No outdoor clothing system should be without this vital element, as this is the foundation that will determine the comfort and safety of the individual, especially in inclement weather. Capilene polyester by Patagonia, Drylete polyester by Hind, and polypropylene are all effective at wicking moisture away from the skin, this is our first priority. The insulative layer or can consist of wool, polyester fleece, down, or synthetic insulation materials, exactly like those found in sleeping bags. With the advent of modern fleece garments, wool has lost some of its popularity. It is possible to gather enough fleece garments to cover every portion of exposed skin on the body, making fleece an excellent choice for any variety of conditions.
Fleece is lightweight, easy to care for, sometimes recycled, and extremely soft and cozy.
Wool is still used as an insulative layer, but the itch that goes along with certain woollens makes most people opt for fleece. Some fleece is actually windproof, the result of sandwiching an impermeable laminate between the inner and outer layers of the garment. This type is a weight and space saver because two garments, a windbreaker and insulator are combined. The lightest, most compressible insulation material known to man is down, nothing synthetic or natural has even come close to the warmth to weight ratio that down offers. The only drawbacks to down insulated garments are the initial expense and the risk of water saturation.