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Keep going back to fleece

GodsCountry

GodsCountry

Member
Joined
Sep 22, 2018
Messages
91
Any fleece connoisseurs out there?

After wearing some high dollar technical hunting clothing, I still find myself reaching for basic fleece. It doesn’t matter if it’s baselayers, mid layers, or outer layers, I think fleece is the best choice for bow hunting for the money, assuming you are not hunting out of a backpack in the Alaska mountains.

Baselayers- I’ve tried them all. Merino wool seems to be what the cool kids are wearing. I find that it holds sweat forever and is not nearly as warm as fleece. Fleece base layers are half the price. Good quality Military surplus fleece base layers can be had on eBay for cheap.

Mid layer/insulation- depending on temperature, I think you can get away with only using fleece as insulating layer. There are a lot of options here. 100 weight polartec, 300 weight high loft. Warm, comfortable, stretchy, no “swoosh” noise, flexible.

Outer layer- could be high loft or wind resistant fleece. Again, quiet as it can be, and if a briar catches it, who cares? I’ve never successfully tore a fleece from brush busting. It’s a honey badger. It’s great knowing that you don’t have to baby it. I don’t think that can be said for a $400 Sitka jacket. Light rain? Fleece doesn’t give a crap. If it really gets wet, you can shake it out. It doesn’t absorb liquid. My fleece comes out of the washing machine dry.


Grid fleece base layer
Polartec 100 mid layer
200 weight vest
High loft outer layer

That will not break the bank, and it can probably keep you comfortable from 35-80, degrees.
Cons-

-Fleece is no friend of fire.

-Not all fleece is compressible. But if you’re not backpacking 30 miles into the wilderness, it probably doesn’t matter that much.

-Fleece is no friend of wind. There are some wind resistant fleeces. I’m toying with buying a wind shirt to wear next to my mid layer.
 
Agree with you on fleece. The holy grail for me would be a single layer fleece bib, but I have not found any online. I found some basic sewing patterns for making them and may have some made for me this winter by a local seamstress. May also have her make a couple of jackets and even a simple bag with legs like a heater suit to use in colder weather in the saddle. All I am looking for is functional items that may not win any awards for looks!

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I love fleece . Natural gear has good fleece cloths at a good price. I have the wintercepter jacket and pants. I looked for wintercepter bibs but they don't make them. They do have fleece bibs, but it's not single layer. Check em out. I like their stuff, and I like the pattern for hunting the oaks/open hardwoods.
 
Bwhana said:
Agree with you on fleece. The holy grail for me would be a single layer fleece bib, but I have not found any online. I found some basic sewing patterns for making them and may have some made for me this winter by a local seamstress. May also have her make a couple of jackets and even a simple bag with legs like a heater suit to use in colder weather in the saddle. All I am looking for is functional items that may not win any awards for looks!

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Click to expand...

I’ve been wanting the same just a basic fleece bib to put on my other stuff at the tree..... I’ve been wanting to try cabelas Berber fleece.... I have the wooltimate it’s sweet but heavy and bulky.


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I feel fleeced that you didnt mention a fleece backpack or the most comfortable saddle out there. You guessed it, fleece!


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Fleece has fallen out of favor unfortunately. Duluth Trading used to offer many different fleece sweaters, most are gone now. I used to pay $15 for fleece quarter zips at Sams club, these are also mostly gone. I suspect it's because of propaganda like this:

https://www.outsideonline.com/1998166/plastics
https://www.motherjones.com/food/2011/12/your-fleece-killing-ocean/

That said, I do question your conclusions on merino. I'm wearing some 100% merino from helly hansen that is fantastic. Where did you get the merino you say doesn't perform? Would not surprise me if you're using something labeled as merino that is sourced from asia, and maybe isn't actually 100% merino.

Not trying to pick a fight, just wanting to understand better...
 
Last edited:
Aeds151 said:
I feel fleeced that you didnt mention a fleece backpack or the most comfortable saddle out there. You guessed it, fleece!


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Click to expand...
I also have a fleece backpack. It was my first hunting pack and is still going strong.
 
sureshotscott said:
Fleece has fallen out of favor unfortunately. Duluth Trading used to offer many different fleece sweaters, most are gone now. I used to pay $15 for fleece quarter zips at Sams club, these are also mostly gone. I suspect it's because of propaganda like this:

https://www.outsideonline.com/1998166/plastics
https://www.motherjones.com/food/2011/12/your-fleece-killing-ocean/

That said, I do question your conclusions on merino. I'm wearing some 100% merino from helly hansen that is fantastic. Where did you get the merino you say doesn't perform? Would not surprise me if you're using something labeled as merino that is sourced from asia, and maybe isn't actually 100% merino.

Not trying to pick a fight, just wanting to understand better...
Click to expand...

