lightweight but has a midweight feel, standing out for its value as a technical performance fleece. We love the grid-style fleece interior, which maximizes warmth while breathing easily during high-output activities. With lots of coverage through the arms and body, it will keep you well-protected when the winds get a little gusty or there's a light mist in the air. The fit is a little tight, so if you're on the fence about sizing, be sure to size up. We also love that it comes at an enticingly low price.
Though the chest pocket is handy, it's a little too small to store a larger smartphone, and the pocket material outline can be seen right through the fabric. The torso offers top-notch coverage but is so long that it often pokes out when layered over. We're also not big fans of how see-through the light colors are. Overall, it could be more visually appealing to wear around town. While the caveats are valid, it's also true that this is one of the best-priced technical pieces out there. So, don't hesitate to buy this one if you're looking for a mid-layer or standalone piece that will do well for your uphill or downhill endeavors. However, you might consider purchasing a darker color. Alternatively, if you're looking for something cozy in the same price range, the REI Co-op Trailmade will keep you toasty and comfy, but it could be more versatile, breathable, and easy to layer with.
Weight: 10.10 oz (size small) | Main Fabric: 94% Recycled polyester, 6% spandex
REASONS TO BUY
Super soft fleece
Thinner and mobile
Large pockets
REASONS TO AVOID
Thicker fabrics are not as breathable
Pilling observed
Cozy, warm, and mobile are three words we would use to describe the REI Co-op Trailmade fleece. Its traditional polyester style is a little thinner than most and has a little stretch, making it easy to move in, layer, and use during low- to medium-output activities. The fleece is one of the softest we've tested; it feels like a high-pile fabric against the skin. It scores about average across all metrics, lending to activities like hiking and backpacking in cool weather. The full zip design vents well when things warm up, while the large hand warmer pockets offer lots of storage. It's a versatile jacket that supplies decent warmth both in a layered system and on its own. We also love the price point.
While the Trailmade is ready to tackle many outdoor adventures, it isn't great for sweaty missions like running or backcountry skiing. Moisture tends to build between the body and the interior fabric, and the wind cuts right through it. We also noted some pilling after a few washes. We still love this jacket for its super cozy materials, large pockets, and great color options. If you love the idea of a traditional fleece but are looking for something a wee bit thicker, check out the Columbia Benton Springs 1/2 Snap Pullover instead. While it's not as breathable or form-fitting, it is a bit warmer with a more voluminous fit.
Weight: 9.85 oz (Size Medium) | Main Fabric: 92% Recycled polyester, 8% elastane
REASONS TO BUY
Fantastic thermoregulation
Very lightweight and compressible
Easy to layer
Versatile fit
REASONS TO AVOID
Lacks standalone warmth
No hand-warming pockets
Designed to be worn with a harness or a backpack, the Rab Ascendor Hoody offers stand-out technical performance with fantastic thermoregulation. The polyester-elastane construction provides a fit that is roomy in the shoulders and long in the arms and torso. Many of our testers loved the versatility of the fit and the stretch of the fabric. No hand-warming pockets allow a harness to fit nicely over the jacket, making this a perfect layer for technical sports like rock climbing. The hood slides easily under a helmet, and the padded chin guard provides extra comfort in cold weather.
While our testing team loves this jacket, it is not cozy or plush. Since it's built to breathe well, it's not very warm in cold weather and is designed to be worn while on the move. It's nice as a mid-layer sandwiched within a cold-weather layering system or worn as a standalone piece in warm to cool weather. It only sports one large chest pocket – large enough to comfortably carry a phone – but the lack of hand-warming pockets is a bit of a bummer when wearing this jacket around town. The Ascendor Hoody is highly recommended for a fleece with excellent thermoregulation and technical performance. But the Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoodie is the one to buy if you want extra plush comfort.
Weight: 12.6 oz (size small) | Main Fabric: 53% polyester, 38% nylon, 9% elastane
REASONS TO BUY
Comfortable, soft, and very stretchy
Enhanced mobility
More polished look
Easy to layer
REASONS TO AVOID
Zipper is a windy day weak point
Slim cut may be limiting
The Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody is a fleece jacket masquerading as a comfortable sweatshirt. Even when brand new, this soft, stretchy hoody wears like an old familiar sweatshirt, with give in all the right places. It's hard to overstate how comfortable we are with the Kyanite on. Though it's not the only model we tested with seams removed from high friction areas (located further back on the shoulders rather than across the top and farther out under the biceps rather than in the armpits), it has some of the most mobile and comfortable shoulders because of it. A smooth exterior gives this zip-up sweatshirt a more polished look, and its semi-relaxed slim-cut layers well over and under other clothing.
