Grid fleece comparison

[twall13]

I was thinking about a midweight merino for this application, but I'm concerned for moisture buildup during high exertion. I actually have a mountain ops merino hoody in my cart right along side their grid fleece right now haha

I picked up a backcountry branded Mtn Evo air hoody on black Friday. It's a God awful red color but it's 60 grams of primaloft evolve, full zip, hood, and pockets like my mdwi but with a little less insulation. I'm not sure it will fit the bill but boy for the money I paid I'll use it for rucks and hiking and be a big ol red glowing beacon lol

I guess it depends on how it's used. I don't have any concerns at all about moisture buildup in merino during high output activities. In fact, I've done plenty of trail runs in rain and snow with no shell over a merino wool shirt where I get completely soaked through and honestly feel quite comfortable during the activity. I think merino does a fantastic job of regulating temperature in those conditions. That said, when I do that I'm always returning to the warmth of my home after I'm done. If I had to stay stationary in the cold afterwards, I might feel differently.

Just this morning after a hike I had little beads of moisture on the outside of an Icebreaker merino beenie and I've had the same thing happen on my arms and torso many times before as well. Merino does a great job of moving moisture for me, and even insulates well while wet. It does take longer to dry and if you are stationary while it's drying you'll feel cold for longer than with a synthetic. I tend to like hybrid merino fabrics to get a blend of benefits but for my uses I'm definitely a fan of merino wool.

That Icebreaker piece I mentioned above tends to dry quicker because of the fabric weave. It's not a true waffle grid, but similar in nature and moves moisture well.

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[Zdub02]

To answer your question about the condor it is pretty thin and breathes well. I think it would be worth a shot for more active endeavors and for the price why not grab one?

 

[mtwarden]

Have you tried a Sitka midweight? Found it perfect for high exertion stuff from 20-40 degrees. I know you’re a hood guy, I don’t think they have one with a hood though.

I have not; you're right if it had a hood I would've probably already given it a go Just looking at the description and the weight of the zip-t- I think it might be in the same general category as the Thermal weight I'm currently using

 

[Lawnboi]

I have not; you're right if it had a hood I would've probably already given it a go Just looking at the description and the weight of the zip-t- I think it might be in the same general category as the Thermal weight I'm currently using

It’s worth a shot, micro grid fleece is how I would describe it. Comfortable piece.

 

[matthewmt]

Slight spin boys. I just got in my mountain hardware summit grid fleece.

It's not at all what I expected. It's actually like the opposite of all other grid fleeces I have where the grid is On the outside, and it's got almost a brushed fleece interior. It absolutely won't work for me for running since it's WARM but man I really like it... big ol kangaroo pocket, hood and half zip. It's this one https://www.mountainhardwear.com/p/mens-summit-grid-hoody-2002891.html

I paid 27$ for it on Amazon. Size large fits perfectly. I'm going to use it a ton for grouse hunting and maybe even my normal rotation for bowhunting in place of my heavy hoody. The color is some gold orange combo thing but I'm honestly impressed

Was that a black fri/cyber sale?

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[packer58]

Tried the Condor grid fleece while in Nevada helping on a bull hunt, layered it in and was very warm. I was impressed enough to order 2 more and actually just received them in the mail tonight, like the thumb holes also .........

 

[bojangles808]

Slight spin boys. I just got in my mountain hardware summit grid fleece.

It's not at all what I expected. It's actually like the opposite of all other grid fleeces I have where the grid is On the outside, and it's got almost a brushed fleece interior. It absolutely won't work for me for running since it's WARM but man I really like it... big ol kangaroo pocket, hood and half zip. It's this one https://www.mountainhardwear.com/p/mens-summit-grid-hoody-2002891.html

I paid 27$ for it on Amazon. Size large fits perfectly. I'm going to use it a ton for grouse hunting and maybe even my normal rotation for bowhunting in place of my heavy hoody. The color is some gold orange combo thing but I'm honestly impressed

I got an orange one for 22$ For rifle hunting from steep and cheap. Feels a little bigger than my usual xl in sitka but I will layer. I have the condor too and it's also good if you are more active like the sitka hw. For static those snap fleeces from 32 degrees keep you very warm for a verycheap price

 

[V2Pnutrition]

I’ll echo what everyone else has said, but throw out the Peloton 97 from Kuiu. I’ve done long runs in that when it’s really cold out and love it. I also have everything else mentioned here: Patty R1, Condor, some grid fleece from OR, FL, the MDWi from Sitka, and some pieces from Arcteryx. The R1 and 97 are probably my favorite for anything that involves a fair amount of movement.

 

[Erussell01]

Was that a black fri/cyber sale?

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Yeah it must have been a closeout ugly color thing

How could I pass that up?

 

[Erussell01]

Tried the Condor grid fleece while in Nevada helping on a bull hunt, layered it in and was very warm. I was impressed enough to order 2 more and actually just received them in the mail tonight, like the thumb holes also .........

What do you think of the weight?

