Who makes a good, fleece pullover with a hood that's warm, packs light/small, and doesn't cost an arm and a leg? I'm wanting to keep one in my BOB and my current one from Old Navy is just too big to pack in there.

Fleece is great to wear, awful to pack. I have been unable to find a way to get it to pack small. For packing purposes I replaced my fleece with a hooded fiberfill jacket that compresses nicely.

Hope this pans out. I ditched fleece mid layers for filled jackets. I have been wearing my REI Spruce and it is great. It keeps me super warm down to freezing, is water resistant, and wind proof to 70 mph. It also zips the arms off to be a vest and packs very small. I don't travel without it.

I use a vaccumm packer to suck down the fleece that I carry in my pack. I use it in conjunction with a Gortex shell jacket and pants. It sucks down to about the size of small thermous. Hey dont laugh it works.

All I pretty much wear when it's 28 and up is a t-shirt and a fleece columbia zip-up. Love the fleece stuff, nice and toasty and light weight.

Never seen a fleece hoodie ?

REI has their Rimrock Microfleece Hoodie on sale -- cheap.

For BOBs I usually have a couple of large duffel bags that allow me to carry all the fleece I could reasonably use. I'm not planning on hiking anywhere with them, if I go it will be by truck or with a cart, so limited mobility isn't an issue.

Backpacking I use a huge external frame pack that allows more room than I ever need. I can carry my sleeping bag, any of the tents, a tarp inside it and still have room inside for all my other gear and a second sleeping bag if need be.

I seldom use them but on a lark I got a couple of ultralight compression sacks on sale at a local pack shop. Pretty neat. Using them I can squash down even an overly bulky, and not very efficient, Coleman sleeping bag to about the size of a loaf of bread. These are tough stuff sacks with bands going in both directions that allow anything inside to be squeezed down to its minimum possible size.

It doesn't take long as the buckles operate only one way until a tab is pressed. The biggest has six bands lengthwise and four around the circumference. A quick pull on each strap in turn and twice around both ways, takes about a minute, and it's done.

I like fleece. It is warm for the weight, cheap, doesn't hold moisture and it lasts a long time. A base layer, fleece mid-layer and a rain jacket and pants as outer layer to keep wind and rain out and I'm good for anything nature can toss my way. last I priced it the a complete outfit, including some poly/wool socks and liners was about $100. About a half what one of my mates spent on just his jacket.

The jacket he is such a Nancy about because he doesn't want to get it dirty or muddy or risk it getting torn on thorns or too close to the fire or spotted with pine tar or bug juice. Funny guy to camp with.

We use the Space Bag Travel Bags that enable you to "roll out" the air instead of needing a vacuum to remove the air. This way you can repack in the field, something not easy with a vacuum bagger.

These things work GREAT for M/C Touring, backpacking, BOB, general travel and storage.

I don't know where they were when I was in the Army, but I wish I had them then.

I am starting to move toward them. The wife bought some for a trip to S.C. and showed them to me. They are great! Expensive, but great!

They last for a long time thru saddle bag, backpack and airport luggage handler abuse in a soft duffel.

I would rather have a bigger bag than not have enough clothes to stay warm.
If you can't find the fleece hoody you are looking for maybe you could add a small stuff sack full of cold weather clothes to your BOB.
(I am a bit like Art_in_FL with huge duffel bags.
But it was -42 here last Saturday so my Helly Hansen skidoo suit is in a duffel bag in the trunk of my car until spring happens. At least If I get stuck out on the highway I will not freeze to death before help arrives.)

One thing about a sack of bulky clothes is that it can get jammed into odd shaped spaces, used as cushioning for other containers and can have quite a bit of other stuff packed into it
8lbs is still 8lbs no matter how tight you squeeze it, or how loose you leave it.

Wal-Mart and other big box stores have them cheaper in the travel departments.

IzzyJG99's suggestion for T.A.D. Gear's Ranger Hoodie looks the business;

http://tadgear.com/x-treme%20gear/apparel%20main/ranger_hoodie.htm

$120 for a Polartec Windpro jacket with a hood seems to be good value. These jackets do last quite a bit of time and using the wind proof fleece will be a lot warmer than standard fleece. The Polartec windpro fabric is also reasonably weatherproof and will handle light rain and snow.

I have a Gore Windstopper Jacket and is excellent for high activity during very cold days. It has no hood though.

http://www.johnbullclothing.com/products.asp?ID=1946

Not an outer layer but packs nicely: http://www.patagonia.com/web/us/product/product_focus.jsp?OPTION=PRODUCT_FOCUS_DISPLAY_HANDLER&style_color=44850-565&ws=false&patcatcode=SEARCH.SEARCH_TERM:CAPILENE_2.&searchkeyrefferer=esearch.jsp&encodedsearchkey=OPTION%3DESEARCH_DD%26psDrilldown%3Dtrue%26Ntt%3Dcapilene%2B2%26N%3D3500466%26psPageNumber%3Dall

Looking further, I can't find some of the older items which I use. My BOB usually only has a gore-tex type rain suit and two layers of poly-pro or wool; a base layer (silk weight) and a mid to heavy layer. All three in layers will work in all but Arctic type conditions and they take up less space.

2005RedTJ,

How much is your arm and leg worth?

Almost all outdoor companies make a fleece pullover, and they're all pretty similar. They may vary on things like pockets, style, or colors, but they all work the same. The only problem is what other people have already mentioned, fleece doesn't really pack down very well, so if you get a comparable fleece from somewhere else, it'll probably be the same size as the one you have now.

