Been a lot of threads on this, but I was hoping to put together a comprehensive list of the top options - now that the Capilene 4 is out of stock until Fall.

Wool:
Ibex Hooded Indie (16.6oz)

Fleece:
MEC T2 Hoody (5.6oz)
MEC T3 Hoody (7.2oz)
Patagonia Capilene 4 (7.9oz) (unavailable)
RAB Orbit Hoodie (8 oz) (women only)
NorthWest Alpine Black Spider Hoody (10oz)
Cabelas Expedition Weight ECWCS hoody (?oz)
Melanzana Micro Grid Hoodie (?oz)
RAB Baseline Hoody (12oz)
Patagonia Piton Hybrid hoody (11.2 oz)
Mountain Hardware Desna Hoody (12.3oz)
Eddie Baur Hangfire hoodie (15oz)

So Fleece and Material Experts: above these are arranged by (listed) weight, which I assume is a pretty good correlation with warmth - how would you stack these up in terms of breathability? Does any other company use the exact same fleece setup as the recent Cap 4?

*for personal reference: This will be over a Icebreaker Merino Base, and under a Patagonia Houdini, which is pretty standard.

Edited by lost_01 on 02/22/2013 10:43:43 MST.

If you want a truly comprehensive list, perhaps it should include the RAB Women's Orbit Hoodie (8 oz). I don't know why they don't make a men's equivalent.

Melanzana Micro Grid Hoody?

Added both, thanks. I originally left off the Melanzana because the fit is less "tactical" (which in my mind makes it not ideal for 'layering'). Couldn't find a weight for it on their site.

No love for the Ibex Indie?

Not a microgrid obviously but, it's my go-to next to skin or second layer.

Cabelas Expedition Weight ECWCS hoody, uses some type of polartec grid, and comes in tall (which makes it far superior to other offerings :b )

Add the patagonia piton hybrid hoody. Some retailers still have them. 11 oz w/ windpro panels. I like this piece b/c it gives you a little more versatility as a mid or outer. I like the T2/cap 4 grid as shoulder/winter base and I'd like to try the piton as a mid/outer.


edit: I'd also add the Vapour Rise lite alpine. I use it as my winter action layer, and I think it balances breathability/wind resistance well enough to work as a mid as well.

Edited by sgiachetti on 02/22/2013 01:31:18 MST.

i always see it as nw alpine

Edited by RICKO on 02/21/2013 18:10:33 MST.

Another fleece option is the Eddie Bauer/First Ascent Hangfire. Mine weighs 15.8 oz in size large, so its on the heavier side but its quite a bit warmer and blocks the wind better than my Microgrid Hoody. Its stylish enough to wear around town if that's important too.

http://www.eddiebauer.com/catalog/product.jsp?ensembleId=37539

FYI my Large Microgrid Hoody weighs 10.2 oz.

Adam

Serge@ "Add the patagonia piton hybrid hoody. Some retailers still have them. 11 oz w/ windpro panels. I like this peice b/c it gives you a little more versatility as a mid or outer. I like the T2/cap 4 grid as shoulder/winter base & I'd like one of these for a mid."

I have been wearing the Piton Hybrid JACKET over the new Cap 4 EW hoody NTS baselayer and it is SUPERB winter combo. The smooth inner surface slips easily over the Cap 4. Not so easy over Merino wool though. As with the R1, it snags and pull on a wool baselayer when putting on or off. Much nicer slip over a Cap 1/2/4 synthetic.

IMO, the Mens Piton Hybrid Hoody was "crippled" by the lack of full Windpro coverage in the torso and handpockets so I got the jacket instead. The Womens Piton Hybrid got it right though.

Edited by rmjapan on 02/21/2013 19:28:14 MST.

The T2 is lighter weight than the Cap4. I believe the T3 is the same as the cap4 but might be slightly heavier. The T3 has the same spacing as the T2 but with thicker fuzzy parts.

Just look at the weights post and the T3 is much closer to the Cap4. You could ask on the MEC website what the fabric weight of the T3 is. They are usually quick about getting an answer back.

Edited by GregF on 02/21/2013 23:00:02 MST.

EB Hangfire hoodie.

Varying weights of fleece for "heat mapping". 15 oz. men's Med.

@rick. The jacket looks good, I'll check it out.

I'm still a little skeptical about the role of designated mid layers for 3 season backpacking. It ads redundancy, complication, and weight to your layering system. The base layer wicks, wind shirt for wind and mobil warmth, shell for the bad weather, and a puffy for stationary/sleep insulation.
Jordan and co make a strong case for this system from the get go: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/00036.html#.UScaYBy8xyU
and Nilsey, in more tech detail here: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=9378&disable_pagination=1

I'm not sure why polartec high efficiency gives us more reason to carry a mid. Polartec designed it primarily as a base, and the grid fleece wicks best next to skin. I don't think its lightness is a good reason to add it to the pack.

Of course there is a lot of ways to pack (I err on the side of simplicity), and great if it works in your system. Just thought I'd invoke some of that old gospel from our founding fathers. :)

...I'll add, from a purely functional standpoint, a piece that wicks, breaths, insulates, and still has light weather protection, like a vapour rise, boreas or piton makes some sense to me in place of a wind shirt.

Edited by sgiachetti on 02/22/2013 01:23:55 MST.

Guess it depends on which 3 seasons you are hiking in. For late Fall thru early Spring in sub-freezing alpine conditions I see a thin midlayer like the Piton Hybrid necessary. I'm 52 so might feel the cold more than someone younger that can move faster thru snow. And I agree the new Cap 4 EW works best next to skin.

In the other 3 seasons centering around Summer, a Cap 2 top or Sun hoody and Houdini with Nano Puff vest is all I bring.

Edited by rmjapan on 02/22/2013 01:38:11 MST.

Thanks for the input guys - added some of those pieces in there.

*For reference, so far my 'Capilene 4 replacement' is either the MEC T3 or the NW Black Spider.