Patagonia Micro D Fleece Pullover Review

We thoroughly enjoyed taking the Patagonia Micro D Fleece Pullover on backpacking trips, climbing outings, and casual strolls to dinner. This would already stand out as an ultra-light layer, but the fact that it's actually affordable makes it an even better jacket.

Warmth

As a thin fleece, the Patagonia Micro D Fleece Pullover isn't going to keep you particularly warm as a stand-alone layer. However, it worked well for moderate temperatures across the spring, summer, and fall, and is a great part of a layering system for activities like hiking or skiing.

In the coldest months of the year, we'd recommend treating the Patagonia Micro D Fleece Pullover as a base layer or “close-to-base” layer, with minimal heat retention. It's a slimmer-fitting piece and is easy to add insulation over, but if you are hunting for a fleece jacket for lots of standalone warmth, we'd look elsewhere.

Comfort

The Patagonia Micro D Fleece Pullover is a very lightweight layer that's comfortable for a wide variety of applications, whether going on a dog walk or going backpacking.

This is a fleece jacket you won't mind logging long trips in, whether traveling or camping. While the lack of pockets was kind of a bummer, it made for a comfy layer to camp in, with no zippered hand or chest pockets to lay on or bunch up under backpack waist belts or other layers. It also boasts decent mobility, with unencumbered movement from a slightly relaxed fit and an impressive amount of stretch.

Breathability

The Patagonia Micro D Fleece Pullover uses classic polyester fleece material that's been around for decades. While designs like this have historically poor breathability, this model leans on a thinner amount of fabric to at least offer some breathability.

For hikes, climbs, scrambles, and backpacking trips, we were able to stay fairly cool in the Patagonia Micro D Fleece Pullover despite a less technical fabric build. The hem is a bit looser and encouraged some airflow, while the ¼ length zip reduced our ability to shed heat through the zipper area. While this wasn't our top-scoring jacket for breathability, we were able to keep it on during times when we might have shed heavier fleece layers.

Layering Ability

The Patagonia Micro D Fleece Pullover is best for fitting layers overtop of, though it'll accept a single base layer underneath. The stretch of the Micro D will also help, but if you want a looser-fitting fleece to fit layers underneath it, we'd suggest another model.

Whether fitting a soft shell, rain jacket, or puffy over the Patagonia Micro D Fleece Pullover, you'll most likely have no issues. This slimmer fit piece also had minimal bunching with overlayers on, and the overall comfort was not compromised, regardless of the additional clothing we had to throw into the mix.

Weight

The shining metric for the Patagonia Micro D Fleece Pullover is weight. This layer is light and doesn't cost a fortune. Bottom line: if you're a gram counter when it comes to outdoor gear, this is a great layer for your kit.

At 7.5 ounces in a men's small, this is one of the lightest fleece jackets we've seen. It's also a very packable layer and can easily be crammed into the corner of your already-full backpack, or even a tiny day bag.

Should You Buy the Patagonia Fleece Micro D?

If you want a lightweight fleece jacket that won't dent your bank account, put the Patagonia Micro D Fleece Pullover in your shopping cart. This layer is mobile, fairly breathable, and easy to fit layers over. If you want a jacket with a hood or pockets, we might suggest that you look elsewhere, but it's hard to beat the scale scores and purchase price of this fleece.

What Other Fleece Jackets Should You Consider?