Men's Fleece Light Zip Neck 26/27

The Fleece Light Zip Neck takes Ortovox's mountain base layer and turns it into a midlayer you can happily wear on the outside. It is built from Merino Fleece Light: 67% polyester, 26% merino and 7% elastane, with fine Tasmanian merino against the skin. The men's version weighs 270 g and it is made in Europe.

The merino on the inside absorbs moisture and neutralizes odors during hard efforts, and the high stretch content gives full freedom of movement. The trade-off is that a light fleece is about breathability and comfort rather than big warmth, so on a truly frigid day you will want an insulating layer over it.

Ortovox gives it top marks for ski touring and freeride, and that is exactly where it shines: moving fast uphill, then throwing a shell over it for the descent. It suits skiers who run warm and want one layer that manages sweat. If you want a cozy fleece for standing around, go heavier.

Regular fit, a two-layer collar and a half-length zipper that dumps heat on the climb and makes it easy to pull on and off.

It is one of our favorite touring layers, the kind of piece you stop taking off once you realize how well it handles a hard day on the skin track.