Yes, I think the days of a $15 fleece are limited. I bought a used Eddie Bauer polartec fleece for $18. It goes on me on every hunt.

I’ve own Ibex wool (now out of business) which was a poly/wool mix, Stoic (some knock off brand, but labeled as 100% merino), Smartwool, and a half dozen brands of merino wool socks and underwear.

Socks- great for hiking dozens of miles and preventing blister. I’m not convinced wool socks are the solution to warm feet in a tree stand, unless you switch them out once you get to the tree. They stay soaked for me. Thick merino socks literally take two days to dry indoors room temperature.

Boxers- I really like Merino underwear. Fight the stink. I’ve rotated 2 pair of merino wool boxers on multiple day backpacking trips. They just stay fresh. This is probably my favorite application for merino. With that said, good luck keeping holes out of merino boxers.

Baselayers- this is a big “meh” for me. All of the 100% merino baselayers I own have holes in them from basic movements. FOR THE PRICE and COMPARED to something cheaper like fleece, I find it less warm, takes forever to dry. If I sweat through a merino base later on my way to the tree, its going to remain wet for a long time. If I’m walking to the tree in my base layer top, which I do, I don’t want to catch a thorn in my merino. Everything has thorns where I hunt.

Mid-layer, outerlayer- I don’t own any wool here. I think it most applications it’s a bad choice, and I’m priced out of wearing $350 wool jackets from Day One, etc.

I think the backpacking community has convinced a bunch of ambush hunters that they need wool. I think the best application MIGHT be for multiday hunts. Even then, wool is usually heavier. Put all you wool and fleece into the washing machine. Pull it out and see feels the most dry.

I highly recommend watching a video on YouTube with Jason Hairston, discussing wool vs synthetic. It’s like 20 mins long.

Back to fleece!!!!
 
anyone here own any of the military fleece clothes I see on ebay
at the low prices they are selling they seem like a no brainer

anything I need to watch out when buying them?

I saw one red flag, one seller was selling military grade fleece clothing but was made in China
obvious knock-off, my understanding all the military grade fleece is USA made
 
huntmore said:
anyone here own any of the military fleece clothes I see on ebay
at the low prices they are selling they seem like a no brainer

anything I need to watch out when buying them?

I saw one red flag, one seller was selling military grade fleece clothing but was made in China
obvious knock-off, my understanding all the military grade fleece is USA made
Click to expand...

My research tells me that items labeled Polartec are really that much better. I’m in the process of switching over to the ECWCS. Things like the level 2 power grid as essentially the same material Patagonia sells for $120. I think most of what you see on eBay is legit, the only issue is sizing.
 
sureshotscott said:
Fleece has fallen out of favor unfortunately. Duluth Trading used to offer many different fleece sweaters, most are gone now. I used to pay $15 for fleece quarter zips at Sams club, these are also mostly gone. I suspect it's because of propaganda like this:

https://www.outsideonline.com/1998166/plastics
https://www.motherjones.com/food/2011/12/your-fleece-killing-ocean/

That said, I do question your conclusions on merino. I'm wearing some 100% merino from helly hansen that is fantastic. Where did you get the merino you say doesn't perform? Would not surprise me if you're using something labeled as merino that is sourced from asia, and maybe isn't actually 100% merino.

Not trying to pick a fight, just wanting to understand better...
Click to expand...

Agreed. I love the merino but you really have to check the quality. I bought 2 shirts because they were cheap. Realized later they were 30% merino only and 70 polyester. That's where the prices and performance changes are. I do love my fleece too but font it can get bulky for archery unless you strap on a good arm guard to compress it.
 
I'll stick with my fleece, too. Don't know about the rest of you, I was taught to dress in layers and this new high tech stuff doesn't allow it for the most part. Has anyone else noticed that most of the newer high tech clothing is "athletic cut"? Heck, my athletic figure disappeared a few years back so these new clothes get a bit tight at the waist....and in the sleeves, too! What's up with that?
 
Lol. Yeah not sure what toothpick they got to base their cuts off of. There is a lot of good new stuff for layering you just got to watch what you get.
 
DaveH said:
I'll stick with my fleece, too. Don't know about the rest of you, I was taught to dress in layers and this new high tech stuff doesn't allow it for the most part. Has anyone else noticed that most of the newer high tech clothing is "athletic cut"? Heck, my athletic figure disappeared a few years back so these new clothes get a bit tight at the waist....and in the sleeves, too! What's up with that?
Click to expand...

Agreed. I’m a skinny guy, and I still find the cut on some of the athletic stuff to be uncomfortable. I think there is a happy medium in the cut. It takes a really big sleeve to get in the way of my bow string. Goooood luck buying this stuff online and getting it to all fit and layer correctly.
 
First lite and sitka run a merino wool spandex blend. I love my FL aerowool top. Much more durable than %100 merino


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