While the fabric itself does a decent job repelling cold breezes, the main zipper is an obvious weak point, easily letting cold air in. We appreciate the mesh pockets when we need extra breathability, but in truly cold situations, they're a hindrance. The slim, straight profile of the Kyanite won't work for every body shape, though its elasticity surely helps. We love feeling like we're wearing a familiar sweatshirt when we don the Kyanite while still getting the technical performance we crave in the backcountry.
Weight: 15.65 oz (size small) | Main Fabric: 100% recycled polyester
REASONS TO BUY
Thick, warm fabrics
Easy to add layers underneath
Stylish retro look
REASONS TO AVOID
Not breathable
Boxy cut
Fabrics aren't very mobile
When it comes to keeping you from turning into an icicle on cold days, the North Face Denali jacket stands out from the rest. As the only heavyweight jacket tested in the line-up, it's been a tried and tested piece built for rugged adventures in cold places. The uber-thick fabric offers amazing standalone warmth, especially with a layered system. Adding layers underneath is easy, and we appreciate the massive pockets that scream utility. It also features nylon additions through the most high-use areas of the jacket, making it a durable option while carrying a backpack for a long distance.
Along with a retro style most people will either love or hate, the Denali has a boxy cut that isn't very flattering. There is a lot of volume and extra fabric through the arms, making adding a tighter jacket as a final layer difficult. Finally, given its heavy design, this was the last fleece we would pick for medium to high-output activities like backcountry skiing or running. The fabric holds heat and doesn't vent well. If you seek a heavyweight jacket built to keep you warm during cold days while hiking or just hanging around town--this might be one to consider. Just make sure you like the boxy cut, the thicker design, and its style. If you're looking for something a little less retro, be sure to check out the super cozy Patagonia Synchilla Snap-T. While it's not as warm, it feels soft and a little more stylish.
A look at the fit and features of The North Face Denali.
Credit: Amber King
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We took the time to test each fleece while hiking and exploring outside to offer you the best recommendations possible. Here, we hike with a few of our testers on the Bridge of Heaven trail in Ouray, Colorado, after the first snow of the year.
Credit: Amber King
Why You Should Trust Us
Our fleece jacket review began with thorough market research before settling on our final selection of the 12 models discussed here. Once the fleeces were purchased, we identified vital categories to grade the competing jackets on during tests. We then rigorously wore each model during several months of field testing. These jackets were worn daily on trail runs, ski tours, lounging around the house, exploring cliffs and woods, and resort skiing with friends. They've seen the dry climates of Nevada, Wyoming, and Colorado, in addition to the wet coastal zones of California, Hawaii, and Canada. In addition to field testing every single garment, we also perform a series of objective tests, like pouring water on each, to determine nuances of each textile that couldn't be deciphered without all in hand at the same time.
Our testing of fleece jackets is comprised of five rating metrics:
Warmth (25% of total score weighting)
Comfort (25% weighting)
Breathability (20% weighting)
Layering Ability (15% weighting)
Weight (15% of weighting)
Senior Review Editors Maggie Nichols and Amber King are no strangers to layering up for many types of excursions. Both know the value a good fleece jacket adds to any outdoor clothing collection. Maggie has been a professional backcountry guide for over 16 years, leading backpacking trips, river trips, and touring expeditions across the US and internationally. Growing up in the Midwest, where temperatures regularly dip below zero, Maggie learned how to layer at a young age. As an adult, she has spent months on end guiding and traveling in far-flung destinations like the glaciers of Svalbard, the Lesotho mountains, and Ecuador's cloud forests. Amber King has been a climber for over 20 years, tackling high peaks all over North America, from Rocky Mountain National Park to the North Cascades. She's been an outdoor educator and science teacher for over five years, spending hours in the backcountry on rivers, climbing rocks, and summiting mountains. These women have been testing gear for GearLab for many years and are experts in their fields.
Weighing in each fleece jacket to see how they measure up.
We tested hand pockets' accessibility when worn with a hip belt.
Doing some winter running in fleece jackets to test their breathability.
We continually test these fleeces through the year to determine relative performance to provide excellent recommendations.
Analysis and Test Results
We cover fleece jackets ranging from technical to just plain cozy. Each is put through a series of rigorous tests focusing on the evaluation of key metrics that include warmth, ease of layering, comfort, movement, breathability, and weather resistance. Using these factors, we can help point you in the right direction to finding exactly what you need.
