Fleece Weights, 100 vs 200 vs 300, Explained
The 100, 200 and 300 on a fleece jacket describe fabric weight per square meter, not a warmth rating, and a fleece blocks far less wind than a softshell.
By Adolph GreenContributing writer.
On this page
The short answer
A fleece labeled 100, 200 or 300 is named for the weight of its fabric. Lower numbers mean thinner, lighter fabric; higher numbers mean thicker, heavier fabric. The scale grew out of Polartec's fabric names, and many other makers use it loosely.
The number is not a warmth rating. A heavier fleece is often warmer, but lab measurements show the link is weaker than the names suggest, so treat the number as a guide to thickness and bulk.
What 100 weight fleece means
Backpacking Light lists these fabric weight bands for the common classes:
| Class | Fabric weight | Also called |
|---|---|---|
| Microfleece | under 100 g/m² | Thin fleece |
| 100 weight | 100 to 200 g/m² | Lightweight; Patagonia R1 |
| 200 weight | 200 to 300 g/m² | Midweight; Patagonia R2 |
| 300 weight | over 300 g/m² | Heavyweight; Patagonia R3 |
So a 100 weight fleece is the light end of the scale. The bands are approximate, and the source itself notes that only the fabric maker or the garment maker can give the exact weight of a given jacket.
100 vs 200 vs 300 fleece
- 100 weight: thin and breathable. It packs small and fits under a shell, which suits hiking, running in cold weather and other high effort activity where you heat up fast.
- 200 weight: the middle option. Warm enough to wear alone on a cool day, still thin enough to layer under a rain jacket.
- 300 weight: thick and lofty. It works as an outer layer for standing around in the cold, but it is bulky to layer and can feel too warm when you are moving.
Heavier is not always warmer
In Backpacking Light's tests of ten fleece fabrics on a heated plate, the author found no clear relationship between fabric weight and warmth. The lightest sample, a Polartec 100 fabric, ranked second for warmth, while the heaviest, a Polartec 300 fabric, ranked last. Only 6 of the 10 samples weighed what their class name implied.
The test was small and done with dry fabric only, so it does not settle how fleece behaves in wind or rain. It does show why two jackets with the same number can feel different.
Fleece vs softshell
| Fleece | Softshell | |
|---|---|---|
| Breathability | High | High |
| Wind | Little protection (windproof fleece aside) | Wind resistant |
| Light rain | Not water resistant | Water resistant, not waterproof |
| Wear | Can pill and shed lint | Tougher woven face |
Altitude Sports describes a softshell as a middle ground between a fleece and a waterproof shell: stretchy, breathable and able to shrug off wind and light moisture. Fleece breathes just as well but lets wind straight through, unless it has a windproof membrane inside. A common setup is a fleece for warmth with a shell over it when the wind picks up.
How we count
Colors in the chart are read from each fleece jacket's store listing on Wiki Shopping on October 26, 2026. The 233 fleece jackets listed that day did not state a fabric weight in a form we can count, so the chart shows color instead. Counts change as listings are added or removed. Browse the full range from clothing, shoes and jewelry.