Columbia Sequoia Grove full-zip fleece review: A warm and stylish midlayer for individual wear in the summer months and use under a jacket in winter

First impressions

A good fleece jacket can come in handy all year round, providing some much-needed extra warmth when the winds pick up in the warmer months and adding an insulating layer during winter.

Columbia's Sequoia Grove fleece aims to be the perfect all-rounder, going with 'anything and everything' according to the Columbia website. It's made from snug 100% recycled polyester fabric and designed to provide light insulation, meaning it's best suited to cool days in the spring and fall, and shouldn't be worn on its own in winter.

It features stretch binding on the collar, cuffs, and hem to 'seal out' cold winds and stop heat from escaping. Its high collar design provides some much-appreciated additional insulation around your neck.

When it gets a little hotter, you can fully unzip your Sequoia Grove fleece and feel the breeze on your upper body.

Columbia Sequoia Grove: on the trails

I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Sequoia Grove fleece jacket in April and have been eagerly putting it through its paces ever since.

I've worn this stylish Columbia number in all manner of weather conditions during treks over the hills and valleys of southern England and up the odd mountain in Northern England's Lake District National Park.

Here's how it performed:

Fit and comfort

Comfort is the make-or-break element of any fleece jacket. An uncomfy or ill-fitting model is never fun to wear, especially if you're trying to navigate tricky trails and unforgiving weather conditions in the wild.

Thankfully, the Sequoia Grove is exceptionally comfortable. The 100% recycled polyester fabric felt soft on my skin from its first use and remained so after several months of testing on the trails. It's hardened a touch after a few washes, but still feels pleasant and cozy.

It also fits very well. I'm often irritated by tight-fitting hiking layers that provide a good level of warmth but feel almost stuck to your skin as you trek. Hence, I was pleased to find that the Sequoia Grove fits a touch looser than many similar models and still provides some great warmth.

For reference, I'm 6ft 1in tall, and the size large fits true to size.

Protection from the elements

Columbia classifies the Sequoia Grove fleece as suitable for light warmth, meaning it's best suited to cool days in the wilderness and can't be relied on to keep you toasty, on its own, during winter.

I put mine to the test in the variable weather of the English spring and summertime, and encountered plenty of cool and blustery days on the trails, where the Sequoia Grove excelled.

The soft fleece material acts as a useful additional layer when it's too cold to wear just a t-shirt, and its hemmed sleeves stop heat from easily escaping. It's great for windy days, and came into its own when I trekked along the exposed ridgelines of Helvellyn, a 3,116 ft (950m) peak, which would've otherwise been freezing.

In the cold temperatures of early spring, it proved its mettle as an effective layer underneath a larger insulating jacket, and I often found myself wearing it on its own, as I'd built up enough of a sweat that I didn't need a proper jacket.

The Sequoia Grove fleece jacket isn't waterproof, and quickly gets soaked in a downpour. That said, I was surprised by the fight it put up in light rain and drizzle, which took a while to get through the polyester fabric.

It's worth checking the forecast if you're planning to head out without a raincoat, but the odd shower won't cause too many problems.

After several months of testing, my Sequoia Grove has yet to sustain any real damage. The polyester fabric remains pretty soft both inside and out, and there aren't any stains that have stuck around.

Weight

At 1lb 3oz (54g), the Sequoia Grove is a relatively lightweight hiking option. There are lighter fleeces out there, but they seldom offer the same levels of comfort as this model, which never felt like it was weighing me down as I made my way through the trails.

If you're eager to shave every gram, then you should check out something super-light like the Patagonia Nano-Air Light Hybrid jacket, which weighs in at just 9.2oz (260g).

Jackets like this one are best suited to trail running and sacrifice some of the comfort present in models like the Sequoia Grove.

Price

The Sequoia Grove is a great fleece jacket, and its price tag of $65 (£65) is a fair representation of its quality.

It's even more of a bargain considering the high prices of other, similar hiking fleeces, like the Houdini Power jacket, which will set you back an eye-watering $240 (US only), or Helly Hansen's Varde 2.0 fleece jacket, which costs $140 (£100).

In their defence, these fleeces offer a little more insulation than the Sequoia Grove, but pale in comparison to its bargain price tag.

Also consider

Comparison table

• The best fleece jackets: mid layers to keep you cozy in the backcountry
• The best base layers: the foundation of your hiking garb
• How Advnture tests products