The 8 Best Tactical Fleece Jackets For Men
Take a quick trip with me back to 1979: That’s when Patagonia partnered with Malden Mills to develop their first attempt at a synthetic fiber that could mimic wool’s exceptional temperature-regulating qualities. The result was synchilla, or synthetic chinchilla, a low-cost polyester alternative to traditional natural fibers.
Since then, that same technology has been rolled out into dozens of popular takes on polar fleece—especially in the classic zip-up jacket style.
But if you’re looking for the absolute best performance out of your fleece, and for a great price, you’re going to want to choose one of our eight best tactical fleece jackets for men. Each of them is designed with maximum storage and quick access in mind, as well as fleece’s trademark warmth and comfort.
Zero Foxtrot Tac Sherpa Zip Jacket
Surprisingly durable, super warm, and loaded with tactical quick-access pockets, the Zero Foxtrot Tac Sherpa Zip Jacket is a marvel—especially at such a reasonable price.
A single breast pocket and side zip welt pockets are accompanied by a pocket on each sleeve, as well as velcro backings to wear your patches with pride. It has a surprisingly flattering fit as well, trending away from the oversized look that’s popular in regular fleece. Available in three tactical-ready colors to match whichever load out you choose for the day.
ThruDark Mantra Black Ops Fleece
The Mantra Black Ops Fleece is a high-performance jacket perfect for outdoor activities and everyday wear as either as a mid-layer in extremely cold weather or as an outer layer.
The fleece is made fromThermal Pro, an advanced synthetic fleece that is highly durable, fast-drying, and anti-pilling, while also providing the warmth expected from a product made from Polartec.
Rothco Spec Ops Tactical Fleece Jacket
Many fleece jackets are designed to be used as a mid layer—heavy enough for a cool spring day, but not quite warm enough to use as a top layer throughout the winter. Rothco’s Spec Ops Tactical Fleece Jacket bucks this trend, as it’s made with a heavyweight fleece exterior and decked out with a tricot inner lining for added warmth.
Five zip pockets give it plenty of tactical versatility, and the drawstring waist and foldout cuffs are nice touches that make it easy to customize a perfect fit. Available in five colors, ranging from tactical to more casual.
Condor Alpha Fleece Jacket
With a focus on lightweight breathability and middle-range temperature regulation, Condor’s Alpha Fleece Jacket is ideally suited as an outer layer for use during moderate to intense outdoor activity. It has an abrasion-resistant collar and elbows to further emphasize this use, adding durability in the places where you’re most likely to wear it thin while out hiking and camping.
And a mesh inner liner makes for a more comfortable ride once you really start to work up a sweat. Comes with a total of four pockets, and is available in four classic colors.
5.11 Tactical Fleece 2.0
The 5.11 Tactical Fleece 2.0 is actually part of a whole tactical outerwear system—it’s compatible with the brand’s 3-in-1 Parka, and it stands up on its own as a midweight outer layer as well. We especially appreciate this jacket’s water-resistant nylon overlays, which make it a more suitable jacket for all-weather excursions compared to many of the other tactical fleeces featured here.
Side seam zippers and a simplified lining give it good versatility as an exercise outer layer too, as you can vent the jacket easily when you’re working up a sweat. Additionally, it’s available in the widest range of sizes of any tactical fleece jacket that we’ve seen.
Propper Gen III Polartec Fleece Jacket
While many of the tactical jackets featured here are heavily influenced by military design, Propper’s Gen III Polartec Fleece Jacket is one of the few you’ll find that’s actually sewn to current military specifications. That means it’s about as durable as a fleece jacket can get, with nylon reinforcements at the collar, shoulders, and elbows as well as stretch side panels that let the jacket move with you. The raglan sleeves here make for an excellent range of motion. Perhaps the only downside is that it’s available in just a single color.
Triple Aught Design Ranger Hoodie LT
For double the price of a standard tactical fleece, the Tripel Aught Design Ranger Hoodie LT easily offers more than double the degree of features and options. It’s a bigger and bolder jacket in nearly every way, from its six-pocket configuration to its water-repellent treatment to its three-piece hood design and exceptionally wide range of colors to choose from.
We especially like the double-entry hunter’s pocket on the rear of the jacket, as it’s a feature we haven’t found in many other outer layers. So in the end, the Range Hoodie is pricey, but it seems to be well worth the additional investment.
Tacvasen Men’s Tactical Fleece Hooded Jacket
And from the most expensive tactical fleece jacket to the most affordable: Tacvasen’s hooded jacket comes in at under 50 bucks at the time of writing. And at a glance, it has all the usual things you’re looking for in a tactical fleece: Plenty of pockets, thumb holes in the sleeves, bundle patches.
It may be a little bit less warm than its competitors, and it’s certainly not waterproof. But for the price, it’s a darned fine jacket (and it’s available in 11 different colors, too).
Proof Grid Fleece Jacket
There’s one unfortunate issue that you’ll almost always run into with fleece jackets: Because they’re polyester, they have a tendency to collect a funky, musty odor over time. Proof’s Grid Fleece Jacket might just prevent that though, thanks to a unique fiber design that gives more air space, greater ventilation, and faster drying times.
All that moisture-wicking power makes it especially comfortable to wear while out hiking or cycling, and it’s why we give it our nomination as the best casual/tactical fleece for active guys.
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