A fleece so outrageously soft, perfectly weighted and sharp, it’s barely left our backs all year — here’s why this layer’s smashed every adventure we’ve thrown at it.

Helly Hansen Daybreaker Block Microfleece Jacket

Ideal for: Hiking, wildcamping, daily wear

Not suitable for: Fastpacking, ultra high-intensity activity

The Helly Hansen Daybreaker Block Microfleece Jacket is a lightweight (350g), ultra-soft fleece that’s become a firm favourite on everything from muddy hillwalks to laid-back pub afternoons. Made from premium-feeling polyester, it combines standout breathability with clever wind-blocking panels and a sleek fit that looks right at home just about anywhere. At £80 it’s pricier than your average fleece, but after more than 50 wears, we’d say it’s paid for itself — a superb choice if you want a layer that handles the full spectrum of typical British adventures with real style and comfort.

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Helly Hansen Daybreaker Block Microfleece review

Hailing from Norway’s wild coastlines and storm-lashed peaks, Helly Hansen have been crafting outdoor gear since 1877. Originally outfitting sailors braving the North Sea, they’ve long since become a go-to for skiers, hikers, mountaineers — basically anyone who needs kit that stands up to foul weather and serious wear. Over the years, we’ve tested all sorts of Helly jackets and insulation here at GBAC, consistently impressed by their knack for marrying clever tech with genuine real-world durability. Their Odin Everdown, for example, genuinely raised the bar for down jackets.

In short: Helly’s heritage runs deep, but it’s their relentless push for better, smarter kit that keeps them on our radar.

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Enter the Daybreaker Block Microfleece — a 350g fleece layer aimed at pretty much everything you’d want to get up to outdoors in the UK. From breezy hill days to lazy afternoons nursing a pint, it’s designed to be your most versatile grab-and-go layer. Built from 100% polyester with a noticeably tighter, smoother weave, it’s lighter and slicker than your typical fleece — more next-to-skin comfort, less bulk.

At £80 RRP, it slots above budget staples from Mountain Warehouse or Decathlon, but still well shy of the truly technical pieces like The North Face Summit Series Futurefleece. In many ways, it’s a sweet spot: more comfort and polish than entry-level fleeces, without the hardcore feel (or price) of dedicated alpine gear. It also undercuts weightier traditional builds like the Columbia Sequoia Grove by quite a margin.

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How we tested the Helly Hansen Daybreaker Block midlayer

We’ve taken the Daybreaker Block just about everywhere. It first came out for a brisk 6°C ramble through the Chiltern Hills — layered over a simple T-shirt, tucked under a robust shell, and proving instantly that it kept the chill off without ever feeling swampy. A few weeks later it joined us for a classic Brecon Beacons loop up Pen y Fan and across to Fan y Big, layered over a thin merino base. Even with the typical Beacons drizzle, it shrugged off moisture and dried out fast, meaning the waterproof stayed packed.

Since then, it’s become our default fleece for everything from errands round town to breezy Cairngorms campouts and wild camping overnighters. In the space of a few months, it’s clocked up more than 50 wears and still looks sharp.

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A closer look at the fleece’s features

What’s genuinely special here is how outrageously soft this fleece feels. The Polytech microfleece is some of the best we’ve ever pulled on: featherlight, silky against the skin, and quick to dry after sweaty climbs or light drizzle. Even after multiple washes, it still looks and feels fresh — a huge bonus when you’re wearing something this often.

Helly Hansen have also been clever with durability and design. They’ve reinforced key areas like the shoulders, neck and chest pocket with tougher polyester panels, which give the fleece a smarter look and genuinely help cut the wind on exposed trails. Those panels also fend off backpack rub, which is something budget fleeces from the likes of Mountain Warehouse or Decathlon often fail at spectacularly.

Details matter too. The zips are smooth-running YKKs with chunky toggles, so even with gloved hands on a frosty ridge you can get at your pockets. Speaking of which, the two hip pockets are lined with soft mesh and roomy enough for a flask or OS map, keeping their shape whether stuffed or empty. Up top, the napoleon chest pocket is perfectly sized for a phone or compass — nothing fancy, but exactly what you want.

Interestingly, there’s no faffy drawcords or velcro wrist cinches here. Instead, the natural stretch of the fleece does the work, keeping it snug to your body without adding weight or clutter. And perhaps best of all, for the warmth it delivers it packs down brilliantly. We’ve stuffed it into daypacks alongside stoves, sleeping bags and all the usual clutter, and it’s never felt like it’s hogging space.

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How it performs in the UK

Pull all this together and it’s clear why we’ve practically been living in this fleece. On muddy Chiltern trails it kept us perfectly warm without ever feeling clammy. Up in the wind-whipped Brecon Beacons it cut the chill just enough and dried out impressively quickly after passing showers. And on calm, chilly evenings in the Cairngorms it was exactly what we wanted to shrug on and keep wearing for hours.

It’s also simply the layer we reach for most days back home — whether we’re popping to the shop or meeting mates at the pub. The cut’s sharp enough and the fabric plush enough that it never looks out of place. Even after a good 50 wears, there’s no sagging at the elbows, no bobbling under the arms, and it still feels fantastic against the skin. Which, in our experience, is pretty rare — most fleeces from the likes of Mountain Warehouse or Decathlon start to show their age long before this. It’s become our go-to precisely because it’s so unfussy: just one fleece, quietly doing exactly what you need, day after day.

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Helly Hansen Daybreaker Block Microfleece FAQs

Warm enough for most UK days outside deep winter. Over a T-shirt or thin base layer, it’s handled everything from chilly spring mornings to breezy ridgelines. For frosty conditions, it layers brilliantly under a shell without feeling bulky.
Exceptionally breathable for a synthetic midlayer. Even pushing up steep climbs, we never felt swampy or overheated. It’s not quite on par with merino blends like the Icebreaker Descender, but it’s seriously impressive for polyester.
Absolutely. After 50+ wears it’s still our most grabbed fleece, looking sharp and performing like day one. More expensive than budget fleeces, but also miles ahead on comfort, durability and day-to-day enjoyment.

Our verdict

So who’s the Daybreaker Block Microfleece really for? Honestly — just about anyone in the UK who likes to mix it up outdoors. It’s light enough to haul up big hills without a second thought, warm enough for lingering on breezy summits or ambling home late on chilly evenings, and smart enough that you’ll happily keep it on through a café stop or post-walk pint.

Sure, it costs more than a fleece from Mountain Warehouse or Decathlon, but it’s also in a completely different league for comfort, breathability and that plush feel next to skin. Factor in how well it’s held up over dozens of wears — still looking tidy, still feeling fresh — and it starts to look like a very solid investment indeed.

If you’re after a fleece that’ll slot into all sorts of British adventures — from quick afternoon loops to long weekends chasing ridges — this is one of the best we’ve tested. Not because it’s flashy or overbuilt, but because it does exactly what you want, day after day, with zero fuss. And in our book, that makes it pretty close to spot on.

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