ECWCS Fleece jackets

[wizard]

Anyone use the military ECWCS black fleece jacket, Gen II? Bascially it is the same as The North Face Denali jacket without the $200 pricetag.

I am more of a wool person than a synthetic fleece user but I do like the fleece for a mid layer on really cold outings and I like fleece as an around town jacket on a cold day.

You can still find the 300 weight Polartec fleece jackets around for about $25 in excellent condition. New ones will be about $40. The military has gone over to Gen III and a different cold weather system and the 300 Polartec fleece has been discontinued. Great buy for those that like a synthetic fleece.

I like the inner pockets, pit zips and velcro cuffs. The jacket is in some ways more versatile than a wool sweater. Just stay away from that campfire if you're using it as an outer layer.