This covers the fairly broad genre of ``warm tops''. A ``warm top'' is simply any top that can be worn as an outer layer and is made of heavier material than summer clothing. Some of these are made of stretch nylon lycra, some are made of polyester fleece (Polartec and similar). These two materials both have different looks and feels, and I suppose choices may come down to individual preference. My feeling is that the fleece material is a little warmer than the lycra, but there is considerable overlap in the temperature ranges of both of these types of tops. Neither of these give you any protection from the wind, which blows straight through them. People who don't like layers should look at a windproof top like the SportHill Explorer or the Sugoi Windhibitor mid layer. These are more useful under tough conditions, because at least for winds up to 20mph, the windproof front tends to eliminate the need for a windbreaker. I wear the Explorer top as a single layer down to single digits. In contrast, wind will go straight through polyester fleece tops and nylon/lycra. A word on ``windproof'': windproof means just what it says: if you can blow through fabric, it isn't windproof. If you can't, then it is. You can't easily blow through 3sp, but you can do so with Polartec powerdry.
This fabric wicks like crazy. When I line-dry it, the inside is dry to touch, within minutes of hanging it up. The moisture transport on this fabric works like charm. Score one to Insport for using Polartec in their products.
Where to buy "for cheap": Insport is available on the "sale" section of insport.com, also try rei-outlet.com
**** (great, but I'd like some reflective material)
Hind Arctic Drylete, Sugoi MidZero, SportHill Infuzion
The 3SP is genuinely windproof.
Editorial note: rec.running usenet poster Dot pointed out that the 3SP fabric is not actually 100% windproof. Apparently, if you blow really hard, you can get air through. Perhaps I wasn't blowing hard enough ...
This top is not that thick/heavy looking, but it is very good as a single layer in freezing and windy conditions (mid 20s to low 30s). The ``windproof'' property means that it can perform a dual role of a jacket and warm top, it's good for fairly cold and windy conditions. The tougher windproof material is at the front where you need it while the fleecy ``swift'' polyester provides ventilation.
3SP is moderately stiff, not as cozy as fleecy polyester but not uncomfortable either.
The swift fabric on the back of the top is similar to the polartec powerdry in the Insport top. SportHill also make ``homogeneous'' tops: the XC top is completely made of 3SP, the Infuzion top is similar to the Insport top above, made of Swift.
The mix provided by the explorer top is quite good-- the windproof property is really much more useful at the front than at the back.
Both the fabrics (3sp, swift) do a reasonable job at moisture transport, the swift fabric is close to Polartec powerdry, the 3sp not quite as good but not bad either.
What's missing ? Pockets, reflective material.
**** give me some reflective material and a pocket! Especially if you want to use a slogan about shedding the layers! Where to buy: rei-outlet.com has a good supply of heavily discounted (50%) Sporthill clothes.
This top has terrific wicking abilities. As far as the advertised "ultimate protection up top in below freezing temperatures", doesn't quite cut it for me. For starters, I think my top is possibly sized a little too large (which may skew this review). The material works really well though. It is soft and dry inside and wicks like a charm. I think the fabric is designed to fit skin tight. Mine is fairly snug, yet allows an air space between the top and my skin (not to mention a draft from the neck area since it doesn't close tight either) which makes it too cold as a single layer when the temperatures dip below 0C (32F).
Editorial note: this is much like the fit of similar tops that I reviewed. According to the HIND website, this is ``semi-fitted''.
I usually add a coolmax tee shirt underneath, and a fleece vest on top, and this combination is good down to -18C (OF). Below that (or in windy conditions), adding a shell has taken me comfortably down to -30C (-22F). The fleece vest adds the pockets the top is missing, and the extra warmth I like in the trunk area. Where to buy "for cheap": Rei-outlet.com **** (great, but I'd like some more reflective material and pockets)