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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    50,491

    What happened to the fleece vest?

    I was in REI last week, and didn't find one. Haven't seen any in on or off mountain ski shops. Cheap, really versatile item of clothing. Did I say cheap? And effective. Can wear them in many situations. They used to be ubiquitous. Mine are wearing out, would like a few new ones.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
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    30,881
    also hard to find fleece pants
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    ECO
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    5,805
    Eddie Bauer has 60% their clearance today. Thought I saw one but sizes?
    Peak60 is the code.
    Got a really warm fleece 1/2 zip long sleeve for $30 when it was 40% off, so most stuff still available is pretty cheap.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Eburg
    Posts
    13,243
    Patagucci still makes 'em.

    For the bargain hunters, BiMart has a selection

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    SoCal
    Posts
    6,749
    800 fill Stoic puffy vest replaced mine, much prefer the comfort, weight, and packability compared to fleece. For $30 from SAC, it's my most used article of clothing by far.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Posts
    3,230
    https://instagram.com/midtownuniform...d=gt7whkud0mfd

    Brad, Chad and tad bought them all...


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    truckee
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    23,111
    Quote Originally Posted by Benny Profane View Post
    I was in REI last week, and didn't find one. Haven't seen any in on or off mountain ski shops. Cheap, really versatile item of clothing. Did I say cheap? And effective. Can wear them in many situations. They used to be ubiquitous. Mine are wearing out, would like a few new ones.
    REI lists 17 fleece vests for men.
    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    also hard to find fleece pants
    We covered that a month or two ago I believe. REI lists 19 of those for men. MEC only 3. Patagonia has 4 for men.

    You'll both be getting my bill.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    kinda halfway twixt NH & CO
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    1,413
    some are made in the granite state:

    https://raggedmountain.com/

  9. #9
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    Mar 2008
    Location
    northern BC
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    30,881
    Used to be able to buy them anywhere, now I need to male order any fleece product from a foreign country full of war-like religious fanatics which somehow has a different cachet ?
    Lee Lau - xxx-er is the laziest Asian canuck I know

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    Down In A Hole, Up in the Sky
    Posts
    35,360
    The local thrift stores here don’t even want them, they can’t sell them for $15.00.
    Forum Cross Pollinator, gratuitously strident

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Location
    PNW
    Posts
    300
    Fleece is just bad for the environment maaaaannnnnn make sure you don't wash your fleece or you're adding microplastics to the oceans

    https://www.outsideonline.com/209187...ious-pollutant

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
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    Looking down
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    50,491
    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    Used to be able to buy them anywhere, now I need to male order any fleece product from a foreign country full of war-like religious fanatics which somehow has a different cachet ?
    Or New Hampshire?

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Dystopia
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    21,053
    Quote Originally Posted by XXX-er View Post
    Used to be able to buy them anywhere, now I need to male order any fleece product from a foreign country full of war-like religious fanatics which somehow has a different cachet ?
    Male order
    . . .

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    In Your Wife
    Posts
    8,291
    XXX-er's descriptions of America are among my favorite posts on this board. Love 'em.

  15. #15
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    On a genuine ol' fashioned authentic steam powered aereoplane
    Posts
    16,804

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Posts
    103
    Quote Originally Posted by Benny Profane View Post
    What happened to the fleece vest?
    The Patagonia Nano-Air Vest happened.

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Oct 2003
    Location
    In Your Wife
    Posts
    8,291
    I.e. someone found a way to charge $200 for a garment that is functionally very similar to one that could have been purchased for $40-50 before.

    Also, the lack of chest pocket on that FRS vest would be a dealbreaker for me.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    7B Idaho
    Posts
    873
    Agree with OP, such a good piece of kit.

    I still have my 200wt black fleece Nike (!) vest from ~1998. Yea it's a bit heavy compared to modern stuff, but still works pretty much like it did the first day I got it.

