Our lightest, thinnest fleece fabric, Chameece, is knitted using very thin (less than 1 denier) micro polyester yarn. As its namesake, originating from the soft leather of the Chamois Antelopes, Chameece has a luxurious feel. We produced this exquisite softness through a high fiber count and a tight knit enhanced with a brushed face. Weighing only 160 grams per square meter, this micro-fleece is light, compressible, and quick to dry.

With excellent stretch, low volume loft, and a smooth face for better layering and increased durability, these garments are designed for an active lifestyle.

This fabric is specially knitted to provide a “sweater-like” exterior, while maintaining the warmth and versatility of our traditional mid-weight fleece. Weighing in at 255 grams per square meter, this fabric helps balance function and style. Clothing made with CLIMAPLUS Knit functions well as an inner insulating layer during the day on the mountain, but never looks out of place when relaxing at the lodge late into the evening.

Our long fiber fleece excels in breathability, drying quickly, and offers high “pack-ability” despite its impressive loft. The soft, fur-like fibers trap air to yield incredible warmth at a minimal weight. Garments made with CLIMA AIR fabric maintain their insulating ability by resisting pilling and clumping after washing.

Shearling is leather from a recently shorn sheep with the soft wool left intact. A shearling garment usually has the leather on the outside to protect from the elements, while the soft wool provides warm insulation. Our CLIMAPLUS Shearling is a synthetic version of this traditional garment. By utilizing synthetic fibers, the fabric wicks away moisture and dries quickly, while eliminating the bulk and weight of the leather on real shearling. At the same time, CLIMAPLUS Shearling does an excellent job of mimicking the insulating abilities of shearling wool due to its thickness and fluffy air trapping loft.

Chameece products feature our patented Slan-Tec Cuffs. By orienting the seams of the cuff at an angle, the sleeve can easily be pushed up the forearm with minimal effort and increases comfort in the process. In addition, all of our fleece garments feature zipper “pockets” to shield the user’s skin from the metal zipper slider. These pockets protect the user’s sensitive neck and chin from cold metal in freezing temperatures. Finally, we incorporated articulated patterns and controlled fiber thickness in all of our fleece line-ups to promote greater freedom of movement, comfort, and maximize insulation.

The open nature of the knit utilized in fleece can promote better garment breathability. By allowing air to easily pass thru the fabric fleece clothing can feel less “stuffy”, combating perspiration to keep you drier at a variety of exertion levels. The short dry time of fleece also keeps you safer and more comfortable than other insulators.

When compared with wool and down garments, fleece items can be superior because we can more closely control fiber length and diameter, along with fabric thickness and density to better tailor apparel performance to address seasonal weather conditions and activity level. This allows us to make suitable fleece garments for any weather condition no matter if it is summer or winter. When paired with windproof membranes or linings the thickest fleece can be highly efficient and can rival thinner down garments in warmth.

Dead air isn't a property that is exclusive to clothing materials like fleece or down. All physical objects have a property that makes the air a few millimeters around them difficult to move. This unmoving, static layer of air is known as dead air.

The reason we feel cold when the wind blows is the layer of static air that was covering the surface of our skin is blown away and is replaced by new air. Because air has a low thermal conductivity and is a good insulator of heat, an important strategy for protection against the cold is to keep as much dead air close to the body as possible.

Each yarn is formed by twisting together several tens of fibers. Yarn thickness is represented in deniers (d), and the long fibers that make it up are known as filaments (f). For example, a 75d/36f yarn means "a yarn with a thickness of 75 deniers made from 36 filaments." This is a common type of yarn that is often used in synthetic T-shirts.

Montbell's CHAMEECE is made with 75d/144f yarn. The thickness of the yarn is the same, however by using 144 ultra-thin filaments in each yarn the resulting material is more supple and traps more air in between the filaments, making it a better insulator.