The North Face FutureFleece LT Pullover Review

the north face future fleece lt pullover

Ultralight, ultralight breathable, and just warm enough to break the chill

Perhaps one of the lightest and most breathable of all fleeces, we like The North FutureFleece LT for warm weather camping or exertion in the cool temps.

  • Price: $130
  • Weight: 5.1 oz
  • Fabric: FutureFleece LT, Grid, Octa fiber, 100 g/m2
  • Pros: Ultralight. Ultra breathable.
  • Cons: Not very warm. Not the softest. Expensive.

Features

Like its thicker, warmer sibling, FutureFleece LT has flat face fabric and a gridded interior. The grid is comprised of ¼ inch alternating squares of pile clusters and empty spaces. The clusters insulate while the empty spaces encourage breathability.

FutureFleece LT fabric weighs 100 g/m2. Which is lighter and less insulated than standard FutureFleece fabric, which weighs 124 g/m2. This can be seen in the gridded fabric clusters of LT, which are flatter and less voluminous compared to the protruding loop clusters of the standard fabric.

However, LT still reaps all of the benefits of Octa fiber. The hollow core and interlocking ridges creates microscopic pockets of dead air that have insulative properties. This improves warmth-to-weight.

At 5 oz, even juiced up by Octa Fiber, it’s FutureFleece LT still isn’t very warm as hiking fleece jackets go. We think it’s comparably insulative to a midweight merino wool base layer. Not a bad warmth-to-weight, considering one of those is twice as heavy.

Feature-wise, this is a super bare bones pullover. The quarter zip vents and thumb loops secure the sleeves.

Verdict

FutureFleece LT is incredibly ultralight and supremely breathable. It breaks the chill, but it’s not warm enough to be an all-purpose backpacking camp fleece. Great to wear while hiking in cool weather or camping in warm weather.

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Compare this to the best hiking fleeces of the year. And polish off your layering system with our guide to hiking shirts, down jackets, and rain gear.