OpenTube

Why Fleece Is Slowly Being Replaced And Most People Haven't Noticed

Your Trail Buddy

73,834 views

For decades, fleece has been one of the most trusted layers in the outdoors. Hikers, backpackers, hunters, skiers, and campers have all relied on it to stay warm when temperatures drop.

But I think something is changing.

Not because fleece suddenly stopped working. And not because everyone should throw away the fleece they already own.

The real question is whether traditional fleece is still the best option for active outdoor use.

In this video, I look at why more hikers and backpackers are moving toward highly breathable active insulation like Alpha Direct, how modern layering systems are evolving, and whether traditional fleece is slowly being replaced without most people noticing.

If you've ever found yourself constantly taking layers on and off, overheating on climbs, or feeling cold as soon as you stop moving, this conversation might change the way you think about your layering system.

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments:

Do you still prefer traditional fleece?
Have you tried Alpha Direct or other active insulation?
Do you think fleece is being replaced, or is it still king?

👇 Gear Mentioned In This Video

My favorite active fleece:
Outdoor Vitals Altitude Hoodie
https://alnk.to/btrLssZ

SOME OF MY FAVORITE BACKPACKING GEAR

Here are a few pieces of gear I use and recommend regularly:

👉 Outdoor Vitals Carbon Evo 50 Backpack
https://alnk.to/eDVMVaS

👉 NEMO Tensor All-Season Sleeping Pad
https://alnk.to/b7CDj6u

👉 Zenbivy Ultralight Sleep System
https://alnk.to/deBJ4XN

👉 Fire Maple Petrel Ultralight Stove
https://firemaplegear.com/products/pe...

👉 CNOC 2L Water Bag
https://alnk.to/e7bvYQz

👉 Nitecore NU25 Headlamp
https://alnk.to/3U5z5A2

👉 RovyVon Ultralight Flashlight
https://amzn.to/45YqlWt

🔧 See all of my gear lists:
https://yourtrailbuddy.com/mygearlists

Some of the links above are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting the channel!

Thanks for watching and I'll see you on the trail.

— Ricky
Your Trail Buddy

#fleece #backpacking #hiking #clothing #yourtrailbuddy

20 Comments

@goeasthiking 2 months ago

Traditional fleece will not be dethroned until the price of alpha and other fabrics come down. Not everyone can afford to drop $150-300 on a hoodie but most people, in NA & EU at least, can afford to spend $20 at Walmart or their local equivalent for a fleece. It's all about access to the product and volume, until that's resolved it will continue to be a limited product.

@tommysoderholm8305 2 months ago

Dont wear the midlayer during physical activity. Simply wear the baselayer and the fieldjacket. Put on the midlayer when you stop to rest or eat.

@OliverStJohnGogarty 1 month ago

This video repeats itself quite a bit.

@hooperbloop7625 2 months ago

Most people haven't noticed because their fleece is still working fine, and they aren't in the market for a new insulation layer.

@JoeFlatter-ev6ti 2 months ago

I have worn wool for years. First the heavier (older) shirts and pants. For thermals I use a duofold wool blend union suit. Have now gotten into using merino wool these days.

@davidfantle6721 2 months ago (edited)

I've tried both Alpha and Octafleece products, and then went back to my trusted Patagonia R1 gridfleece hoody for most of the trips that I do. The new fabrics are fragile (unsuitable for off-trail hiking, scrambling, bushwacking, etc), offer no wind-resistance, less warm, shed fibers all over and pollute the water with microplastics much more than other fleeces did. By the time you combine them with a shell to overcome their fragility and lack of wind-resistance issues, both their weight and their breathability 'advantages' have been negated. I like that the R1 has a 2/3 length front zipper and sleeves that are made to pull up to your elbows without damage to allow you to vent when you need, to avoid overheating. When weight is more critical for longer distance backpacking, I chose the BD Coefficient LT, which weighs 8 oz. in a large, is a micro-grid fleece with a wind-blocking front layer and full front zip. Still more durable and effective than my Octa hoody.

@John-i5q3p 2 months ago (edited)

Always felt uncomfortable wearing man-made materials. Now microplastics are a big problem. Wool's the best. It's easy to layer with natural materials.

