polar fleece vs polartech???????

[stevebo]

Hey guys, just a quick question-------what is the difference between polar fleece----like they sell at your local fabric store, and polartec? (besides price!) how do they compare as far as warmth, durability, and weight?

[turnerminator]

Unfavourably on all three IMHO

The more expensive stuff seems to pill less, feels warmer and doesn't lose its thickness like my cheap fleeces.

That said, I'm not sure how much warmer they actually are and whether its worth the extra. The cheap stuff still really performs.

[Chrisman2013]

Turnerminator is right about Polartec pilling less and lasting longer than cheaper fleeces. In addition, there are many different styles of Polartec fleece. For example I have found that Polartec's "Thermal Pro High Loft" fleece is quite a bit warmer and much more compressible than standard fleece, it seems somewhat lighter too. Polartec also offers a Windbloc fleece that in my opinion is totally windproof, making you much warmer, Windbloc fleece also has a great DWR finish that has kept me dry in through many cold drizzles. In my opinion you are better off investing in the higher quality Polartec fleece though it depends on what you intend to use the fleece for.

[SADLK]

I have found that the Polartech seems to hold up better and stays warmer. Polartech is much better suited for camping/packing and polar fleese is better for playing outdoors and running from your house to your car.

[ICanMakeThat]

Well, as someone who's made countless jackets and other things from fleece over the years, I can say that the number one difference is between Polartec and Polar fleece is that they are brands, like Coke and Pepsi. However, the similarity ends there.

Polartec is a trademarked brand from Malden Mills and as one of the last fabric mills in the U.S. they've only survived by producing top quality and inovative materials against much cheaper and imported fabrics from the far east. For longevity you won't go wrong with stuff from these people and you can buy direct through a company store run and owned by the employees themselves (just search for the company online).

I'm in Canada so I'm not blowing the 'buy American' horn here. I only use Polarec for the above reasons and because of the company that makes it. When their eastern mill burned down a few years ago, they rebuilt rather than move production to the east and kept EVERYONE on the payroll for the entire time they were out of work. Now that's the kind of business owner I am more than happy to flaunt the merits of!

[Brewguy]

So I have another question. The polartec fabric seems to be really expensive, what about the Maladen Mills fabric that Owfinc sells? http://www.owfinc.com/Fabrics/Fabric...leece.htm#1000 Weight Fleece It is still produced by the same mill it just doesn't have the Polartec brand name.

[stairguy]

I find polar fleece or tech to be great warmth layers, and I have both, but only in conjunction with a wind layer outer shell. My personal preference is a tight woven wool, which I find provides both.

[ICanMakeThat]

So I have another question. The polartec fabric seems to be really expensive, what about the Maladen Mills fabric that Owfinc sells? http://www.owfinc.com/Fabrics/Fabric...leece.htm#1000 Weight Fleece It is still produced by the same mill it just doesn't have the Polartec brand name.

You mean that genuine, imitation, 'famous brand' brand, copy of an original? I laugh when I see knock-off companies make up brand names like this in an attempt to fool the unsuspecting into thinking it's the original. 'Maldin Mills Style' is NOT a Maldin Mills product, it's just a marketing ploy to suggest a falsehood without crossing the line into copyright infringement. That's not to say that the goods may not be of equal quality to the original, but if they are willing to use such deceptive means to sell their product then what other corners are they likely to cut in order to make a buck? I personally have a problem with such tactics and never waste my money on such low-lifes.

Okay, breath... breath... Serenity Now!

My opinion is that quality costs less in the end, if you can't find a cheaper source of a quality product the only way to really save is to make it yourself using quality materials (assuming you're any good at making things). Sometimes you just have to wait for the right sale to come along.

It doesn't make sense to me personally to put sweat equity into something and cheap out on the materials unless you're just learning and don't want to waste money on mistakes. For example, the first sewing attempt on a 4 season self-supporting tent I made from scratch was done with old bed sheets I bought at a garage sale for $5. Once I learned what I needed to know, I bought the ripstop nylon and made it for real. Fleece on the other hand is very forgiving and can handle having he seams ripped out many times before it starts to show.

Sorry to be so long winded about this! If you're making something to go out in to the woods with then you have to consider a level of risk that you don't when you're just making something for around town. I'd suggest buying some to try it out first before diving in whole hog on a big project. Regardless of what I've said, I still find it hard to resist a deal

[Brewguy]

You know I guess I misread that. I thought somewhere I had read it was made by the same place, I assumed style 100 was a way of saying 100 wt. You're right it does say 'maldin mills style' lower in the descriptions. Thanks for pointing that out.

You mean that genuine, imitation, 'famous brand' brand, copy of an original? I laugh when I see knock-off companies make up brand names like this in an attempt to fool the unsuspecting into thinking it's the original. 'Maldin Mills Style' is NOT a Maldin Mills product, it's just a marketing ploy to suggest a falsehood without crossing the line into copyright infringement. That's not to say that the goods may not be of equal quality to the original, but if they are willing to use such deceptive means to sell their product then what other corners are they likely to cut in order to make a buck? I personally have a problem with such tactics and never waste my money on such low-lifes.

Okay, breath... breath... Serenity Now!

My opinion is that quality costs less in the end, if you can't find a cheaper source of a quality product the only way to really save is to make it yourself using quality materials (assuming you're any good at making things). Sometimes you just have to wait for the right sale to come along.

It doesn't make sense to me personally to put sweat equity into something and cheap out on the materials unless you're just learning and don't want to waste money on mistakes. For example, the first sewing attempt on a 4 season self-supporting tent I made from scratch was done with old bed sheets I bought at a garage sale for $5. Once I learned what I needed to know, I bought the ripstop nylon and made it for real. Fleece on the other hand is very forgiving and can handle having he seams ripped out many times before it starts to show.

Sorry to be so long winded about this! If you're making something to go out in to the woods with then you have to consider a level of risk that you don't when you're just making something for around town. I'd suggest buying some to try it out first before diving in whole hog on a big project. Regardless of what I've said, I still find it hard to resist a deal

[Trambo]

Wow, andhere I thought they these two,
Were basically the same things.
The amount of knowledge on HF amazes me again