Mountain Hardwear Type 2 Fun 3/4 Zip Hoody - Women's Review
Cons: Poorly sized chest pocket, durability issues, expensive
Manufacturer: Mountain Hardwear
Our Verdict
Our Analysis and Test Results
The ¾ Type 2 Fun lightweight fleece is built for ladies that love windproof coverage, great breathability, and no-frills features. It has everything you need (except for a large chest pocket) to get out on the trail with comfort. Wear it from the trails to the streets of any mountain town. It's cute and offers a versatile fit that'll work for most women.
Performance Comparison
Warmth
This lightweight jacket doesn't feature a ton of loft in its design, making it cooler than most fleeces tested. It is constructed with 55% polypropylene and 45% polyester. While it'll wick away moisture from the skin (when worn against it), it doesn't offer much stand-alone warmth. We used it in a layered system in cool weather, which felt sufficient, but one we wouldn't recommend for the coldest days. For use on its own, reserve it for cool Spring mornings or as a sun layer on a hot, summer day.
Comfort and Fit
We absolutely love the lightweight nature of this jacket, making it quite comfortable.
It fits nicely with a looser fit through both the arms and torso. The ¾ zip comes all the way up over the chin so you can nuzzle into the fabric when the wind starts to blow. It also features a nice thumb loop, which is convenient, but not our favorite design. This jacket will work for our longer limbed testers, offering coverage all the way around the hips, and a comfortable, loose fit throughout the arms.
Our big caveat with its design is the chest pocket. While it looks large, it's a lot less functional than it looks. A smartphone does not fit smartphones inside. Functionally, this was our biggest let downs, especially since it doesn't have any other pockets.
As a result, we had to bring additional storage with us to contain our phone and other items, where a good-sized pocket would normally suffice. That said, we do appreciate that it'll fit nicely with a harness or backpack hip strap as no storage is located around the hips or torso.
Breathability
This jacket is highly breathable. The super-thin fabric provides ample airflow, which makes it a great contender for Alpine missions, hiking, and cross-country skiing. The ¾ length zip offers nice ventilation, but not as nice as a full zip (which we wish was an option).
The grid-pattern built into the jacket provides ample ventilation throughout the fabric, without having any dedicated panels made of thinner fabrics. While it doesn't vent as well as other jackets with larger "squares" in its grid, it's still is an excellent choice for any sweaty mission you might embark upon because of its thinness.
Layering Ability
This jacket layers well with its smooth face fabric. It does well under any shell, harness, backpack. It also layers nicely over thicker base layers because of its super thin architecture.
To add more warmth, layer it overtop a thicker base layer. It features thumb loops to assist in pulling it on, but we hardly used them for that purpose.
Ease of Movement
The looser fit of this jacket makes it incredibly easy to move. It's constructed with thin, yet stretchy fabrics that provide lots of room throughout the shoulders, bust, and arms. This is a fleece we'd easily use for climbing and backpacking as the materials are highly mobile.
Weather Resistance
The tightly knit fabrics actually provide a good barrier against the wind but don't hold its own against snow or water. We wore it several times as the wind was blowing, and it easily maintained warmth while breathing well. We didn't feel the wind cutting through. That said, we got caught in a winter storm with this layer. We wore it for a while, noticing the snow beading up on the fabric, but quickly absorbing. Furthermore, in our water tests, the water absorbed right through the fabric. Luckily it insulates when wet and dries out quickly. However, you'll want a shell on hand if poor weather is in the forecast.
Value
This jacket is a little on the expensive side for its lightweight design. While we appreciate its unique functionality, women seeking a lightweight and breathable technical layer will see the most value in it.
Conclusion
This Mountain Hardwear ¾ Type 2 Fun Hoody is a versatile technical fleece hoody that's just at home wearing to work as it is on the trail. Enjoy its ample fit, light fabrics, and excellent breathability that'll help you climb your way to the tops of peaks; it'll also keep you cozy while slamming a great meal when the day's done.
— Amber King