How to choose a mid layer | Fjällräven

What are mid layers anyway? What are they made of? What are they for? And when do you wear them? In this episode, Sofia and Calle sort out the mysteries of mid layers and will have you thinking hard about what to wear on your next trek or hike.

00:00 - Intro
01:31 - Materials
03:19 - Construction
04:21 - Keb Fleece Hoodie
04:53 - Övik Scandinavian Sweater
05:35 - Canada shirt
06:07 - Abisko padded vest
06:43 - Expedition pack down hoodie
07:53 - Outro

Sum up:
To put it short, the mid layer´s top mission is to keep you warm. The mid layer´s the one in between the base layer, closest to your body, and the shell that protects you from the elements. A fully functional middle layer should keep your body temperature at bay by retaining heat and at the same time let out moisture from your body.

Keeping warm in a harsh environment is all about retaining small pockets of air, because trapped air is the best insulation one could get. But the materials in a good mid layer can vary; down is very good at trapping air pockets and thus keeping you warm, fleece has good moisture wicking abilities, and wool can keep you warm even when wet, for instance. Which one is the best depends solely on the occasion and type of activity.

When it comes to choosing which kind of mid layer, it´s important to consider which kind of pursuits you´re going for and how the weather is likely to be. Good advice is to plan ahead, pack accordingly and then regulate the middle layer by adding or removing layers, depending on temperature, weather and the level of physical activity.

Remember, the most important thing when you´re skiing, on a hike or on some other outdoor activity, is to find the balance between not breaking out a sweat, and not starting to freeze. And the right mid layer will literally have your back there.

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About Fjällräven
The Arctic fox is an inquisitive little predator with impressive survival skills that fascinated our founder, Åke Nordin, so much that he named his outdoor company with its Swedish name - Fjällräven. Since 1960, we have created functional, durable and timeless equipment that aim to make any outdoor experience great and nature accessible to all.

[jamieholdstock]

Sofia and Calle are the best make more episodes with them!

[luciferiancheflux]

Love all my products from this company. And I keep buying on a regular basis . Not cheap but worth every penny.

[thomasf.]

Winter trekking I use a wool base layer and a merino wool mid-layer, with a Ventile shell. If it gets cold I add a synthetic (Primaloft) jacket to the mix and if I stop for a while I add a down jacket over all that.

[mudlotus]

Another factor to consider for choosing your mid layers is how much do you sweat personally with any type of physical exertion. You can put two people of the same athletic ability together and one will we sweating buckets while the other is slightly sweating. Be honest with yourself and really pay attention to that because it can mean the difference between life and death for you and or those with you if they have to take care of you.

[biancadewarle]

Great video. Love my canada shirt for using as a mid layer for a day hike in milder weather or combined with a wool sweater when it’s really cold.

[theshortladders]

Am I the only one who could watch Sofia explain anything? She's so pleasant! Calle seems like a nice guy too.

[ianrudd]

A very balanced tutorial. Getting kid layers right is crucial to any trip. I have several which can be used depending on the type of trip and the season and the weather that I am expecting. You covered a lot of variants which is really useful. Keep up the good work.

[mr_cleaner_upper]

I’ve noticed my favourite YouTuber - Foresty Forest - has started to wear some of your kit, so I went out and purchased a pair of pants. Excellent gear! After seeing this video I need to get my hands on a RedBlack (what many Canadians in my region would call the Canada Shirt). Great video!

[wangocopperboom]

This video was a helpful reference when I went on my first winter hike. You'd be surprised how quickly you warm up and having removable layers as your temp and the weather change is smart! #longlifelesswaste

[BradyPatterson]

I wear a mixture of both wool or synthetic mids. A one a Local Guide here in Vancouver, Canada, we get a great climate that can test the best of gear. On a day hike in cool weather with the risk of getting quite cold, I normally wear a light synthetic if it's dry since I'll be sweating for sure as I run very hot. I will normally be found in a Bergtagen Lite Insulated jacket and I carry a shell (again Bergtagen) for the rain. I also carry another down or wool layer for when I stop for a break. I choose that layer by thinking about whether me or friends will be lighting a fire at some point. If fire, I bring the wool, if none, I do the down.

[dougmerrill]

Not possible to cover all possible conditions and solutions in a short video. Sofia and Calle did a great job covering a wide range of issues. I would add that the mid layer should always be thought of as part of a system What choices you make for the mid layer are affected by the choice you make for the outer layer (in combination with personal preference and physiology). If there is risk of rain or wet snow, the outer layer will be waterproof with minimal breathability. Wind resistance on mid layers isn't important while wearing a waterproof shell. In fact, polyester shells integrated into a down or synthetic fill garment can impede moisture transfer. But when the outer layer is not being worn during dry but windy conditions, some wind resistance in a mid layer is welcome. If going into dry but windy conditions, a soft shell can handle the job of wind resistance without relying on extra help from linings on the mid layers. A thin, super lightweight windshirt can be a useful addition to your pack when using open weave mid layers without a waterproof shell.

[vlamoric]

What are the different properties of synthetic insulation compared to fleece?
Among these, there is for example the ability to insulate despite being wet due to the rain.

[daytonstarnes]

I am loving this content—keep it up! :)

[cottonbrad]

A great overview of layering! Since you asked, I use a good quality, moisture wicking, base layer to start with. Then as Calle said my mid-layers depend on what I am doing and the temp. I prefer wool or wool blends personally, though I am really loving that vest you were wearing Calle! I top with either a puffer jacket, insulated anorak or hard shell, again weather dependent. I am loving the Fjallraven product line and am looking forward to a new pair of Keb or Vidda Pro trousers! #longlifelesswaste!

[fanpandatastic]

I was just thinking about this, thank you guys for the free content we appreciate it:)

[adrianjaeger]

Well, my question is to the photographer… what lens was that?

[shawnoldt]

I love the man’s style pack down hoodie on Sofia and ordered a man’s one for myself as a woman, and I get the benefit of the added length too. I also have the Singi down jacket and know I am prepared for the coldest days. My husband also has this combo and we love Fjallraven gear!

[marthinlarsen]

I love that Fjällräven don't respond to any kind of critique either regarding their products or costumer service.

Fjällräven makes some reasonable pants and backpacks.

Don't buy their base layers or mid layers they perform but are overpriced.

Their outer layers especially their ecoshell garments don't perform when you need them to.

I own a lot of their products from my rookie days, so I speak from experience.

The idea is great, the performance, not so great.

I switched to brands such as Swazi, Norrøna, Carinthia, Arcteryx and so forth.

[grueneauen]

Like this series! 🤗 Well when it comes to this combination of materials you mentioned I like to prevent them because I think it is way harder to reuse or recycle these. And I love the natural ones like wool and down more because I find them more breathable. 🤷🏼‍♂️ What I really dislike is polyester. It’s getting so smelling so fast. And don’t forget the micro plastic that is going in our water circulation by washing it. I really hope you will find some better alternatives some day! What about hemp, alga and tencil?

[SD-xhnp]

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