Fleece



A

Alan Dicey

Guest
Fleece beats wool, for me: cheaper, lighter, doesn't get waterlogged, stays in shape if wet. If you
avoid premium brands it is dirt-cheap; the fleece may not be Polartec, but it will still function
well as a mid-layer.

Windbloc fleece (two fleece layers laminated to a Gore-tex midlayer) is a great for winter jacket.
The Gore-Tex layer stops the wind completely, and is waterproof enough to cope with snow or light
summer showers (You can't seal the seams, so it can never be fully waterproof). With 'pit zips for
ventilation you get a jacket that can be worn over a great range of weather conditions.
 
Damn, that should have been as a reply to the "No more Gore-Tex and expensive stuff!" thread. Lets
try reposting - - -
 
Alan Dicey <[email protected]> wrote
>Fleece beats wool, for me: cheaper, lighter, doesn't get waterlogged, stays in shape if wet. If you
>avoid premium brands it is dirt-cheap; the fleece may not be Polartec, but it will still function
>well as a mid-layer.
>
I bought three fleeces at £7 each in a bargain shop in Ashton-under- Lyne, two pull-over and
one zip-up.

Actually my bird bought them in a burst of gratitude when I bought her a gold necklet for Xmas. :)
--
Gordon
 
"Alan Dicey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> Damn, that should have been as a reply to the "No more Gore-Tex and expensive stuff!" thread. Lets
> try reposting - - -

Damn! Fleece beats Wool! Not so IMO. Oh, forgot this message is intended for Gore-Tex and expensive
stuff!" I'll give it a miss! More Cr*p is talked about walking gear than anything else in this
World. As for GPS's used for walking: No Comment!!!!

ATB
--
Craven Birds

Bird sightings based around 'Craven' Skipton, North Yorks. http://cravenbirds.mysite.freeserve.com/
http://mysite.freeserve.com/cravenbirds
 
CB <[email protected]> wrote
>
>"Alan Dicey" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>> Damn, that should have been as a reply to the "No more Gore-Tex and expensive stuff!" thread.
>> Lets try reposting - - -
>
>Damn! Fleece beats Wool! Not so IMO. Oh, forgot this message is intended for Gore-Tex and expensive
>stuff!" I'll give it a miss! More Cr*p is talked about walking gear than anything else in this
>World. As for GPS's used for walking: No Comment!!!!
>
Baaaaaah! Wool is grown by sheep, for sheep, and I never could stand it near my skin. We humans
have moved on.

Do you want to buy an oiled wool sweater I naively bought around 1974?

I only wore it about twice, and I could buy three fleeces for what I paid for it!

PS: You are right about the cr*p. ;-)
--
Gordon
 
Alan Dicey wrote:

> Windbloc fleece (two fleece layers laminated to a Gore-tex midlayer) is a great for winter jacket.
> The Gore-Tex layer stops the wind completely, and is waterproof enough to cope with snow or light
> summer showers (You can't seal the seams, so it can never be fully waterproof).

I'm not convinced: it's relatively heavy and bulky, and has a cardy feel compared to "normal"
fleece. And though I agree with you it'll keep out the worst of light rain and drizzle, if it *does*
get wet through (which eventually it does) then it takes forever and a day to dry. It doesn't
breathe very well compared to normal fleeces.

A light microfleece "soft whell" is lighter, often cheaper, less bulky and much faster drying. I
think Gore's "Windstopper soft shell" is a far better use of the Windstopper membrane than the
sandwich fleece.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email protected]
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/
 
I still wear wool sometimes.. trouble is on Saturday the breeks were just too warm.

Richard Webb
 
Peter Clinch wrote: (re: Windbloc/Windstopper fleece)
>
> I'm not convinced: it's relatively heavy and bulky, and has a cardy feel compared to "normal"
> fleece. And though I agree with you it'll keep out the worst of light rain and drizzle, if it
> *does* get wet through (which eventually it does) then it takes forever and a day to dry. It
> doesn't breathe very well compared to normal fleeces.
>
> A light microfleece "soft whell" is lighter, often cheaper, less bulky and much faster drying. I
> think Gore's "Windstopper soft shell" is a far better use of the Windstopper membrane than the
> sandwich fleece.
>
> Pete.

I agree, mine is bulky (but not Gore), however it works well for me. It can't substitute for a
waterproof, so a proper outer shell must also be carried for a long expedition or where rain
threatens. However, for me it is a great "default jacket" for most walks in the UK outside of
high summer.

I've looked at some of the "soft shell" offerings on the web; they are a more recent technology than
Windstopper, and I haven't seen one in the flesh yet. It sounds like a good fabric to use for the
next windproof fleece we make :) If we can get it from somewhere . . .