The North Face  Summit FUTUREFLEECE Full-Zip Hoodie - Men's

One might assume this fleece does almost nothing to keep you warm, given it’s so thin. But I tried it on at The North Face store and it was just as warm as a conventional fleece that’s twice its thickness. It’s perfect for Seattle weather. And the main reason I bought it was for layering under my REI Flash Air rain jacket since there’s virtually no added bulk. The one downside is that REI doesn’t carry it in their stores for customers to try on. That’s a shame. The only reason I can think of is the relatively high cost compared to a conventional fleece. But the way I look at it, this FutureFleece will last for decades and the the benefit of a thin, warm liner far outweighs a few extra bucks.

I had high hopes with the octa yarn material but this material felt so scratchy on my skin. It was super uncomfortable and felt cheap especially compared to other octa yarn pieces (e.g proton fl). For $150, I expect a more comfortable fleece. Other than that, it’s lightweight and performant. Maybe it would be better with a long sleeve base layer underneath but next to skin comfort made me return this.

I've worn the Futurefleece Full-Zip Hoodie a few times now, in differing conditions, and it's been great. Keep in mind, this fleece is light/ultralight, therefore it provides no wind or moisture protection. It works great as a hiking mid-layer in cold weather or as a stand-alone layer in cool weather. I normally wear size medium shirts, so I purchased size medium. The fit was a little tight across the chest and arms, but that's how it should be when layering. The sleeves seemed a little long at first until you put your thumbs through the thumbholes. My hands stay pretty warm while hiking just by using the thumbholes. The first time I wore the Futurefleece hoodie was over a midweight baselayer during a winter hike up Algonquin peak in temps between 20-30 degrees fahrenheit. Below treeline, I stayed surprisingly warm with just the Futurefleece hoodie and baselayer. Above treeline, winds were only gusting up to 30mph, so I wore just a hardshell over the Futurefleece hoodie and I was able to stay warm as long as I kept moving. When fully zipped, the hoodie provides good protection around your face, neck, and head; almost like a balaclava. In colder and/or windy'er conditions, I may have worn an additional mid-layer between the Futurefleece hoodie and hardshell, such as a lightweight synthetic puffy or active-insulation jacket. Overall, I am very happy with my purchase. The Futurefleece hoodie strikes a great balance of warmth and weight when used properly and in accordance with the conditions you're hiking in.