Next Up: A Fall (re)Treat.

As the weather cools and temperatures invite us outdoors, I continue my search for outdoor seating and a refreshing beverage.  If you find yourself on one of these patios, please save a seat for me!

Don't be sheepish in your search for a good fleece.

There used to be only one or two companies out there who made fleece.  What they made was densely knit, hard wearing, and very very warm.  It was the kind of fleece that lasts a lifetime.  Okay, maybe not a life time, but a very long time.  Now there is fleece everywhere, and I don't mean it's just among the outdoor gear companies.  Every retailer out there has some sort of fleece jacket or pullover ranging in price from the "stocking stuffer" category to the "wow, my car payment is less than that" category.

So how do we begin to decipher what's what and who's who?

My first words of advice on fleece: If you want fleece that will be used outdoors to keep you warm and dry, then buy fleece from a company that makes gear to keep you warm and dry.  In other words, don't buy fleece for your rugged adventures at Old Navy.  If you do, you should expect to be disappointed in its performance.
Secondly, the evolution of fleece has been constant.  Now there exists heavy dense fleece, lightweight fleece, fleece with zippers, fleece that blocks wind, fleece with stretch ... there's a whole flock of fleece out there.

So for warmth in a good hearty fleece (hearty like a good stew), go for EMS.  Their dense knit fleece is fantastic.  The stuff is so warm, it seems like it must be two fleece in one.  It will keep you warm, and though it's not windproof, its density will shed a bit of breeze.  This can be used as an outer layer, or an inner layer in the same way you would wear a heavy wool sweater, only this fleece won't smell like a sheep.

If it's wind block you crave, there are many options.  Over the years, I've found Mountain Hardwear to offer some of the softest wind block fleece out there.  You would never know there is a wind blocking membrane in this stuff.  It feels as soft and supple as the best stuff out there.  You won't hear a crinkle or crackle.  Not to be out of character, their fleece is a bit pricey, but I've seen good durability, and softness that lasts through years of wear.

For something a bit lighter, try Patagonia.  You may be thinking, as I used to, that Patagonia once made some of the thickest warmest fleece on the market.  You would be right, but times have changed.  These days Patagonia's best fleece products are not the thick, sweater like pullovers of yesteryear.  These days, they have all sorts of fleece, too many I might venture.  They offer some great options in the Regulator series.  The R1 is similar to the expedition weight Capeline, but through some magic, doesn't stink.  It's feels great against the skin, and offers a touch of stretch.  Beware, like many of their items, this fleece is very pricey for a light layering piece.  My advice: wait for the sale.

Next Up: The Fleecing of America

Here a fleece, there a fleece, everywhere there's fleece and more fleece.
So which ones will keep you warm, dry, and comfortable; and which ones will leave you feeling like a sheared sheep in February?
Let me herd you in the right direction ...