Basic fleece is good stuff and, good news, over the last twenty years it has gotten better and dropped in price. Cheap fleece use to be not all that cheap and it fuzzed, and frayed and stretched unevenly and generally fell apart in a short time. And that was cheap in a relative term of about $50 per piece. Presently cheap fleece is pretty good, it washes and wears well and it can be found for around $10 to $15 for a top. I have seen a decent discount fleece pull-on top for $8 at a drug store. At that rice if it lasts a season your good. If it lasts two your golden.

One thing to remember here is that if your stocking up insulating clothing for a group, extended family, to stock a remote shelter, or as a reserve your going to want solid and effective but inexpensive designs. Careful selection of inexpensive designs can mean you can equip an entire family for less than the price of what it would take to fit one person with top-of-the-line name brand gear.

In a lot of ways you can get much of the benefits of very expensive gear much more cheaply. A simple rain jacket over cheap fleece is as effective, and a fraction of the cost, of water repellent wind blocker fleece. Yes, you have to unzip and loosen sleeves to get ventilation but it isn't a very difficult procedure. Learn to drive your gear. To the good a simple non-breathable rain jacket doesn't suddenly give up its water resistance like many high-tech water repellent designs can.

High-tech and very expensive gear can be justified in very extreme environments. Like for that climb up Mt.Everest. Fortunately the vast majority of survival situations normal people will be involved in will be at low altitudes and in situations where solid reliability, and the availability of basic equipment, is far more important than extreme high performance.

Inexpensive fleece can fill that role and it is so cheap you can buy it on sale by the half-dozen and scatter it around in twos and threes so your never too far away from some warm clothing. For yourself and your family and friends.

Sounds off but a cheap fleece jacket, about $10, is handy around the office. Many buildings are kept too cold and anyone can benefit if they come from a torrential rain. At that price you can afford to let them keep it if they forget to give it back.

I have found them to be handy to keep a few pieces in the car for doctors visits and the mall and movies. All places that are commonly kept too cold for my taste.