buckeye

Some one who understands the logistics of clothings heat retention better than Iplease answer this for me....[/align][/align]If I were to purchase a set of insulated with wind stop fleece outer wear...... [/align][/align]What good would the outerfleece do as an insulator with the "wind block" being on the back side of the fleece with the wind blowing? Would the wind not blow thru the fleece and hit the wind stop negating the fleeceto useless as an insulator in the wind?[/align][/align]I understand the inside insulation of the garmentswould still insulate as the wind could only cut thru the outer fleece until it hits the wind block..... [/align][/align]Just the outer fleece seems useless in the winds to me? Am I missing something?[/align][/align]I have never wore fleece as an outer layer, only as an insulating layer.[/align]

HuntingEd

The insulation comes from having low thermal conductivity. Fleece has really low thermal conductivity. So its cold on the outside and warm an the inside, the fleece creates a barrier between the two, otherwise the natural need to reach equilibrium would cause you to loose heat. The wind stopper prevents the heat you disepate into the fleece from being blown away... It would work on the outside better, but then it'd be noisey and rip, trust me the windstopper makes a difference. fleece is warm up to 8-10 mph winds, then its like wearing a tissue because the fabric is not dense, which is what gives it the warmth..

That being said, I use alot of fleece, I buy all camo outer wear fleece garments and wear them, when the wind picks up I put on my lightweight weight rain gear over top... to put the wind barrier on top.

mobow

Your question is a logical one, and I've not really looked at it that way before. But, it does work because your body heat is also behind all that. In other words, the wind can blow into the fleece all it wants, but there's no heat there to "blow away." What the fleece does is keep the heat in, not letting it escape. Make sense?

Roskoe

Fleece with windblocker is going to be warmer than fleece without windblocker; but best of all is going to be having a gore tex shell over the top of the fleece. Maximum heat retention.

salukipv1

think we may have the same fleece/windblocker.....I bought the non windblocker, sicne I palnned to use it on warmer days or as a base layer underneath a windproof jacket.

If just using the fleece as the exterior layer, windblocker would be good, the windblocker lining on the jacket my father bought is louder than mine though, not by much at all, but its like a shell, the non wind blocker is just pure fleece.

The fleece is still warm whether it goes inward or outward. Regular fleece though is typically doesnt stop wind but is very warm, so on calm days or as a underlayer its nice.

Elkcrazy8

I use fleece ALOT in the backcountry. It dries out fast and is light. I would concentrate on a textured fleece if you plan on using it exclusively for outer wear. I have a performance fleece that I use and put rain gear on over when the wind picks up. I am switching over to the rivers west backcounty gear this year and it is a textured fleece. It has a 10 year waterproof gaurantee. This way I can use it for dry or wet weather, thus cutting down my weight.

buckeye

This is what I am getting at.... So why would I buy outer wear with half of the insulating properties (the fleece)on the outside of the wind barrier?

What goodis the layer of fleece on the outside of the wind barrier actually doing in a cold wind as far as insulating for me?

MeanV2

I think fleece's big advantage is how quiet it is.

I don't like it as an outer layerthough! Cockleburrs and stick tites![:@]

Polar Fleece works great as an underlayer behind Wind Stop. It holds body heat really well, but itis not much good in the direct wind.

Dan

buckeye

To get to the point........ I am "shopping" for new insulated cold weather gear to pack into stand on cold days....

I am debating between the cost savings of getting Dayone insulated fleece with wind block over Gray Wolf Woolens and insulated Wolfskin.

As of now I am leaning towards GWW's..... The fleece as a outer layer has me stumped at it's effectivness in the cold fall / winter winds. I want warm, windproof and light weight....

mobow

Because wind or no wind, the fleece is still keeping in (insulating) your body heat.