Hooded Fleece Jacket
Himali Men’s Endeavor Fleece Hoodie
$180, 15.5 oz./439.4g (men’s medium)
Sizes: men’s S-XL
himali.com
On January days of backcountry skiing in Idaho’s Boise Mountains and Galena Summit area, moving constantly between cold shade and warm sunshine, with temps ranging from single digits to the high 20s Fahrenheit and a cool breeze at times, I wore this hooded, full-zip fleece jacket all day: both as my outer layer while climbing uphill and under a shell while skiing downhill. I never took this hoodie off—very unusual for me when skiing in the backcountry—and remained comfortable the entire time. That illustrates why the Himali Endeavor Fleece Hoodie ranks among the most versatile fleece hoodies and other breathable insulated jackets I’ve reviewed.
Its versatility crosses over to shoulder-season activities, too—in spring and fall as well as early and late summer in the mountains—as demonstrated by several days I wore the Endeavor on three different adventures in late spring in New Zealand.
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Dayhiking the 12.6-mile/20.2-kilometer Tongariro Alpine Crossing on the North Island of New Zealand in late November, on a day of heavy fog, moderate to very strong winds, and wind-driven sideways rain for our first few hours, I stayed mostly dry and comfortably warm wearing the Endeavor under a rain jacket, without overheating or even getting very sweaty (partly due to the cooling effect of the wind).
On a three-day hut trek of the Routeburn Track in New Zealand’s Mount Aspiring and Fiordland national parks in early December, where we had light to moderate rain and wind, the combination of this hoodie and my rain shell kept me dry and warm in wind and temperatures in the 40s and 50s Fahrenheit.
I also wore this hoodie under a rain shell for most of a four-day hut trek of the Milford Track in Fiordland in early December, where we encountered strong winds and some of the absolute heaviest and most relentless rain I’ve ever hiked through in four decades of hiking and backpacking all over the U.S. and around the world. This jacket helped keep me warm even once the rain penetrated my rain jacket and pants in spots (which happened to my companions, who all wore high-quality shells—the rain was that heavy and sustained; see my review of the rain jacket and pants I wore, which actually performed quite well overall).
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To provide one final example, it struck the right balance of warmth and breathability as my outer layer over two lightweight base layers (one T-shirt, one long-sleeve) for a local trail run on a January morning in the teens (Fahrenheit), with no wind and very little solar warmth. Some fleece hoodies would be too light for that, others either too warm or too loose-fitting for running.
There’s nothing complicated about its design. Its versatility lies largely in the simple explanation that the weight of the four-way stretch, 157 gsm (grams per square meter) fleece fabric used throughout this hooded jacket gives it a balance of warmth and breathability that enables you to keep it on during periods of higher exertion—such as when I skied or hiked uphill in wind, only dropping the hood and opening the front zipper as needed, but never taking it off—and often not have to stop to pull another layer out of your pack once your exertion level drops.
That’s exactly what I was able to do on those three treks in New Zealand, all of which featured a significant amount of high-exertion uphill and cooling downhill. Still, the Endeavor remained on my body—and often with a rain jacket over it, meaning my outer layer had limited breathability (true of all waterproof-breathable layers), placing greater demand on the breathability of my fleece middle layer.
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Another fact to not overlook: When my base layers became damp with sweat on the uphill stretches (hiking and skiing), the Endeavor’s warmth and breathability helped quickly dry out those base layers on the downhill—which was critical to me remaining warm and comfortable.
I’m a big fan of fleece mid-layers for this reason, but they can differ quite a lot in warmth—some too light and some too warm for all the circumstances I’ve described wearing the Endeavor in. To compare it with three other favorite fleece hoodies I’ve reviewed, it’s warmer than Himali’s Limitless Grid Fleece Hoodie, perhaps most comparable to the Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody, and a bit more breathable than the Beyond Clothing Alpha Aura Jacket (mostly because of the wind-blocking shell fabric in the Alpha Aura’s hood and shoulders, which some users might like).
At 15.5 ounces/439.4 grams (men’s medium) and stuffing inside either of its interior drop-in pockets to a packed size of slightly larger than a liter bottle (basically identical to the packed size of the Patagonia R1 Air Full-Zip Hoody), the Endeavor Hoodie compares in weight and packability with many hooded fleece jackets designed for cool to cold temperatures.
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That excellent breathability also means, of course, that wind cuts right through this hoodie. That’s good whenever you need to dump excess heat and bad when it’s causing you to cool off too much. And there’s a simple solution to that down side: a shell jacket. But my point is: Don’t mistake this hoodie for a shell jacket.
The Endeavor’s athletic fit allows space for one or two base layers and you can easily layer a shell or even a warmer puffy jacket over it. The front zipper closes over your chin. The non-adjustable, very stretchy hood provides a comfortably close fit, not shifting at all when you turn your head and not getting pushed off by wind, even with the front zipper open; and it delivers a noticeable boost in warmth and layers under shell jacket hoods and helmets. That fit is another characteristic I like in this category of middle layer that adds to its versatility—and not all fleece hoodies have such a nice fit.
The zippered chest pocket is exactly the right size for a smartphone and the two zippered hand pockets are sized for a hat or medium-warmth gloves (not big ski gloves). Two deep drop-in pockets inside the jacket are ideal for warming/drying ski gloves. Lastly, thumb loops add a welcome touch, especially for someone (like me) whose fingers get cold quite easily; having the sleeves remain covering most of your hands boosts warmth significantly.
It’s not available in women’s sizes and I don’t see a comparable hoodie in Himali’s women’s line.
The Verdict
With a highly versatile balance of warmth and breathability, the Himali Men’s Endeavor Fleece Hoodie could become a go-to middle or outer layer for you for a wide range of activities like dayhiking, backpacking, running, climbing, Nordic and backcountry skiing, and walking.
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See all reviews of Himali apparel and all reviews of outdoor apparel at The Big Outside, including “The 12 Best Down Jackets,” “The Best Base Layers, Shorts, and Socks for Hiking and Trail Running,” “The Best Rain Jackets for Hiking and Backpacking,” and “The Best Ultralight Hiking and Running Jackets.”
NOTE: I tested gear for Backpacker magazine for 20 years. At The Big Outside, I review only what I consider the best outdoor gear and apparel. See The Big Outside’s Gear Reviews page for categorized menus of all gear reviews and expert buying tips.
—Michael Lanza