Fleece for Layering

I never feel super-fashionable in it, but the prices are good and Lands End and they have a ton of variety. I pretty much live in my polar fleece and always travel with some.

Synthetic fleece is just a material with insulating properties with Polar Fleece being a proprietary brand.

Polar fleece garments traditionally come in different thicknesses:
micro, 100, 200, and 300, with 300 being the thickest and least
flexible.

As such, fleece garments come in a multitude of forms from jackets to pullovers and vests and even caps and gloves by many clothing manufacturers and retailers. For example:
https://www.rei.com/search.html?q=fleece&origin=web&ir=q%3Afleece&page=1

Results for “fleece” (419 matches)

Consider also the fabric that is much less susceptible to fostering an objectionable odor and I have reverted to...wool (ever so soft merino version).

I love LLBean fitness fleece and bring it on every trip. It's thin & lightweight and perfect for layering. With a t-shirt underneath & a waterproof jacket on top, I have been comfortable in snowstorms.

I'm a hiker and have fleece ranging from Eddie Bauer to Colombia to Nautica and all it is just fine. Some of my items were purchased at (nice!) discount from T.J. Maxx or similar.

North Face makes a really lightweight fleece jacket perfect fot wearing alone for that "just enough" added warmth or layering under a rain jacket. You might need to go to higher-end retailer such as the REI co-op.

Ditto what Bruce said about merino wool. It keeps you warm when it is cool outside and it will wick away your sweat in the heat. It also does not stink and you can wear for a long time without laundering. Unless you just like bulky, I would get a merino cardigan/sweater. Look for brands like Icebreaker and Ibex.

Another vote for wool. I'm a big fan of Ibex. Their heavier zip up has seemed to replace my patagonia zip up fleece - it's just more breathable and comfortable and I find it warmer than fleece.

My favorite fleece for travel and layering is the Patagonia Micro D jacket. This jacket is thin yet quite warm, it fits under the rain shell (Marmot) easily and packs easy in the carry-on. You have to be careful with fleece because some of them are thick and take up a lot of space in your carry-on. I'm a believer that it is worth while to purchase certain key items for travel that are exactly what you want and need even if you have pay a bit for them. What I mean is that you could buy a fleece at Walmart for $15-$25 that would probably work but if you plan on traveling every year over the next several years I have found that buying for quality saves you the most money in the long run. My top key items are:

1) Fleece jacket
2) Rain Shell
3) Carry-on bag
4) Merrell low cut hiking shoes
5) Clothes that are made from quick drying materials

Right now REI is having their annual Anniversary Sale, always the biggest and most anticipated in the outdoor industry, you should be able to find a good quality (Polartec fleece) brands and styles.

As for fleece in general, I've stopped using them all together. They're not durable, the wind goes through them, they pill over time and when it comes to travel, they're bulk and don't pack down very well. I've switched over to light insulated jackets using down or, Primaloft. Again, check the current REI sale for options.

Chiming in on merino and layering. I used to use fleece, but switched to merino. It is warmer, feels better on my skin and doesn't smell. I spend most of my time in places where the weather changes throughout the day. In the spring or fall it can start off in the '40's and move into the high '60's or even 70's with a short drive. My go to combo is a merino wool hoodie and a superlight down vest with water resistant down. I'm planning to take the 21 day Best of Europe Tour next year and that is what I will bring. The merino hoodie is definitely heavier than fleece.

Icebreaker makes some nice hoodies, but they are expensive, aren't supposed to go in the drier and they stopped making the heavierweight/320 version. I'm using a merino hoodie by an American company, WoolX. This is heavyweight and has great pockets. It only comes in black. It is much less expensive than Ice Breaker. It is pretty heavy, (400 weight) but since it is also what I wear on the plane, that isn't a big deal. It pays off when flying back to San Francisco and standing out in the evening wind waiting for the airporter. It can go in both the washer and drier. For the vest, everyday-when-necessary-vest is a Patagonia that I got used from E-bay. For travel, It is an awesome Mountain Hardwear ghost whisperer down vest. Super, super lightweight, water resistant down. Very warm and ridiculously light. Fairly expensive, but I got it at a discount. I wear an Arc' Teryx rain shell on top. That combo is plenty warm when needed but not too warm due to the combination of vents and high quality material.

I like merino next to my skin, but for the fleece layer I like Patagonia's R1 zip jacket:

http://www.patagonia.com/product/womens-r1-regulator-fleece-full-zip-jacket/40138.html?dwvar_40138_color=TRUT&cgid=womens-jackets-vests-fleece#tile-4=&start=1&sz=24

It is lightweight, has zip pockets, and comfortable in a wide range of temperatures. The smooth outer finish makes it easy to layer. (Easier than the Micro-D fleece which I used to use). Plus I was able to find mine on Sale.

Note the comment above about REI's current sale. Lots of good things on sale, or take 20% off any full-price item of your choice ( members only).