@gcruishank9663 5 days ago

I love Brynje mesh bas layers (in colder temps of course) and Alpha Direct over top, then a shell if needed. When you stop you throw swap to merino wool and down.

@greenleaf239 2 months ago

I've never thought of regular fleece as not having enough wind permeability. I thought that one of the reasons they came out with softshells - to provide more wind protection.

@georgemacheel2039 1 month ago

Yes, when bike touring in cold rain, my fleece vest traps sweat. Back in the 60's, I backpacked and climbed in a cotton mesh tee shirt. Mesh base layers are back on the market now from places like Bryne.

@baxter2413 18 hours ago

I’ve never cared for traditional fleece as any kind of layer when backpacking, no matter how cold it was. I do like it as a sedentary option.

@jerrybobteasdale 2 months ago (edited)

Good one. It's nice to wear choices that are modular and layerable. For me, the biggest change has been in getting a thin base layer that fits closely to bare skin and easily transfers the warm moist air out thru the layers on top of it. Select successive layers that also move that moist air out, until it hits an external barrier necessary to keep out wind or rain. Have some adjustable venting options in that outside wind/rain barrier. That's will generally be true, until it's REALLY cold and really windy or REALLY wet.

@memathews 2 months ago

Back in the 50s-60s we used wool in light/medium/heavy weaves depending on the need and we put lanolin on them to add water-repellent properties. An early favorite was fishnet weave wool long underwear and a medium sweater covered by a waxed cotton jacket, sometimes with down insulation. But Lifa came along and replaced wool fishnet with polypropylene and pile fleece replaced wool sweaters. Polypro undies dried much faster but stunk like a skunk. Pile fleece came in different warmth ratings, weighed less and dried faster than wool, but breathability needed work. Now we have a variety of fleece fabrics covering both warmth and breathability needs, and undies in polypro, wool, and various mixtures for longer lasting performance. Things have advanced, but are mainly the same with more variety.

@clayp520 2 months ago

A polyester short sleeve shirt, with a polyester long sleeve hoodie over, works for me in the same way.

@MrKeefy 1 month ago (edited)

These new fabrics Reminds me of parameta G system pramo has. I have one of their beanie hats which is little squares of fluffy fleece like material but has gaps between those squares for air to pass through. It really is the best beanie I've ever had. Keeps my head warm but never so hot I sweat unlike all others I used especially around the forehead..
I also have a baselayer with that same system which I use for bike riding. It's enough for a crisp spring nor ing on its own but mid winter I couple it With a lightweight windproof to stop the air whistling through and onto my chest and nips 😅

@NoCommsNeeded 1 month ago

I live in Columbia and I’m working on a alpaca and or alpaca, bamboo, hybrid fabric, and clothing that I wish I would’ve had when I was a paratrooper in the army

@msvoxacious 2 months ago

Solution for old fleeces: Add mesh for the pits & chest area!
Replace a patch of the fleece with a more breathable fabric at the armpits, and if you need even more ventilation, also at the front on your chest by your neck. Those are easy areas to cover back up if you're too cold on the trail, and great to have a breeze at if you're working up a sweat. Ask someone you know with a sewing machine, or take it to a place that does alterations. It's not a difficult job if you've got basic sewing skills, and you can use up some old fabric scraps.

@mindthecomics 2 months ago

In Europe Alpha garments are hardly seen yet. I think the US has a great deal of smaller brands and producers already using the fabric while Europe is dominated by two dozens of well established international brands (many of them European). When those take Alpha fabric into their collections I imagine it will spread fast.

@MarkinKunming 2 months ago (edited)

I remember the days when fleece was an expensive technical fiber, and occassional hikers could not justify the cost, except for Yuppies (remember those?). Now you can buy cheap fleece garments in lots of stores and even supermarkets. I now own more fleece jackets than I can count, I even have a couple I use in the workshop and for painting.
I will just have to wait for Alpha to get cheaper too.

@WhatisHealth-q7l 5 days ago (edited)

Thinking alpha fleece lined jacket is my next purchase, then i realized I have a closet full of wool of different weights. I bought an Alpha fleece on sale at a great price a couple years ago and watching this I realized I have never taken it on trail. Great for around the house on cool mornings. Plastic is dead