Looking for a fleece that won’t drain your wallet but still does the job on the hill? The Mountain Warehouse Camber II might just be the best tenner you’ll spend on outdoor kit this year.

Mountain Warehouse Camber II

Ideal for: Hiking, wildcamping, 3-season adventuring

Not suitable for: Deep-winter wildcamping, fastpacking

The Mountain Warehouse Camber II fleece is a budget-friendly midlayer that does all the basics right. Made from 100% polyester, it’s simple, functional and surprisingly comfortable — ideal for everything from hillwalking to wild camping, and even just lounging at home. It features a smooth quarter zip, soft brushed interior, and a relaxed fit that makes layering easy. It’s super lightweight and packs down small, so it’s a great ‘just-in-case’ layer for your rucksack. At £9.99 (on offer), it’s a steal — especially when you consider just how well it performs in typical UK conditions.

Mountain Warehouse Camber II fleece review

Mountain Warehouse is a staple name in the UK’s outdoor retail world. Founded in 1997, the brand has built a reputation for offering accessible, good-value gear for hikers, campers and outdoorsy types who want solid kit without paying over the odds. With over 300 stores across the UK and beyond, they’ve become the go-to shop for last-minute waterproofs, well-priced thermals and budget-friendly fleeces. We’ve reviewed other Mountain Warehouse products before here at the Great British Adventure Club — most recently the Snowdon II fleece, which impressed us with its no-nonsense performance and unbeatable price tag which, coincidentally, is exactly how we’d describe the Camber II.

The Camber II is pitched as a simple midlayer that focuses on comfort and warmth. There’s no technical wizardry or outdoor jargon to get bogged down in — this is a straight-up polyester fleece that you can pull on when the temperature drops. It features a quarter zip with a glove-friendly toggle, anti-pilling fabric and a brushed interior for next-to-skin comfort. It weighs very little and packs down well, making it ideal for layering over a baselayer or under a waterproof jacket. At the time of writing, it’s priced at £9.99 (down from its RRP of £24.99), though it’s almost always on offer.

When it comes to affordable fleece midlayers, the Camber II finds itself in a small but competitive pool. Its most direct rivals include the Regatta Thompson fleece — which retails for about £13 and offers much the same experience — and the Quechua MH100 fleece from Decathlon, another solid choice that’s well regarded for its reliability and performance. Compared to these, the Camber II more than holds its own — and we’d argue its slightly roomier fit makes it even more versatile, particularly for more active use.

Mountain Warehouse Camber II vs Snowdon II: what are the differences?

If you’re shopping around on the Mountain Warehouse website, you will see the Snowdon II coming up for exactly the same price (and exactly the same feature-set) as the Camber II. So what are the differences, and which should you choose? Luckily, as part of this testing protocol, Mountain Warehouse sent us both — and we got to see precisely what’s what.

In a nutshell, they’re the same product: The fit is the same, the zip is the same, and the material feels very much the same. They deliver the same level of warmth, breathability and cosiness. The only discernible difference we were able to identify, in fact, is that the Snowdon II comes in striped colourways whereas the Camber II comes in block single colours only. Why Mountain Warehouse have therefore decided to pitch these as different products is slightly beyond our comprehension. But the answer to the above question is simple: it’s simply a matter of choosing which design you prefer!

Read our review of the Snowdon II here

Our experience using the Mountain Warehouse Camber II fleece

We tested the Mountain Warehouse Camber II fleece over the course of six weeks on a variety of short and simple adventures. We wore it for local hill walks, wildcamping trips and a handful of trail runs to assess its breathability. It accompanied us to the top of Fan y Big in Bannau Brycheiniog and doubled as a sleep layer on multiple overnighters. During this time, we ran it through five or six wash cycles to see how well it handled long-term wear and whether the anti-pilling claims stood up. And you know what? This cheap little mid-layer mostly performed excellently every time, no matter what we threw at it.