Value
Your money matters, and most of us seek high-value options. While many of our top performers can be pricey, some options have a much higher value. For example, the Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter-Zip is an excellent technical fleece that moves with your body, keeps you covered, breathes, and provides exceptional warmth for its weight. It performs similarly to the top dogs at a fraction of the price. A less technical jacket, the REI Co-op Trailmade, is even less expensive and offers excellent value for casual use as a midweight layer. After over a year of using it regularly around the house and on leisurely hikes, it still looks fresh and keeps us warm and cozy on any cold day.
The Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip is high value fleece that stands out for its exceptional thermoregulation, comfort, and low price.
Credit: Amber King
Warmth
A primary purpose of any fleece jacket is its ability to add warmth as a standalone layer or with a base layer or jacket. The most significant factor in a jacket's warmth is the amount and type of fleece used in its construction. Other features that factor into warmth include coverage around the head, face, neck, and hands to help resist wind and keep heat locked in. Jackets that can seal in warmth through draw cords or thumb loops are much warmer, with the versatility to thermoregulate more efficiently. We also examined how well a jacket can resist the wind and rain.
The warmest fleece we tested was the The North Face Denali, a heavyweight fleece. No other fleece compared to its level of warmth, making it a highly recommended standalone piece for really cold days. Other warm fleeces include the Patagonia Synchilla Snap-T and the REI Hyperaxis 2.0. They accomplish their overall warmth in slightly different ways. The Synchilla is made of thinner fabric that's less permeable, helping to trap heat against your body. The Hyperaxis is much thicker and made of finely soft fleece that's more breathable but still keeps you nice and toasty. The fabric of the Arc'teryx Kyanite is very similar to the Hyperaxis, but slightly thinner, resulting in a small decrease in overall warmth.
The North Face Denali is a great pick for staying cozy on a cool day.
Credit: Amber King
The Patagonia R1 Air Hoody is another warm option, which is made even more impressive by its thinner fabric and status as a lightweight fleece rather than a midweight model. The exceptionally thick Patagonia Better Sweater is also warm. However, its lesser coverage and lack of mobility lost a few points in our scoring. The lightweight The North Face Canyonlands Hoodie packs some good warmth for its weight. The Outdoor Research Vigor brings excellent warmth-to-weight ratios to the table and makes good activewear layers.
The soft fleece of the Denali lends to its impressive warmth and comfort.
Credit: Amber King
The majority of the fleece jackets we tested do not repel water and offer only modest protection against the wind. The North Face Denali, Arc'teryx Kyanite, and REI Hyperaxis 2.0 are more wind resistant than most, and their thicker fabric takes longer to soak through to our baselayers when caught in unexpected weather. The Denali specifically has nylon strips through the chest and shoulders, which adds another layer of wind protection. The Patagonia Better Sweater is exceptionally thick, offering similar protection to the Kyanite and Hyperaxis, but is heavier and bulkier, losing it a small margin in this metric. The Outdoor Research Vigor isn't windproof or waterproof, but it's lightweight, compressible, and dries very quickly, making it a great candidate for cramming in a daypack or carry-on. Many others, like the Amazon Essentials Full Zip, demonstrated average performance and would suffice as a basic warm layer for around the house or when engaged in other average daily activities.
A look at the water resistance of the Patagonia R1 Air Hoody. Most didn't perform so well in this metric, but some did better than others.
Credit: Amber King
Comfort
Comfortability and coziness are so important if you plan on wearing your fleece all day long. Unlike with other outdoor garments that might not sit next to the skin, like, say, a rain jacket, this metric is important to consider for fleece jackets. Comfort is determined by the feel of the product when out and about for long days on end. Were we ready to pull it off or keep it on? Is it able to move with you while you recreate? How does it fit, and does it accommodate a wide range of body shapes? What kind of pockets does it have, and how convenient are they?
The Patagonia R1 Air, The North Face Denali, Patagonia Lightweight Synchilla, and Arc'teryx Kyanite are a few of our favorites when it comes to sheer comfort. All of these models are very soft inside, giving them a great feel next to our skin. The R1 Air has a whopping five pockets, which we love, while the Kyanite feels like wearing your favorite hoody. The Denali has super thick fabrics that make you feel as if you've been wrapped in a blanket. They all have seams removed from high-friction areas — the shoulder seams have been moved back to avoid conflicting with backpack straps, and the armpit seams are lower on the torso or out on the arm to prevent rubbing. They're not the only ones to have these high mobility seams, but they're also exceptionally stretchy and pleasant to wear and move in every way. The Rab Ascendor Hoody, REI Trailmade, and Outdoor Research Vigor all have highly mobile seams and hyper-stretchy construction, offering comfort in various activities.
The relaxed fit of the Synchilla is very cozy for hanging around camp with friends.
