Patagonia Expedition 4 knock-off

I am the same way…being almost six feet tall, NONE of the women's stuff fits me especially Patagonia. So I don't even bother with going to the women's sides of stores. And I have a Marilyn Monroe type body. I live near two military bases and the military provides the soldiers with the SAME cold weather stuff we use (R1, etc.) but under different names and much better prices. The compromise is you don't get a choice of all those bright colors the higher end manufacturers offer, but then again you don't pay their prices either.
Look into the "Condor" brand fleece gridded shirts on ebay. Good stuff and it works just as well. I have tested them under all conditions and can give you an honest assessment.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/231101928741?var=530276547191&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Yes, it seems to me that I have given up on buying women's outdoor clothing. Mostly men's fit, and I have gotten some good tops from the gear trade site here…men's small.

So true about trying these things to see what works. I needed some comparison data to begin my search. My gear generally lasts a long time, so trying to keep up with all that's out there is impossible now. I do the layering..light underneath, etc…and this is why I am looking for something lighter in weight (not function)when I need to carry the layer. I haven't used grid/power/powder/fleece/what-not fabric. I am waiting for the cuben/fleece variety to emerge..!!

Desert Dweller…what is the weight of the Condor? I can't find it on the site.

Has Columbia grid fleece (a full zip hoody looked pretty nice to me) on sale for cheap right now. check it out.

I second the condor weight question.
How does it compare to R1/Cap1, etc.

Any anti-odor treatment?

Got to try out a new Capilene 4 hoody on a chilly hike in the White Mountains yesterday. It was 18 degrees with a strong wind when I started. The wind died down, but it was 11 degrees at the top and 13 degrees back at the car.

I had on a Marmot long sleeve Power Dry ThermalClime shirt and bottoms: towards the heavier end of a “lightweight” base layer.

Then, I wore the Capilene 4 hoody.

It was so windy starting from the car that I put on a Marmot Fusion jacket, which is a hybrid thermal running jacket with very stretchy thermal spandex arms and back with Pertex Quantum on the front and shoulders for some wind protection. I wore this for the first mile or so and then took it off as I was starting to warm up as the wind died and the trail got steeper.

For the rest of the day, I hiked in just he baselayer crew and the Cap 4 hoody — except when I stopped for coffee and a snack at the top, when I put on a down hoody.

The Power Dry HE was fantastic. The hood was all I needed on my head. And, I was warm enough in pretty cold temps while moving. Never felt like I was getting sweaty.

The Patagonia version fit tight like a base layer. It was OK as a top layer over a thin baselayer crew (or over a short sleeve T), but that’s about it. The Marmot version should arrive this week. It may be a bit bigger as it’s sold as a jacket/hoody instead of a baselayer. We’ll see.

All in all, I’d say the Cap 4 for this purpose is similar to a Power Stretch hoody, but not as heavy or warm. Perfect for high output aerobics in cold weather.

I don’t know how people hike in heavy winter jackets. They must sweat a lot less than I do… The funny thing… when I’m not moving, I like the heaviest down jacket I can find.

Anyway, this Power Dry HE fabric seems to really hit a versatile sweet spot: warm baselayer or extremely light/breathable mid layer.

del

Sorry I've been away…the Condor is 12.3 oz. XXL size.

From the weight given and the photo of the fabric, the Condor piece is NOT Polartec Power Dry High Efficiency fabric as used in the new Capilene 4 or Marmot Thermo tops. It looks (and weighs) like a heavier fleece, more like an R1. That's fine, although honestly, if you want a heavier fleece, the Power Stretch fleece is hard to beat. Seriously comfortable.

At the price, I suspect that it's not a Polartec fabric, although Polartec does make a flame resistant military version of their grid fleece.

If you are on a budget, there are lots of 100w/200w fleece tops at much lower cost. Once you know how to layer, the real differences in all this stuff is small. UL gear is really performance based and these long-winded discussions can really be about single digit percentages. if you are in a large city, hit the thrift stores: fleece is plentiful and cheap.

as mr dale says … thats all there is to it …

other than the "weight" of the powerdry fabric, and the fit …. dont overthink it

try it on, and if yr worried buy from somewhere with a no questions asked guarantee

use what works for YOU … all the top climbers/athletes all use different brands, and many use their own systems … yet they all go harder than almost everyone of us

;)

yes, and I scored 2 no-name fleece tops for $3, maybe 100 wt, weighing in at 8.9 oz each. I would like something lighter in weight and not as bulky. I may have to make my own. : )

FYI update: I purchased a Melanzana microgrid hoodie in a men's small, weighs 9 oz. Perfect fit. Perfect warmth. I'm wearing it now at home fighting off a bad chest cold…and this has kept me warm enough to get rid of the chills. The grid looks the same as the paddy, and others…very nice texture. Arms are a bit long, but I don't care. Torso lenght is longer than most tops and will keep my butt warmer. I'm pretty happy with the purchase. Hoodies will be great for sleeping, too. More like a balaclava.