    More recently, I got a used Patagonia Piton Hybrid vest (made with polartec powerstretch fleece) on Ebay for $30 that is lighter, better pockets, more breathable that I have been using for touring and cold runs. In general, the discontinued Patagonia Piton series (all made with Polartec Powerstretch fleece) are just damn fantastic, but everyone wants breathable insulation that wears out and loses it's loft in a couple seasons instead. I ran 20mi in a Piton pullover on Saturday in temps 20-40F, was perfect temp the whole time, doesn't even stink after.

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Not in the PRB
    Posts
    32,781
    Vests have never made any sense to me. But they make nice corporate swag, I guess
    "fuck off you asshat gaper shit for brains fucktard wanker." - Jesus Christ
    "She was tossing her bean salad with the vigor of a Drunken Pop princess so I walked out of the corner and said.... "need a hand?"" - Odin
    "everybody's got their hooks into you, fuck em....forge on motherfuckers, drag all those bitches across the goal line with you." - (not so) ill-advised strategy

  20. #20
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Sun Valley, ID
    Posts
    2,527
    Quote Originally Posted by skis_the_trees View Post
    Agree with OP, such a good piece of kit.

    I still have my 200wt black fleece Nike (!) vest from ~1998. Yea it's a bit heavy compared to modern stuff, but still works pretty much like it did the first day I got it.

    More recently, I got a used Patagonia Piton Hybrid vest (made with polartec powerstretch fleece) on Ebay for $30 that is lighter, better pockets, more breathable that I have been using for touring and cold runs. In general, the discontinued Patagonia Piton series (all made with Polartec Powerstretch fleece) are just damn fantastic, but everyone wants breathable insulation that wears out and loses it's loft in a couple seasons instead. I ran 20mi in a Piton pullover on Saturday in temps 20-40F, was perfect temp the whole time, doesn't even stink after.
    Have a piton jacket. Fully agree.

  21. #21
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Location
    Dreamland
    Posts
    1,103
    Quote Originally Posted by Danno View Post
    Vests have never made any sense to me. But they make nice corporate swag, I guess
    Got a synthetic "puff" type sweater/jacket (cause I didn't want to mess with down, which seems to be all the rage these days), but it's too fucking hot to wear unless it is in the single digits. Started wearing my old fleece vest and now it's a regular part of my kit when it's in the teens. Long underwear top, poly pro shirt and gortex shell with pit zips for in the 20s, add vest with full zipper for venting in the teens, and substitute puff for real cold. The vest is 20 years old but I'm wearing it half my ski days, and as a bonus it adds a couple extra easy to get to large zippered pockets to my set up.
    Gravity Junkie

  22. #22
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    SE Idaho
    Posts
    2,178
    Quote Originally Posted by Danno View Post
    Vests have never made any sense to me. But they make nice corporate swag, I guess
    My wool icebreaker vest is probably my most used piece of outdoor clothing. I often skin in only a thermal top and vest. Almost all lift serve days it is my main insulation. Perfect for summer hiking, BBQs, blah, blah...

    I usually get too hot in a puffy jacket unless it's really cold out or I am just standing around. Once upon a time almost everyone I knew had a vest of some type in the backcountry Vests are hugely versatile just not as cool as more modern options I guess.

  23. #23
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    7B Idaho
    Posts
    873
    Quote Originally Posted by Danno View Post
    Vests have never made any sense to me. But they make nice corporate swag, I guess
    They are the best for activities when you need to use your arms a lot with overhead shoulder motion, like climbing, or for me even ski touring (admittedly not overhead) where I am using my poles constantly for pushing. They don't restrict your shoulder range of motion. For lift served skiing prob doesn't matter as much, but the difference when swinging ice tools overhead is pretty profound.

  24. #24
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    12,609
    Vests are dumb, fleece or down. Next thing you know you guys will be wearing down skirts.

  25. #25
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    idaho panhandle!
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    9,952
    Quote Originally Posted by Name Redacted View Post
    Vests are dumb, fleece or down. Next thing you know you guys will be wearing down skirts.
    Kilt, down kilts....

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