The North Face Glacier Fleece review: In preparation for my epic ski adventure, coming soon to The Girl Outdoors (well, once I actually hit the slopes), I tested out my new North Face Glacier fleece, £30, in chilly Britain before I wear it whilst falling over a lot on an Italian mountain. Read on to see how it measured up.

THE NORTH FACE GLACIER FLEECE REVIEW

The product description:

“The all new Women’s 100 Glacier 1/4 Zip fleece top from The North Face is now constructed from the soft, thermally efficient Polartec Classic Micro fleece which has the added bonus of being resistant to the sun’s harmful rays. The Glacier is a brilliant fleece which can be worn as a top layer or part of a layering system in colder climates.

If you’re after a quick drying, lightweight and value for money fleece then the Women’s 100 Glacier 1/4 Zip fleece is the one for you.”

Test 1: Walking up hills and running along paths

The Glacier has achieved a happy medium – thin enough so that you don’t overheat, easily layered over long-sleeved tops and under coats, yet warm enough to keep you mega toasty. I wore it under a waxed jacket on a walk on a chilly morning and felt so warm I had to take my coat off. If you do exert yourself enough to sweat, such as when jogging, then the fast-drying mechanism wicks water away and keeps the fleece material from getting soggY – perfect for snow wear.

Test 2: Getting muddy, wet, washing and other abuse

The Glacier takes a remarkable lot of wear and tear in its stride. After a rainy, muddy cycle along the canal I shoved my liberally besplattered fleece into the washing machine and withdrew a pristine-looking and fluffy version of it 90 minutes later. Easy peasy. The same mechanism that wicks away sweat makes the fleece dry mega fast as well – an hour or two on the washing line and it was ready to go. In summary, it was a bit like being in a Persil advert.

Test 3: As a sartorial style statement

I don’t think there is any getting away from the fact that this is an incredibly, unbelievably pink fleece. In real life it looks even more neon than in pictures, emitting a slightly radioactive glow. This has the plus of making you easy to spot in deep dark woods, but it does get less positive reactions in city settings, where my friends decided I emitted a definite vibe they summed up as “Malibu Barbie goes hiking”. Not a good look.
However, once the fleece is on it’s so amazingly cosy and duvet-like that fashion goes out the window, and anyway, once I get this baby on the slopes under my black ski jacket I think it’ll look pretty damn cool.

Verdict:

Consider your colour choice carefully if you plan to wear this where other people may see you (as it also comes in a more subtle black or blue), but otherwise these fleeces are a fantastic choice for warmth without heaviness at a very good price. Ideal for layering on for winter sports or keeping camping cosy.

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