The North Face Bolt Polartec Power Grid Pull-On Jacket review: exceptional warmth from the lightest fleece we've tested

Meet the reviewer

Julia Clarke

Julia Clarke is a staff writer for Advnture.com and the author of the book Restorative Yoga for Beginners. She loves to explore mountains on foot, bike, skis and belay and then recover on the the yoga mat. Julia graduated with a degree in journalism in 2004 and spent eight years working as a radio presenter in Kansas City, Vermont, Boston and New York City before discovering the joys of the Rocky Mountains. She then detoured west to Colorado and enjoyed 11 years teaching yoga in Vail before returning to her hometown of Glasgow, Scotland in 2020 to focus on family and writing.  

The North Face Bolt Polartec Power Grid Pull-On Jacket: first impressions 

This isn't the first Bolt Polartec jacket we've tested from The North Face, but so far, it's the best. Where we loved the light weight of the Bolt Polartec Hooded Jacket, it had some flaws – it used no recycled materials and the fabric seemed a little flimsy. However, the mountaineering brand has come back with all pistons firing with this updated model.

This fleece jacket is part of the new generation of fleeces, which uses the grid pattern on the lining and a smoother face material to create a garment that's a bit more durable, less prone to pilling, and excellent at trapping your body heat to your advantage. Though this one weighs just 150 grams in a women's small, we found it to be extraordinarily toasty on some recent chilly adventures in Corsica, where the weather was bringing snow to the highest peaks.

The design is as light as some base layers, and the low profile means it's easy to layer under bulkier layers or as an outer layer in summer, while the hood adds extra warmth and sun protection.  A small chest pocket means you can stash your credit card close to hand for convenience, and thumb holes make it easier to pull your down jacket over the top when it gets cold.

Like previous models, the hem isn't adjustable, so on some bodies, a cold draft could slip in on a breezy day. Compared to other fleeces we've tested, it's a reasonable price and they've upped the recycled content from zero to nearly 100 percent. It's quick drying, super packable and an excellent choice for fast-paced pursuits in cold weather, or as a warm layer for active travel.

The North Face Bolt Polartec Power Grid Pull-On Jacket: in the field

I recently got to test out this fleece on a press trip with The North Face to Corsica, where we tested their new kit out across a variety of activities: hiking, mountain biking and on a via ferrata. I've previously tested Bolt Polartec Hooded Jacket, which I liked but found a few issues with, so I was keen to see the upgrades. 

The trip took place in early April and the weather was still quite cool and damp, with snow falling on the highest peaks. We stayed a little lower to enjoy dry trails, but the conditions were perfect to test out gear like this, which is really intended for versatility and some intensity at cooler temperatures.

Here’s how it performed:

Sizing and fit

I tested a small, which is my usual size, and I'd say the sizing is accurate. It's slim fitting on me, but with a little room to wear it over a T-shirt, which I did. The hem isn't adjustable and is ever so slightly loose on me, which could theoretically mean I get a cold draft on a windy day in Scotland, but so far that hasn't been an issue. I also think that on most bodies, it would fit more snugly anyway. 

The sleeves are long enough that when I use the thumb loops my hands are covered, and the hood is perfectly snug so it stays up in a gale.

Warmth and breathability

I first put this on to go for lunch with the other journalists. After a few minutes, I turned to the woman next to me to comment on how toasty I was, even though the air conditioning was on in the hotel. She felt the same way. For such a thin, light fleece, it's amazingly warm, and I really think this is its biggest selling point. It makes it a really valuable layer for winter mountaineering and ski touring, but it also means that when I want to take an extra layer on active vacations where I don't want to check a bag, I know that I can get a lot of return for a tiny amount of added bulk and weight.

If you don't already know, Polartec grid fleece is really breathable too, so it needs to get warm out before you have to take it off. We did our Via Ferrata in the afternoon, and the sun had finally warmed things up, so I actually stripped down to my T-shirt to get some sunlight on my pasty skin, but several members of my group kept their fleeces on for the duration and said they were comfortable.

Comfort and weight

This fleece falls into that category of "I forgot I was wearing it," which is all you can ask for, really. The grid fleece is soft enough to wear against the skin if you want to wear it as a first layer, it's not too tight and it's really stretchy (I even wore it for a chilly sunrise yoga session on the beach).

I've already mentioned how light this is, but without a front zip it's actually the lightest fleece I've ever tested. Naturally, the hood adds a little extra substance, but it still rolls up smaller than my water bottle for packing.

Durability

In general, fleece is pretty durable, but it is prone to pilling and these grid designs with the smoother face fabric address that issue head on. It's not nearly as flimsy as the previous model and while it may not be as robust as a thicker fleece, it survived my whirlwind adventure in Corsica without so much as a scratch.

The North Face Bolt Polartec Power Grid Pull-On Jacket: the bottom line

If you're in the market for a lightweight and versatile layer that provides exceptional warmth and breathability without adding bulk, you'll have a hard time finding a lighter one this this. We really couldn't find any major performance issues at all, and found this a great option for various outdoor activities. If you were hoping to spend a little less or prefer a model without a hood, look into the Montane Protium Lite Pull On as an alternative.

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