 

[Erussell01]

I got an orange one for 22$ For rifle hunting from steep and cheap. Feels a little bigger than my usual xl in sitka but I will layer. I have the condor too and it's also good if you are more active like the sitka hw. For static those snap fleeces from 32 degrees keep you very warm for a verycheap price

Steep and cheap and backcountry are apparently the same now and I just looked, I got mine off Amazon but the seller was backcountry so we must have got the same one

 

[Erussell01]

I’ll echo what everyone else has said, but throw out the Peloton 97 from Kuiu. I’ve done long runs in that when it’s really cold out and love it. I also have everything else mentioned here: Patty R1, Condor, some grid fleece from OR, FL, the MDWi from Sitka, and some pieces from Arcteryx. The R1 and 97 are probably my favorite for anything that involves a fair amount of movement.

I gave my 97 to my brother what an idiot!

 

[packer58]

What do you think of the weight?

I would rate it at a medium / heavy weight, I normally wear an XL and it seems a tad large but not a problem when layering. My gear is Kuiu so that's my basis ......

 

[fishslap]

My condor is probably on par with my old FL halstead, might even be a bit better due to the sizing allowing a better fit for my wool base layers under it.

 

[Stache Attack]

Big Peleton 97 fan here, I wear it all the time in summer to fall until it’s time for the 240. Found a velo strong fleece this fall that’s pretty comfy(besides the mouse holes I need to get patched)

The mtn hardware mentioned above is great

I hardly wear my fanatic or heavyweight any more still a little on the midweight Sitka.

Never want to stop trying the mid layers that mountaineering companies make they are perfect for moving/exertion activity.

 

[Erussell01]

Boys that mountain hardware is even warmer than I thought. I wore it today hunting at 12 degrees for deer and I was roasting. The walk in wasn't that far, only about 850 yards and the walk out I had go ditch my hat and gloves to dump heat. Its one of my new favorites but there's no way I can be super active with it.

Still on the hunt and a buddy of mine just recommend the simms grid hoodie, didn't know they made one so I have to give it a look!

 

[Erussell01]

Today I ran the dogs In a baselayer with my first lite fuse 250 top and honestly it was really good. Started cold, but then at the 3 3.5 mile mark the warmth settled in to a good level and it was breathable enough to keep me moving. This makes me think Merino might be a viable option for this endeavor, but I'm still conflicted because I've always had issues with retained moisture when using merino at high output and then sitting still. The difference here ultimately is that I won't be sitting but rather coming home where it doesn't really matter if the shirt stays wet because I can take it off. My other fear with Merino is durability and the fact that my wife is notorious for washing them and drying them on high....

Anybody think Merino would work in this setting? @mtnwarden I'm looking at you!

 

[mtwarden]

Nothing wrong with merino- biggest disadvantage is doesn't dry as fast as most synthetics.

The few pieces of merino stuff that I have are blends (it was mentioned above)- I've found ~ 60% wool/40% syn to be pretty good, you get benefits of merino and synthetic- will wear better and won't stretch out like 100% merino- will also dry quicker than 100% merino.

Might be best to do the laundry yourself w/ merino- I wash mine in cold or cool and only air dry them

 

[fishslap]

My condor is probably on par with my old FL halstead, might even be a bit better due to the sizing allowing a better fit for my wool base layers under it.

Correction, mine is a rothco.

 

[Stonecreek]

They're typically not cheap, but a Polartec Alpha fleece is pretty amazing for high output stuff like XC skiing or running. It's basically the same as the Primaloft Evolve in the Sitka Ambient stuff.

I think the 90 grams/square meter weight is the most versatile. For running you might like that or the 60gsm. The 120gsm or the Alpha with wool is a little better for static stuff but still breathes amazingly well!

I sweat a lot and when I bought this Rab Alpha Flash Jacket it completely changed how I layered. Unfortunately, it's a little more expensive than it used to be.

Men's Alpha Flash Jacket

Inspired by the latest innovations in fabric technology the Alpha Flash radically reinvents the traditional midlayer.

rab.equipment

I love Alpha so much that I learned how to sew just to make more pieces for myself, family, friends, etc. It's a really amazing fabric. You can pick up fabric on Etsy for pretty cheap and grab super easy pattern from LearnMYOG and you can make your own pullover hoodie for like $35 plus your time. It's a hobby for me so I don't factor time into the cost. If you just want to buy something off the shelf, I like the Rab a lot.

Garage Grown Gear has a bunch of options from small US makers too, but they tend to sell out quickly since most of them make the in small batchs.

https://www.garagegrowngear.com/search?type=product&q=alpha**&product_type=

If you're looking for something from a hunting company, the Alpha Inceptor Vest from Gulch Gear is amazing and the camo is really cool if you're into camo. I know it's not a hoodie, but it is really damn nice if you like vests.

Men's Inceptor Insulated VestMedium / Cross Cover® Brown

Insulated Vest: The most breathable hunting vest on the market using two of the biggest names in technical textiles, Polartec® and Toray®. The combination of Polartec's Alpha® Direct, designed for the US Special Forces, and Toray's Dot-Air, designed for the Japanese Summer Olympics team to...

gulchgear.com

Sincerely,
An Alpha Evangelist