When is fleece a good mid layer?

Fleece is one of the most practical materials in a child's wardrobe. It's soft, light, often affordable and dries quickly. As a mid layer under a shell jacket or snowsuit, fleece can be very useful, especially during spring, autumn and milder winter days.

Fleece warms mainly by trapping air. That air is warmed by the body and helps insulate. That's why a fleece pullover can feel warm even though it isn't heavy. It works best when the child needs an extra layer between base layer and outerwear: under a shell jacket on a windy day, for example, or under rainwear when temperatures drop.

But fleece has limits. A regular fleece isn't automatically wind- or waterproof. If the child only wears fleece as the outer layer, wind can blow straight through and the garment can feel colder than expected. So fleece is usually best paired with a protective outer layer when it's windy, rainy or snowy.