What you need to know about the Mountain Warehouse Camber II

There’s nothing groundbreaking in the features list, but what the Camber II does offer, it does well. It’s a quarter-zip fleece, with the zip running from the collar down to the sternum. The zip glides easily and feels robust, even after repeated use. Thanks to the long toggle, it’s easy to operate with gloves on — a detail that’s often overlooked in budget layers but genuinely makes a difference when you’re adjusting it on a cold day. What’s more, the fit is roomy without being baggy, which makes it ideal for layering over baselayers or under a jacket. It’s not so slim that it clings uncomfortably, but not so loose that it bunches up under your shell. It feels just right, especially when you’re on the move.

As with the Snowdon II, the brushed inner is a standout feature. Soft and cosy against the skin, it makes the fleece comfortable enough to wear over a T-shirt or next to skin. We slept in it on multiple occasions and it felt just as comfortable at night as it did during the day — something that can’t be said for every fleece in this price bracket. Additionally, we noted that the anti-pilling fabric did a solid job of resisting wear during our testing window. After five or six washes and plenty of trail time, it still looked and felt pretty much the same. That’s not always the case with polyester fleece, especially at this end of the market.

Design-wise, the Camber II comes in block colours only — unlike the Snowdon II, which features a tiger-stripe pattern. This gives it a slightly more understated look, which some might prefer. Either way, it’s smart enough to wear to the pub post-hike without looking like you’ve just rolled out of a bivvy bag.

How the Camber II performs in real-world UK conditions

We weren’t expecting much when we first pulled on the Camber II — but it quickly became a go-to layer during mid-layer testing season. On the trail, it proved to be a reliable workhorse. Whether we were on slow meanders through the woods or hammering uphill on a spring trail run, the Camber II did the job.

As with all polyester fleeces, there are breathability limits — but for a tenner, we were genuinely impressed. It doesn’t have the temperature regulation of merino, but it doesn’t try to. It performed better than expected when we were moving quickly and dried off quickly when things got sweaty. It’s not going to be your top choice for long-distance ultralight hikes, but it’s ideal for day walks, overnight trips and all-round use.

In terms of warmth, it offers enough insulation to take the edge off during cold mornings and chilly evenings. It’s not a furnace — there are warmer fleeces out there — but it holds its own when the mercury dips, especially when layered. The brushed lining adds to the feeling of cosiness, particularly when the wind picks up or the clouds roll in.

Comfort is where the Camber II really shines. Whether you’re sat by the stove brewing up a cuppa or tucked into your sleeping bag for the night, it just feels good to wear. We kept reaching for it, not because it was the most technical fleece in our kit cupboard, but because it was the most comfortable and dependable.

Mountain Warehouse Camber II fleece FAQs

It’s not the warmest fleece on the market, but it’s perfectly warm enough for the kind of conditions you’re likely to face in the UK spring, summer and autumn. Layered with a good baselayer and waterproof, it holds its own on windy hilltops and cool evenings at camp.
For a budget polyester fleece, it breathes surprisingly well. We ran in it and didn’t find it uncomfortably sweaty. It’s not a high-performance garment, but for hiking, backpacking and camping in mild conditions, it’ll keep you comfortable — and it dries quickly too, which is a real bonus on multi-day trips.
Without question. At £9.99 (when on offer, which it nearly always is), the Camber II is an absolute bargain. It’s comfortable, lightweight and does the job better than some fleeces that cost twice as much. If you’re looking for a solid midlayer that doesn’t break the bank, this one’s hard to beat.

Mountain Warehouse Camber II fleece: Our thoughts in a nutshell

The Mountain Warehouse Camber II fleece is a brilliant example of how good budget outdoor gear can be when it’s well thought through. It’s not flashy, it doesn’t come with any technical claims, and it won’t win any awards — but it does everything you need a fleece to do, and it does it for less than a tenner.

Whether you’re after a backup layer for the car, a camping fleece you don’t mind getting grubby, or something warm to chuck on after a run, the Camber II is more than up to the task. It’s simple, it’s comfortable, and it works. And in a world of overengineered gear with eye-watering price tags, that’s exactly what a lot of us are looking for.

Mountain Warehouse Camber II fleece review: Warmth for less than a tenner