Any recommendations? I’ve looked at the North Face ones but they have the cut of a sack of potatoes.

The idea is to use it as a top layer on cooler days and then as a mid layer during the winter.

Have one of these fleeces that I use both by itself and as a mid layer. Tight fitting and warm..

http://www.facewest.co.uk/Mountain-Equipment-AW15-Eclipse-Inferno-Jacket.html?gclid=CIKZqLjOusoCFdEYGwody3QKgg

Patagonia waffle fleeces (not what they’re called but if you google that they’ll come up). Not the cheapest as rrp is around £90, but you often find them on sale if you’re not too picky on colour. Works great as a mid later under a shell on really cold days or with a base layer on cooler days. Plenty of warmth, breathes really well, dry quickly and the waffle patter really draws the moisture away and keeps it off your skin. A mate of mine who’s a mountaineer turned me onto them and apart toy they’ve been raved about for years in the climbing world. Couldn’t see how one fleece would be that different to another until I tried one, now my most often used piece of kit

The idea is to use it as a top layer on cooler days and then as a mid layer during the winter.

I’d have thought you want a soft shell for use as a top layer stand alone, as most fleeces have very poor wind resistance.

http://arcteryx.com/product.aspx?language=EN&model=Delta-LT-Jacket

not cheap but a great bit of kit.

I’d have thought you want a soft shell for use as a top layer stand alone, as most fleeces have very poor wind resistance.

You’re right, for walking etc. I really meant for pottering around to the shops etc., where wind resistance isn’t that much of an issue.

I like the look of that ME one. I’ll have a look at the other options, thanks.

I picked up a Montane Fury for this purpose. Really like it, high zip, good fit and effective (rather than fashionable) hood

Consider what you’re layering on top, fleece tends to be quite velcro-like under the wrong layer

I’m a total brand snob but find cheap fleece from the likes of craghoppers or regatta work just as well as my more expensive Mountain Equipment or Rab fleeces I own. Agree with above, softshell would be better.

I bought a Howies Slipstream jersey for just this purpose the other week in their sale – great piece of kit

I’ve got a Rab Diablo which I really like, some Polartec fabric with apparently 4x the wind resistance of a “normal” fleece. So that’s 4x not very much then. Alpkit are doing a mid layer which they say is more wind resistant than a normal fleece. Only £30, so not too much of a punt.

I’d check the Izas sale on SportPursuit. Scandinavian quality at sports direct prices. (Listed under Izas Insulation)

Ignore the fact it’s a sailing top and designed to go under a wetsuit, these things are ridiculously warm. Basically all the best bits of a fleece (insulating, breathable, sheds water) combined with all the stuff that Merino is supposed to do, but doesn’t do so well (wick, stay warm when wet). Rooster, Crewsaver, gul, etc all do versions from similar fabric.

http://www.wetsuitoutlet.co.uk/2016-gill-mens-hydrophobe-long-sleeve-top-black-4522-p-13702.html

Alpkit – https://www.alpkit.com/products/akita-jacket-m

I have ME and NF mid fleeces (live in them!!) and supplement them with windproof gilets (DHB and NF) – works a treat

check out the Paramo Mountain Shirt, it’s a reversible fleece jumper which has micro pile on one side for when it’s cold and you want to trap heat, and on the reverse is a softer smooth material which helps keep you cool.
it also has huge side / neck vent zips for temperature control. I’ve worn mine comfortably from below 0 to high 20’s.
it can be layered under a wind shirt or hard shell for additional protection from the elephants.

Good shout on Alpkit, I really like the look of them. Great value too

My mid layer fleeces are Rab Power Stretch Jacket, Rab Baseline Jacket and a Black Diamond Coefficient Hoody. The choice of which is mainly down to fit as I’m quite fussy about that….

arghhh, why did I click that Alpkit link…. just bought a fleece I really don’t need 🙂

That Alpkit one on the links looks like a 80s tracksuit top

Seriously, though: thanks for the suggestions. I like like the ME ones. There’s a Cotswold Outdoors not far away so I may have to get myself there and have a look.

I’m sort of tempted by the Alpkit one but I ended up sending back my Synoment, just didn’t fit me at all. Also I don’t really need one…

Also I don’t really need one..

We don’t really need 99.9% of the stuff we own…

I have a Mountain Equipment Eclipse. Absolutely fantastic piece of kit.

Fitted cut and incredibly warm for how light it is. I wear it under a shell layer for riding this time of year, or with a gillet when it’s dry and not so cold. Under a primaloft jacket when walking if it’s freezing. They do a heavier version too.

Thanks for the suggestion but this isn’t for riding, it’s for hiking, particularly in the Isle of Skye this March.

Thinking about it, and what I already have, I am thinking that, as a few have said above, a decent softshell may be what I need. I already have a Arc Teryx fleece, and various decent hoodies for insulating layers, and I already have a North Face hardshell as a wet weather layer. If I had a decent, windproof softshell, then I suspect I will spend most of my time with that as my top layer; only dragging out the hardshell in heavy rain.