If space is limited maybe pack a set of thermals, or an insulated jacket. If you are comparing size vs. warmth, those are probably better. I have a primaloft jacket that is much warmer than any of my fleece sweaters, but packs down into the size of a large grapefruit.

Can I ask, why a pullover? I like fleece OK, but I don't like pullovers, since if you start to overheat, 'bout all you can do it take the thing off. I prefer a front zip (underarm zips are OK too), so that I can regulate my body temp more...

Ya'll make some good points. I like that REI Spruce and the price is nice too. I might have to order one of those. The Ranger Hoodie v4.0 is a little steep.

Not to mention easier to remove if one hurts an arm.

"...hurts an arm..."

Or shoulder...

I use a NorthFace poly-fill jacket (for about $60 at an outlet). It's a bit warmer than a fleece, really durable (wore it nearly every day last winter), water repellent for a short period, zips into their shells. Cons: no hood, not water proof.

In comparison, it's warmer than my NF 300 fleece jacket (not the windbreaker fleece, and it's also about 6 yrs old), but not quite as warm as my NF down jacket. Packs to about a small/teen size football.

In fact, I just started wearing my NF fleece this week, to/from the gym, after essentially replacing it with this jacket. Tried to find a link, but got tired after looking through 9 pages.

The comments about pullovers being harder to get off when injured makes a lot of sense. I guess I was just thinking that no zipper = less to break. I already carry a pair of thermal underwear in my bag, along with thick hiking socks, gloves, a fleece cap, and a boonie hat. I'm leaning now towards a jacket like the REI Spruce or something similar.

no zipper also = warmer. Definitely air leaks thru the zipper. On the other hand it's easier to cool down if it gets warm and you want to unzip rather than completely remove the fleece.

a zip up hoodie with zip pockets is a real chore to find.i ended up have zippers put into the one i take on canoe trips.
all i could find in a mid weight poly fluff was a zip up with no hood or a hood but no pockets or hood but no zips and so on.
i just about live in the thing in all but the warmest weather and it works perfect under a light gor-tex rain jacket.zip pockets are a must for any real outdoor living.i keep a SAK,TP packs from MRE's,Bic's,candy bars,small flashlights,you name it--

Old Navy has some decent zip-up ones. I have one of these too. http://www.oldnavy.com/browse/category.do?cid=13984

The one with the Old Navy logo across the front is the one I have. It's pretty darned warm and it's only $11.80 right now. I love mine, I guess I just need a stuff sack to pack my clothing in my BOB.

Was looking for something else and happened onto the REI web site and it had these on sale:
http://www.rei.com/product/770235

At 12$ they aren't too bad. I have had good results making minor modifications to inexpensive gear. Fleece tops often benefit from some upgrades. In this case I would add a zipper from the neckline to just above the kangaroo pocket. Also a drawstrings and cord locked at the bottom and on the hood. Perhaps some way to close up the sleeves cuffs. Elastic is easiest but velcro or button flaps allow more adjustment. Pit zips are a possibility but they can be difficult to do right and allow ventilation without losing heat when closed.

Drawstrings and cord locks are easy. A bit of good 3mm accessory cord and locks you can buy at most sewing shops. While your there get the over sized needle that makes threading the cord through the seams easy. A quick snip in the seam and overcasting to keep the material from raveling, thread the cord, slip on a cord lock, tie a knot and either whip or melt the ends of the cord after they are trimmed.

Being able to close off the bottom hem and sleeves makes the jackets and pullovers a lot warmer. Also allows them to be used as a field expedient backpack with the sleeves as shoulder straps and the body, closed off by the pull cord, as the bag. Handy when the morning is cold and the day warm and you end up doffing a closet load of clothing but don't have a pack.

This is the same product with a full-length zip:
http://www.rei.com/product/778607

Not bad but a little pricier at $50.

A lot has to do with how you drive your equipment. A pullover can't be unzipped down the front but sleeves can be pulled up above the elbows. Bare forearms allow a lot of heat to escape. The top can be loosened. One of the good things about non-windproof fleeces is that the windproof layer is in the layer on top of it. So if you loosen the shell the fleece ventilates quickly.

You can buy cord locks in bulk on ebay cheap. I've been converting a mess of things to cord locks in the last year!

I saved up my Christmas money and splurged on version 4.0.

It came today.

Wow! i have a new favorite jacket! is all can say

Another option is the Under Armour coldwear hoodie. I have one that I wear fishing in the late fall on the Gulf of Maine. Its very warm and has an external surface that is smoother than most fleece so it doesn't snag and/or pull.

If you watch for clearances they can be had reasonably cheap--especially if you don't care about what color

I just got a couple St John's Bay fleece pullovers from JC Penny this weekend. 70% off...cost me $12 each. They seem to be well made, and are nice and warm. I wore one while shoveling the driveway (again!!) this afternoon.

You may want to check out Cabelas Insulator Jacket it has all the things you are asking for hood, packability and warmth.

here is the product number.
Trans Alaska Insulator Jacket, Item# 9IS-922874

I don't have this model but more then a few people are very pleased with it. I have the pataognia M steath down jacket and it does what i need it to but it is a higher costing piece.

http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/me...ody/1000428-080
This, a down vest and a lightweight wind/waterproof jacket will fit in an Alice pack pocket. I tend to replace the fleece with a lightweight wool shirt now days, as it doesn't get holes from the fire. But for hiking in wet conditions its very nice.