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Getting Fleeced

I have several articles of fleece clothing. Two front zipper jackets, one pullover/anorak design and one pr of pants. The 2 jackets are light to mid, maybe because they're wearing thinner these days, they are far from new. I layer those under shells. The anorak I'd guess is mid-heavy weight and only worn on cold nights. It's too warm to use as a layer. But that might just be my metabolism. My pants are light-medium weight, and are also too warm to layer under a shell. I wear them exclusively for sleeping on cold nights. Otherwise I prefer merino wool bottoms as base layers year round. They're lighter and easier to layer on changeable weather days and nights, swapping out the top layers of old coated rain pants for wet chilly days, cotton or quick dry pants on temperate days, cotton or quick dry shorts on hot days. And yes, the merino long johns work great under shorts to insulate in both heat (sweaty portages) and chilling (after waist deep wades). For tops I use poly under shirts, for the same reason, they're very light, breathable, quick dry. I love my (purchased used) fleece but it's too bulky to use as a base layer, and if I were to buy a truly lightweight fleece layer I might as well go for merino.
 
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I use fleece pants under a drysuit for an insulating layer but for tripping I love my merino wool bottoms. Lots less bulky than fleece which makes me incredibly hot. ( I tried fleece PJ's once and had to throw off the covers and open the window at zero( this is counterproductive when you heat the house)
 
My practice is pretty much like that of yellowcanoe; merino wool or synthetic bottoms under my Fjallraven Keb or Abisko lite trekking trousers (depending on the season) on trail or while paddling and my Patagonia fleece or nano puff pants in camp. I like the wool or synthetics under the Fjallraven trousers because of their breath-ability, which combined with the venting on the Fjallraven trousers, allows for great temp control. I have also have Columbia Chiliwack pants for in-camp during the colder temps of the shoulder seasons. My birthday gift this year was a pair of Earthpak Latitude pants. I plan to try them out in-boat instead of the Fjallravens, but since they are synthetics, they might work out well in camp as well.
 
I have the fleece pajama style bottoms. They are loose fitting and I only wear them when watching hockey games. Our small Yorkie is quite fond of them. I too prefer wool under my synthetic or wool pants depending on temps. When it gets into the mid 20F range I wear a dry suit and in that case I usually wear fleece pants. I would call them mid weight and can’t imagine pulling pants over them and being comfortable. I would not try to portage this way either for fear of spontaneous combustion.

if you go fleece maybe consider under wader fleece pants that have a smooth outer face, are closer fitting, and some have straps at the ankle to keep them in place when sliding the pants over them.

barry
 
Gray one piece wool Stanfield's long johns, year round. Insulated from the cold, insulated from the heat.
 
I'm sorta ambivalent about fleece. I recognize it's light weight, but merino wool is my baselayer, but i only have lighter weight ones. Work great for storms and sleeping in most tripping situations, but I was a little cold last fall when my outer pants were drying. Wet pants are a constant issue. It's either carry a 2nd pair, or some other dual purpose garment.
 
Yes, fleece. Perhaps being an older demographic, CT posters are wool devotees. It's what we had in the day. Or perhaps it is because they are wiser--that comes with age, too. But fleece is great and I prefer it, because it drains and dries very quickly, and provides warmth even when wet. I mentioned my January tip-out in another thread. My pants that day were nylon shell with poly lining and I was very pleased at how warm I stayed while wearing those pants, that had been entirely submerged, for about forty minutes.

I became a fleece devotee before I became a regular paddler. Used to do a lot of skiing, cycling and running, often in the rain. I found a rain coat caused sweat to accumulate inside the jacket (I can sweat faster than goretex can breath), so I'd just wear fleece as an outer layer. My polar-tec fleece (is there really a difference?) seemed to keep the water on the outside of the garment, kept me warm when wet, and was dry almost as soon as the rain let up. I think it is also easier to launder than wool, and moths don't eat holes in it.

Presently have a pant from REI, probably the forerunner of their current fleece pant (which does not claim to be polar-tec). If it was just medium cold, I wore the fleece pant under goretex rain pant or drysuit. If colder, I'd wear some poly long johns under the fleece pant. I find the REI fleece pant awkward when peeing from the drysuit, because it doesn't have an opening on the front. So at the end of last winter, I went and shopped for fleece lounge pants/pajama bottoms. Careful, most are cotton flannel, but you can find versions in wool and poly. These pants are now my standard cool weather pant for under the drysuit, keep me warm and are much easier when nature calls. I haven't been in them when they are wet, but expect they'd perform like the poly lining of the pants I recently swam in. So, keep your eye peeled for end-of-winter close outs. Nice fluffy lounge pants will be very reasonably priced.
 
