I have a friend who always wears them, but I’ve always been a little sceptical about the micro fleece. I know they look good, and seem quite comfortable. I’ve just always been unconvinced about how warm they really are and how much protection they provide from the elements.
My friend absolutely swears by them, however, so I thought I’d take her advice and give one a try. I chose the Micro Jacket by Rab, simply because it seems to have a little more substance to it than some other micro fleeces I’ve seen. This actually seems to be more of a jacket rather than just a jumper made out of fleecy material. It’s also made from Polartec® fleece, which I’ve always found to be particularly warm and windproof.
On our latest hill-walking expedition, my friend accepted my advice to wear a full-sized fleece, and I gave my new Rab Micro Jacket a go (admittedly, with extra layers in my backpack because I was convinced I was going to be absolutely freezing). I went along, mumbling about how micro fleeces are actually just for people to take go dog walking in the local park on a chilly day and not for actual outdoor activities. But I have to admit, I was secretly quite pleased by how the jacket looked anyway. For the first time in perhaps my whole life, I felt like I’d actually managed to achieve a ‘cool’ outdoors look!
My friend, meanwhile, looked as though she was being smothered by her full sized fleece. She hadn’t helped herself out by wearing a woollen jumper underneath it too, but the skies were threatening snow so we thought it might turn out extremely cold that day. After a few miles, she had to strip off her jumper. I was still feeling comfortable, although a little peeved that it was turning out my friend was right.
The Rab Micro Jacket is thin, but it does manage to retain heat just as well as a full sized fleece does. It is highly windproof, and fits perfectly underneath a waterproof jacket because of its thin size. Its fitted shape is stylish and flattering, and very comfortable too. I have to say, I was very happy with my purchase.
If you really are going to be tackling arctic conditions, the Rab Micro Jacket could easily fit underneath a few more layers. I’d recommend it to be worn instead of a jumper, as it is far more insulating. However, as an outer layer it is also effective and provides good protection from the elements. It’s fitted enough to be attractive, but also leaves room for several layers underneath if you so choose. It comes in three different colours (I prefer the aqua myself), and is a great choice if you want to remain stylish in the great outdoors.
To conclude, I have to grudgingly accept that I have fallen wholeheartedly for the micro fleece. It is a useful and versatile item, and I’ll definitely be taking one on every hillwalking trip from now on.
