HikingThe North FaceMidlayer

The North Face Summit Series Futurefleece review: impossibly light, surprisingly warm

A technical fleece so featherweight you'll forget it's there — and so capable you'll never want to leave it behind.

✓  Top Pick The North Face Summit Series Futurefleece RRP £135 Weight 208g Stretch 4-way The good ✓  Incredibly light at 208g
✓  Glove-friendly zips
✓  Dries very quickly
✓  Tiny pack size
✓  Hood stays put in wind
✓  Thumb loops included The not-so-good ✗  Very expensive
✗  No hip pockets
✗  Cuffs can't be rolled up

At a glance

Overview

The North Face has been a fixture in the outdoor gear world since 1966, when it first set up shop in San Francisco. Over the decades, it's become one of the most instantly recognisable names in adventure apparel — the kind of brand you'll spot as easily on the high street as halfway up a Scottish munro. And that's part of the challenge. While The North Face has earned its stripes with genuinely innovative expedition gear, it also has a habit of drifting a little too far into the fashion world — which, at times, has us raising an eyebrow about the performance credibility of its kit.

That said, when The North Face does performance properly, it often knocks it out of the park. Nowhere is that more evident than in its Summit Series — a no-nonsense, technically focused range that's consistently delivered some of the best cold weather gear we've tested. The latest to earn its place in our packs is the Summit Series Futurefleece Hooded Jacket.

Pitched as an ultralight, high-performance fleece for mountaineering and alpine use, in testing we found it far more versatile. It's a fastpacking dream, a brilliant companion for shoulder-season wild camps, and one of the most effective cold-weather running layers we've come across. Weighing just 208g in medium, packing down to about the size of a large orange, and priced at £135, it's designed with high-output, high-mileage days in mind.

Positioned at the top end of the market, the Futurefleece finds itself in an interesting spot. Basic polyester midlayers offer decent warmth for casual UK adventuring but lack the breathability, technical design, and featherweight feel that sets it apart. At the other end of the spectrum sits merino-rich midlayers — they bring natural thermoregulation and top-tier breathability, but are heavier, bulkier, and need more careful maintenance. The Futurefleece sits compellingly in between: advanced, purpose-built, and genuinely earned.

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How we tested

We gave the Futurefleece a proper British outing. It started with long training runs through the Thames Valley — sideways rain, low winter sun, and classic English mud. Despite the damp and wind, it hit that sweet spot of keeping us warm without overheating, proving itself an unexpectedly good shout for shoulder-season running.

Next up was a weekend in the Brecon Beacons in January, where the temperature barely nudged above freezing. Worn under a hardshell while standing still, it felt impressively warm with minimal bulk. Then, on a steep climb with a heavy pack, we ditched the insulation and kept the fleece as our outer — it regulated temperature brilliantly, breathed well, and the hood stayed put even as the wind howled across the ridge.

To round things off, we took it on a two-night stint on Dartmoor — a properly wet one. It rained almost constantly, and while it wasn't especially cold, we layered the Futurefleece under a hardshell to stay comfortable. The cuffs and neck got a bit damp, but the fleece never turned clammy or cold. Even better, it dried out overnight inside our sleeping bag, ready to go again the next day.

Features and performance

Weight and warmth

At just over 200g in a medium, this is the lightest fleece we've ever worn. It's so featherlight you genuinely forget you're wearing it — a huge advantage when counting grams on a fastpacking trip or keeping your layering system nimble for unpredictable weather. It packs down to almost nothing, so even if it ends up staying in the bag, it's never a burden to bring along.

But for something this light, it's impressively warm. The internal Futurefleece fabric traps heat better than it has any right to. We hiked comfortably in 6°C wearing just this over a T-shirt, and when paired with a baselayer and wind shell, it held its own in freezing conditions. That warmth-to-weight ratio is where the jacket really shines.

"It's so featherlight you genuinely forget you're wearing it — and then it saves you when the temperature drops."

