Well, the simple fact is that no fleece is going to keep you warm in Boston on a freezing day (which many Bostonians would dearly love to see, given the past two weeks聮 temperatures). Most fleece jackets simply allow too much air to pass through them. So while they聮re pretty warm under a windproof shell, they聮re not very warm at all if exposed to the wind.
Patagonia Ready Mix Jacket
Ready Mix jacketTrue, Patagonia聮s R4 ($215; www.patagonia.com) attempts to solve that problem. Its fabric is built like a sandwich, with soft fleece on the outside and a slightly different type of fleece on the inside. In between is a windproof, breathable panel. So in theory, the stuff in the middle resists wind well enough that you won聮t always need another shell just because it聮s breezy outside.
Windproof fleeces have come a long ways in the past few years. Originally, they were stiff as cardboard and made unpleasant crinkling sounds when you moved. But I聮m still not a huge fan of them. To me, they聮re not as comfortable as traditional fleece in cool, calm conditions聴they聮re just too warm. But they聮re not so warm that they聮ll suffice on their own when it聮s very cold and windy, or cold and snowy, or cold and rainy (the fuzzy fleece, in fact, will absorb quite a bit of water). So a Patagonia R4 would be a good starting point for winter insulation, but it聮s hardly 聯the answer.” You聮ll still need some sort of shell, and maybe more.
Besides, fabric technology has advanced so much that windproof fleece represents an evolutionary branch that is going the way of the Neanderthal. Today聮s smart, over-wintering Cro-Magnon wears a soft shell jacket that provides protection from wind and light rain while offering breathability and insulation that keeps you comfortable across a surprisingly wide temperature range. Patagonia聮s Women聮s Ready Mix Jacket ($199) is such a piece. It聮s made with highly water-repellent and windproof polyester knit, has a hood, and has a technical look that聮s pretty cool. REI聮s One Jacket ($130; www.rei.com) offers similar performance in a slightly less technical piece that lacks a hood.
Soft shells also are trim enough that they still work well in a layering system, so when you go skiing you can throw on a waterproof-breathable shell jacket and stay warm and dry.
You聮ve seen our picks for 2006 Gear of the Year, and now the entire is online. Check out this year聮s more than 400 must-have gear items, including .