It might seem a little odd to be doing a product review of a fleece at the beginning of Spring, but there’s a perfectly good reason…
I was kindly sent the fleece in question (a North Face Polartec classic micro – in red) along with my brilliant rucksack by the lovely people at Black’s back in November. At the time, I was preparing for what I believed would be the arctic conditions of Christmas in northern Sweden.
…Cue the mildest winter in living memory in the small village of Stöde, where there was very little snow and lows of a disappointing 4⁰C.
I then headed off to Switzerland at the end of January, where again, mild winter weather and glorious sunshine followed.
Finally, back in Manchester, I patiently waited for the mercury to plummet, hoping for the big freeze of last March. But alas, it looks like that wasn’t quite on the card this year.
So whilst I haven’t managed to test out the fleece in the sub-zero arctic conditions I’d hoped for, I have given her a good whirl in the chilly single digits and have put together the following completely amateur review.
Enjoy!
Preparing for Sweden with my kit from Black’s.
Why I chose it
First off, I must admit that I am no huge outdoors enthusiast. Don’t get me wrong: I’ve had a some amazing weekends camping, I climbed a (smallish) mountain last year and loved it, and I love a bit of sea air, but I’m no Bear Grylls. So when it came to choosing the fleece, I was a bit adrift and roped in a bit of help.
One thing I did know, however, was North Face. Even for a relative outdoors amateur like me, the North Face name carries a guarantee of quality.
I also picked the colour.
North Face = quality
The pros
Aside from warmth, fleece has a three very strong selling points.
Firstly, it’s lightweight. Very much living up to its motto of ‘warmth without the weight’, it is actually really impressive how little the thing weighs. The fleece is designed to be worn as one of several layers, so the weight really can add up.
Secondly, it is really comfortable. It is ridiculously soft to the touch (to the point where you want to rub your face against it) and its weight means it’s really breathable. You might get warm wearing it, but it doesn’t ever feel unbearable.
Thirdly, it’s quick drying, which is handy when you are out in the rain, or working up a sweat.
In addition, I would add that it’s very aesthetic: it’s a nice red and grey design and the bright bold red colour hasn’t faded.
The cons
It must be said that the fleece really doesn’t have many cons. It is well designed and does exactly what is says on the tin.
But if I were to be really picky, I would say that it doesn’t have any pockets. Designed to be a layer worn under something thicker, this isn’t too surprising, but when worn as an outer layer in the warmer climes of Manchester, it would be quite nice to have a pocket.
The fleece also retails at the higher end, but considering the years of use you’d get out of it, I don’t think it’s an excessive amount.
North Face Polartec fleece
Final thoughts
While on reflection, I think the price makes it a choice for the real outdoors enthusiasts, as I’m not sure you’d get your money’s worth purely from city living, it has to be said that the North Face Polartec really delivers on its promise – it keeps the warmth in without the added weight.
I really wish I’d had one when I lived in Russia…
Disclaimer: the North Face Polartec fleece was provided by Black’s.