- From Columbia Sportswear and The North Face to Mountain Hardware and Eddie Bauer, these brands offer some of the best fleece jackets currently available.
- The styles range from full- and quarter-zip jackets, hard shell options, and some that even use Polartec fleece to stay lightweight without sacrificing warmth.
- Here are four of our favorite fleece jackets.
When the temperatures start to drop in fall and winter, it's not always practical to wear a large parka or winter coat. Instead, investing in a fleece jacket (or two) is one of the smartest winter purchases you can make. They're suitable for wearing around the house or commuting to work, and are often lightweight enough to layer under larger jackets once it gets frigid.
But sifting through what's widely available to find the right fleece jacket is difficult. Though every brand says it offers some variation of warmth, comfort, and versatility, not all jackets are created equal. In other words, don't just grab that first cheap coat you come across online.
To take the guess work out of the shopping process, we've selected four of the best fleece jackets worthy of a spot in your closet. With options from brands like The North Face and Mountain Hardwear, there's a coat fit for any lifestyle. Here are our favorites.
Here are the best fleece jackets you can buy:
- Columbia Sportwear Granite Mountain
- The North Face Canyonlands
- Mountain Hardware Monkey Man
- Eddie Bauer Cloud Layer Pro
Columbia Sportswear
Columbia Sportswear's Granite Mountain fleece jacket might be the most recognizable pick on this list. The jacket features a classic, full-zip "mock-neck" design, the iconic Columbia logo stitched on the left chest, and comfortable polyester fleece both inside and out. It's the perfect layer for around the house or for keeping warm in an always-cold office. The collar even works well to protect your neck from biting cold wind.
The North Face
Sometimes you need your fleece jacket to do a little more than just keep you warm. With The North Face's Canyonlands coat, you also get a polyester stretch fleece jacket that offers a range of movement and a durable exterior, in addition to warmth. This means it's not meant just for wearing around the house but functions as a great fall hiking jacket, too. Amazon even offers it in a wide variety of colors to suit anyone's personal style.
Mountain Hardwear
Mountain Hardwear made its name designing and manufacturing some of the most quality outdoors gear on the market, and its Monkey Man fleece jacket is a perfect example of that reputation. Comprised of 96-percent polyester and 4-percent elastane, the jacket's stuffed with 200 grams of Polartec High-Loft synthetic fiber. This allows it to stay lightweight yet still provide incredible warmth. It also features stretch side panels which allow for increased mobility while also wicking moisture. The slim fit also makes it great for layering.
Eddie Bauer
This quarter-zip fleece jacket from Eddie Bauer is perhaps the most versatile option on this list. Its light enough to be worn on its own — from the moment you wake up to the minute you fall asleep — and its quick-dry fabric means it's also capable of functioning as a cold-weather hiking or running jacket. The athletic fit gives it plenty of range of motion and works well as a layer underneath larger winter parkas or ski jackets.