Breathability and drying

The Futurefleece doesn't sacrifice breathability to achieve its warmth. On big ascents, damp trail runs, or when moving with a heavy pack, it never felt swampy or stifling. It wicked moisture away quickly and dried out fast. On Dartmoor, when the sleeves got soaked, stuffed into our sleeping bag overnight it was ready to go again by morning.

Design details

The zips are top-notch — chunky, glove-friendly and smooth to operate even in freezing wind. The chest napoleon pocket has plenty of space for a phone or a snack bar, with a hidden internal mesh pocket for keys or a compass. The shoulder construction is seamless — no pressure points when hauling a heavy pack. The hood fits snugly under a helmet or rain shell and stays put when the wind picks up. Thumb loops keep the cuffs locked in place when scrambling — though it does mean you can't roll up the sleeves for venting.

Quick tipUse the hood as a beanie when moving fastThe hood fits so snugly it doubles as a beanie on fast-moving sections where you don't want to stop and layer up. A small detail that pays off repeatedly on long days out.

How it performs in the UK

Across every trip, we found the Summit Series Futurefleece to be a bit of a revelation — not because it did one thing exceptionally well, but because it quietly excelled at everything. In the cold, wet, and blustery weather that defines much of the British outdoor calendar, it proved time and again that you don't need bulk to stay warm and you don't need merino to stay dry.

Its ability to breathe while moving, insulate while static, and dry out quickly overnight makes it especially well-suited to the unpredictability of UK adventures. We kept reaching for it even when we weren't sure we'd need it. That's the ultimate compliment to a midlayer.

Comparison with rivals

Basic polyester midlayers offer decent warmth for casual adventuring but lack the breathability, technical design, and featherweight feel that sets the Futurefleece apart — though they're available for a fraction of the price when on sale, making them a no-brainer for occasional outings. At the other end sits merino-rich midlayers: natural thermoregulation, top-tier breathability, better odour resistance — but heavier, bulkier, and more maintenance-intensive. The Futurefleece sits in a compelling middle ground: technically advanced, purpose-built, and genuinely suited to committed adventurers who are out every weekend across seasons.

Our verdict The best technical midlayer we've tested for British conditions. The price is steep. There's no getting around that. But if you're out regularly and want a fleece that can do it all — run, hike, scramble, camp — the Futurefleece makes a compelling case. It's not a layer for casual walkers or fair-weather day-trippers. For anyone logging serious UK trail miles across all seasons, it's one of the best midlayers we've ever tested. Lightweight, warm, breathable and cleverly designed, it ticks almost every box — just don't expect it to be cheap.

FAQs

How warm is the North Face Summit Series Futurefleece?Very warm for its weight. At 208g, it's the lightest fleece we've tested and yet it kept us comfortable hiking in 6°C over a T-shirt. Paired with a baselayer and hardshell in the Brecon Beacons in January, it held its own in near-freezing temperatures without adding any meaningful bulk.

How breathable is the North Face Summit Series Futurefleece during high output activity?Exceptionally. The Futurefleece never felt swampy or stifling on big ascents, trail runs, or when moving fast with a heavy pack. It wicks moisture away quickly and dries out fast — we stuffed damp sleeves into our sleeping bag overnight on Dartmoor and it was ready to go again by morning.

How water resistant is the North Face Summit Series Futurefleece?It's not waterproof — it's a fleece, not a hardshell. But it handles light drizzle well and doesn't soak through immediately in sustained rain. Pair it with a waterproof layer and it performs brilliantly as a midlayer in wet British conditions.

How packable is the North Face Summit Series Futurefleece?Extremely. It packs down to about the size of a large orange and weighs just 208g. We carried it on fastpacking trips without noticing it in the pack, and it was always there when the temperature dropped. At this pack size, there's no reason not to bring it.

Is the North Face Summit Series Futurefleece worth the money?Yes — if you're out regularly. At £135 it's a significant investment for a polyester fleece, but the warmth-to-weight ratio, breathability, and clever design details put it in a different league to cheaper alternatives. For anyone logging serious UK miles across all seasons, the Futurefleece earns its price tag quickly.