Credit: Maggie Nichols
The Patagonia Synchilla and Columbia Benton Springs share similar degrees of comfort and style. All three models comprise the "classic" fuzzy fleece, inside and out. They're all modestly stretchy and have other fit styles that add comfort. The Benton Springs is more slim-fitting, while the Synchilla blouses over like an old-school sweatshirt. The North Face Canyonlands offers solid comfort in mobility and performance during activities, with convenient pockets and a generous fit.
Breathability
Producing a more breathable fleece material has been a decades-long process for the outdoor gear industry. A tremendous technical fleece can insulate while off-loading heat efficiently so you don't get cold when standing still. A highly breathable fleece jacket is one that offers strategically placed areas of breathable fabrics, thinner construction, and often a less plush design.
The Rab Ascendor and Patagonia R1 Air offer the highest levels of breathability tested. The Ascendor utilizes a gridded fleece that allows heat to shunt out, keeping the required warmth close to the body. The lightweight design is the thinnest tested, earning it top marks. The R1 scores slightly higher than the Ascendor for its slightly thicker fabrics. The breathable channels and soft exterior material vents very well, offering excellent performance during high outdoor activities. These are both excellent options for high-output activities in all types of weather. The Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip is another gridded fabric fleece with better-than-average breathability. If this were available in a full zip jacket, though, like several others, it would earn higher marks. However, the 1/4 zip doesn't allow heat to escape as readily as the other two.
The Patagonia R1 Air Hoody is one of the most breathable fleeces tested, offering warmth and ventilation when you're on the move.
Credit: Amber King
Layering Ability
Putting this jacket on underneath an insulated coat or shell is essential when considering layered systems on cold days. To evaluate this metric, we looked at the material that would articulate with an upper layer and pulled on shells and jackets to see how well each slides on. We noted which works best with thicker base layers and which scrunch up. Ones that layered easily did well in this metric, while bulkier, stickier options didn't fare well.
Slotting the middle ground of layering, with the ability to be worn over underlayers and under over layers, are the REI Hyperaxis 2.0, Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody, Patagonia R1 Air, Rab Ascendor Hoody, REI Co-op Trailmade and the Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip. The Ascendor is a full zip hoody option that is thinner than most and easily slides over and underneath layers. The others are stretchy with a relaxed but slim fit (easier to wear under a coat) and are extra stretchy (easier to pull on over base layers). The North Face Canyonlands is similar in its fit and layering ability but is slightly less stretchy and has shorter sleeves and torso than the other two.
On this chilly day, we layer a base layer underneath and a vest on top without any issues.
Credit: Amber King
The Patagonia R1 Air is also stretchy enough to wear over clothing, but its slimmer cut won't fit as comfortably over bulkier underlayers. On the other hand, it's thinner than most sweatshirt-style fleeces, so it's easier to layer under an outer jacket or shell. The Outdoor Research Vigor is supremely stretchy yet thin, making it easy to layer. However, it is also so thin that it shows lumps, and its ultra-long torso often sticks out strangely from under a jacket.
We paired the super warm REI Hyperaxis with just a thin windbreaker on a windy winter day and had a great hike through the high desert mountains.
Credit: Maggie Nichols
Weight
Last but not least, we considered the weight and compressibility of each fleece jacket. We noted whether a jacket could be stuffed into a provided stuff sack or folded into an integrated stow-away pocket and how much we were able to compress it when packing it into a backpack.
Then, we put each one on a scale and objectively compared their weights. Lighter-weight, less plush models typically scored better in this metric than heavier jackets with thicker fabrics.
The two stand-out options that offer a super lightweight construction are the Rab Ascendor Hoody and Outdoor Research Vigor Quarter Zip. The Rab Ascendor is the thinnest of the two. It performs best as part of a cold-weather layering system rather than a high-pile fleece jacket that you would wear around the campfire. It's also a nice standalone jacket when temperatures are a little warmer.
A comparison of the Amazon Essentials (left to right), Columbia Benton Springs, Patagonia R1 Air, and Rab Ascendor Hoody and their relative compressibility. The Rab Ascendor packs into a tiny package with excellent utility for lightweight adventures.
Credit: Amber King
Conclusion
There are so many fleeces on the market to choose from, and this market saturation can make it hard to figure out which one to buy. We put every model through an intensive battery of tests and subjected them to months of wear and tear to learn which ones excel in what situations. Whether you're looking for a big, cozy fleece to live in all winter, a technical layer for skiing, or a breathable option for high-octane adventuring, we've tried them all. We hope that our unbiased testing and thorough findings help you find the right fleece for your lifestyle and your budget.
While the Patagonia R1 Air and Rab Ascendor Hoody are our favorite technical options, there are many different choices on the market. Hopefully, we have helped you find exactly what you're looking for.
