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Mountain Hardwear MicroChill Zip T

rated 4.5 of 5 stars
photo: Mountain Hardwear MicroChill Zip T fleece top

I am 6'0", 175 pounds and the size reviewed is a men's large.

I first saw the MicroChill Zip T in my local gear shop when I was browsing one day. It caught my eye for two reasons.

One: It looked soft, light, and warm, so I thought that it would be a great layering piece to purchase and two: I am a sucker for Mountain Hardwear products. I own so many Mountain Hardwear products I could practically open my own store.

Well, so far, the MicroChill has not let me down. I use it as a mid layer over a long sleeve shirt and sometimes in combination with my Power Stretch Zip T. As a mid layer it functions great. As a top layer it's almost better. The collar zips high and tight, warming up your neck like a little oven. I use it to sleep in on really cold nights (below freezing) and it keeps me comfortable all night long.

The only real con I can find with the MicroChill is that the seams along the sleeves are a little weird. They are slightly annoying if you aren't wearing a long sleeve shirt underneath but aren't so annoying that you cannot function without one.

Overall another great product from Mountain Hardwear and one that I would definitely purchase again.

Fabric: Polartec Classic 100 Micro Fleece
Fill: N/A
Price Paid: $55

Very good lightweight fleece. Nice cut and stitching, with decent feel to fleece fabric. Wears comfortably with no abrasion from inner stitching.

Pros

  • Nice cut
  • Good colour selection
  • Well constructed

Cons

  • Fabric appears to be of good but not excellent quality
  • No chin guard for zipper

Fit and comfort: Very comfortable lightweight fleece top. Fits well, stretches enough with body motion and there is no chaffing or abrasion from inner stitching.

Adjustability: Nice deep zip neck, great for ventilation, otherwise there are no other points of adjustability.

Warmth: For a 100 weight fleece, it performs as it should. It is adequately warm without overheating.

Layering: It appears to be a slimmer fit than my other fleeces which makes it quite easy to layer over.

So far it has been used on two hikes as outer layer with light pack (20 L), no signs of wear yet. Used multiple times as mid layer. So far it functions as a fleece should, with no sign of wear or stretching. Appears well constructed with nice stitching detail and MH logo.

Only fault I can find is lack of chin guard for zipper. Although most microfleeces don't have this, it is a nice feature as it prevents zipper chafing or hair getting caught for those of us that forget or choose not to shave.

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: 25 pounds

Cozy, easy care, fast dry, great wick, WONDERFUL!

Pros

  • care
  • look
  • wicking

Cons

  • color choices

I own a bunch of these...so soft, so easy to take care of, no pack wear, forgiving around campfire sparks for a fleece, great fit, fast drying, good wicking, comfortable.

Source: bought it new

Nice layering piece.

Pros

  • Good fit
  • Good for layering

Like the color, darker blue. Slim athletic fit. Can fit a thin layer underneath. I have broad shoulders that can be hard to fit, this works well. I have a longer torso and this seems to be a reasonable fit. My wife wife says it looks good on me. 5'6" 125 lbs, own a small. Fits great.

Source: received it as a personal gift

Great insulating layer. I wear this when snowshoeing and building up to much heat for my softshell. Warm and comfy.

Price Paid: $50

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Specs

Men's
Price Historic Range: $14.17-$60.00
Reviewers Paid: $50.00-$55.00
Women's
Price Historic Range: $19.73-$70.00
Boys'
Price Historic Range: $21.97-$40.00
Girls'
Price Historic Range: $16.83-$40.00
Product Details from Mountain Hardwear »

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