Below you will find our first-hand reviews of various mid-layers for hiking, including fleece jackets and jackets insulated with either down or synthetic fill materials. Please note that many of the mid-layers reviewed here are available both in men’s and women’s versions, which will only differ slightly (although they might be named differently). You might thus still learn something interesting about the mid-layer we reviewed, even if it is meant for the opposite sex. If you want to learn more about how we test and review hiking products, you can read our Principles for Product Reviews.
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For a long long time I have been missing having a lightweight down jacket for hiking, which would offer more warmth than a fleece jacket as well as some basic weather protection. My wait was finally over when I received a down jacket from Jack Wolfskin for testing in return for an unbiased review in…
For years I have been without a warm, but light mid-layer to throw on when the weather turned chilly during hikes or while camping. I postponed getting my own fleece jacket, as I just stole my boyfriend’s extra, which he dutifully packed for our outdoor adventures together. When the French mountaineering brand CimAlp offered me…
In the spring we were contacted by the British company Dark Peak which specializes in outerwear. Dark Peak is a newly established company and currently they only produce insulated jackets. They asked us if they could send us one of their jackets for test and review. I checked their website and as their jackets seemed…
Several months ago, we got in touch with the French company CimAlp which makes apparel for hiking, skiing, trail running and other outdoor sports. I was especially impressed with their jackets because they utilize high-quality materials and are lightweight. Therefore, I asked them for a sample of CimAlp PrimaLoft jacket. I had been wanting such…
A fleece jackets is a very useful garment for hiking because it provides light-weight insulation and can be worn as a mid-layer in cold and/or rainy weather conditions or as an outer layer in dry and moderate weather conditions. Towards the end of 2016 my old fleece jacket, made of Polartec Stretch fabric, started to…
Merino wool clothing is, due to its superb performance, widely used by hikers, mountaineers and other outdoorsmen. Base layers made of Merino wool are particularly popular because they offer great temperature regulation, breathability, UV protection and have superb anti-microbial properties. Merino wool can also be used for mid layers but Merino mid layers are not…
