A hood is always a fantastic item to have on a jacket of any kind. Your head is one of those areas of your body that loses a lot of body heat. So if you want to stay warm, it’s a good idea to put something over your head, to keep all that escaping body heat contained. A hooded fleece jacket will do just that. And then when you’re hot and you want to cool down, you can drop the hood, and all that body heat is allowed to escape, which helps to cool you down quite a bit.
Hooded Fleece Jacket
What to look for when you're reviewing hooded fleece jackets.- Thickness – One of the more important variables when it comes to fleece jackets of any kind is the thickness of the fleece. The thicker the fleece is, the warmer you will be, and the less the fleece will breath. Similarly, the thicker the fleece of the hood is, the more body heat coming off of your head will be trapped and reflected.
- Density – Another property of fleece to pay attention to is the density of the fleece. There are some very fluffy fleece jackets out there that might remind you of carpet, and then some other fleeces that are quite dense and compact, which do a good job of deflecting wind, for instance.
Best Hooded Fleece Jacket
Some of the best hooded fleece jackets, for both men and women.Men's Hooded Fleece Jacket
- Patagonia R1 Hooded Fleece Pullover - When it comes to hooded fleece jackets there are few with the following that the R1 Hoody has. It's a pullover, so the front zipper is only half length. It also uses a relatively thin fleece, so it's breathable, and perfect for those that like to stay active. Features like a zippered chest pocket and extra long sleeves with thumb holes help round this jacket out, and make it an ideal choice for backpackers, campers, hikers and anyone else who is looking to stay active and warm.
- REI Rauk Jacket - The Rauk is more of a standard jacket, though with a hood. It has a full length front zip, as well as two zippered hand pockets and a zippered arm pocket. The surface of the fleece is hardened, to better resist wind and keep warmth in. Another good fleece for those who aren't going to be quite as active.
Women's Hooded Fleece Jacket
- Rab Shadow Hooded Fleece Jacket - The Shadow uses a thinner fleece, but one that has a hardened surface, which makes it ideal for windy conditions. So it's a good combination of wind protection and breathability. You also get two zippered hand pockets on the front, as well as one internal pocket. And the hood is a nice, close fit with a small face opening, which is ideal for campers, backpackers, hikers and others who like to stay active.
- The North Face WindWall 2 Fleece Jacket - The WindWall is a heavier weight than the Rab Shadow, with a hardened outer surface to make it wind resistant. It has the standard combination of zippered front hand pockets and one zippered chest pocket. The hood is also good, but with a larger face opening, make this a choice that you could wear around town as easily as you could on the trail.