"I'd just wear fleece as an outer layer." says Chip. I agree.
There's layered and then there's layerless...I stumbled upon this quite by accident one summer's day when I was too lazy to put on a shirt. Let's not get carried away with explanations, let's just accept that stuff happens. Anyway, I had old shorts on and even older boots. The bugs weren't bad so I reached into the open tent and grabbed a fleece jacket. Yes it was warm but by golly that jacket kept me both cool and warm, walking into the shade or into the sun, in the wind or out of it. No sweat, no shivers, no peeling off-putting on layers. And as these fleece fabrics breathe, and I mean really breathe (they'll never be mistaken for windbreakers) any perspiration is rapidly evaporated away.
Applying my lazy layerless logic in another place at another time, a family member asked me incredulously "Aren't you hot!? You're all bundled up in a long sleeved fleece!! Dad, it's July!!" Actually no, I wasn't. I had just gotten myself out of a splash pad battle with the grandkids and wanted to dry off without heating up nor chilling down. A fleece jacket worked great. The shirt stayed in the car.
 
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I have Stanfields Performance Microfleece long underwear. The top is only for sleeping, and only when it's hovering around zero, otherwise it's too warm. I wear the bottoms while sleeping and keep them on as "camp pants" while mulling about in the morning, making coffee, etc. This gives me an opportunity to decide if I need them as a base layer for the rest of the day. My go-to top is a lighter, merino wool undershirt. I can wear it whether it's hot or cold and if I sweat it doesn't seem to matter.
 
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For me the trouble with fleece is that it is not naturally windproof. It can be made same by inserting a membrane but then it does not feel all soft and cuddly.; it is hard. But my go to coat is out of windblock fleece for around town.

Because it is hydrophobic it doesn't allow sweat to pass and just repels it where it sits on your skin.. Fine if you aren't sweating; awful if you have managed to overheat and then want to eat lunch on the trail. So I kind of regard fleece like a down jacket; friendly till it gets damp.
Wool isn't very old fashioned. Merino wool garments are pretty recent.. What is old fashioned is Army blanket type wool.. Sometimes that is great as you can felt it to make a windproof garment. I made lots of hats and mittens out of the barbed wool ( washable wool has the natural barbs removed)
 
I have several articles of fleece clothing. Two front zipper jackets, one pullover/anorak design and one pr of pants. The 2 jackets are light to mid, maybe because they're wearing thinner these days, they are far from new. I layer those under shells. The anorak I'd guess is mid-heavy weight and only worn on cold nights. It's too warm to use as a layer.
I love my (purchased used) fleece but it's too bulky to use as a base layer, and if I were to buy a truly lightweight fleece layer I might as well go for merino.

While I prefer merino wool or capiline as a base layer, I have a variety of less pricy fleece outer/mid wear. Stored in a compression stuff bag the fluffy fleece volume vanishes, and I love how fast fleece dries, hanging on a line or just from body heat while worn.

Some of it is 50% off Pattigucci (even then kind of pricey), some of it is rare finds-in-my-size from REI Outlet or etc discounters, some was big box bought. My favorite over-sized fleece top is from WallyWorld; dang that is a wonderful fleece pull over, quality material with a perfectly designed hand warmer pocket/pouch, fitted shoulder cuts and sleeves. Oddly I have a pair of matching big-box fleece pants bought at the same time that are crap material and design.

I’m not going to go closet-count, but a couple or three pair of fleece pants in different weights, and probably a half dozen tops from hooded pullovers to zip fronts in sundry thicknesses. I layer, and try to pack for one-season colder than I expect just in case.

The first-base layers matter more to hot-blooded, oft-sweaty me than the outer layers. By the time I have stripped down to just long underwear I kinda wish I had a cape, and a big S on my chest.

Paddling in is less usually exertion than hauling gear and setting up. Our backcountry hero “Sweatyman” spends a lot of his energy carrying in and making camp, and cooling off while seated in a chair, mopping his brow and pondering his next near-naked unlayered action.
 
My Polar fleece pants were a gift from my wife now that I remember, and my well worn faded green Pf jacket was once a new purchase also. The 2 other Pf items were bought from a Value Village, which has become my go to clothing store. Incidentally I just bought a brand new rain parka the other day from VV, paid $20 ,ordinarily 7x that on a rack new in retail stores. Steal deal of my wardrobe right there. I'm not a deal hunter, nor am I a fussy dresser, but if the twain shall meet then I'm a happy enough canoe camper. The clothing racks in VV are packed with fleece jackets btw, all <$10.
I love wool but wool doesn't love me. It's an itchy scratchy thing. But boy does it ever keep me warm. My thin cardigan comes on October trips, being a perfect thin warm layer. A thick wool cardigan is hung in my closet waiting for the next ice age. Merino (new) long johns do double duty as gadabout layers and layabout pajamas. No sweat, no problem...no fashion statement.
 
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Poor Odyssey. Off season I knit. I went to Iceland and brought back 12 skeins of what is pricey yarn in the US. By buying there I saved some $200. But it is Lopi, heavy yarn meant to be worn over something else. It repels water. It would also repel skin. And it is bloody hot. It needs to be just about freezing outside not to over heat. This wool has barbs that give it the ability to felt ( if you have thrown a barbed wool sweater in the washer and gotten doll clothes out, you will understand felting)

So for a base layer I buy washable merino wool or alpaca.. voila another sweater. No barbs. Soft and like a baby butt. Unless of course you are allergic. I wash with a lanolin soap by hand in either case.

No one has mentioned the peril of fleece vs campfire embers.. Fleece melts super quick. Your wet wool socks wont melt at all. Many a sock has been draped on a campfire rock at the end of the day.
 
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