Mid Layers

What does a mid layer actually do?

It traps warm air. That is the whole job. Your shell keeps wind and water out, your base layer moves moisture off your skin, and the mid layer sitting between them holds a layer of warm air against your body.

Which is why the mid layer is the one you change through the day. It is far easier to add or drop a hoodie or a fleece than to swap jackets, and it is the reason a shell plus layers beats an insulated jacket for Australian conditions, where the temperature swings hard between a frozen morning and a warm afternoon.

Fleece, hoodie or flannel?

All three work as a mid layer, and the right one depends on the day rather than on which is objectively best.

• Technical fleece is the warmest for its weight and the best at breathing. Grid fleece in particular traps air in the channels while still letting moisture pass through. The pick for cold days, and for anything involving hiking or touring.
• Hoodies are the everyday mid layer most riders actually use. Comfortable, warm enough for a typical resort day, and they carry straight into the pub afterwards.
• Flannels are the classic snowboard mid layer. Warm, hard-wearing, and they layer over a base layer without much bulk.

The thing to be aware of across all three is cotton content. Cotton holds moisture, so a heavily cotton piece stays damp once you have sweated into it. That is fine for a lift-served day at a steady pace. It is not what you want on a long hike or a hard-charging day, and that is the one situation where a technical fleece is genuinely the better tool.

How should a mid layer fit?

Loose enough to trap air, close enough not to bunch. If it pulls tight across the shoulders it compresses the base layer underneath and squeezes out the warm air that makes the whole thing work. If it is enormous it bunches under your shell and restricts movement.

Size it against the jacket you actually ride, not on its own in front of a mirror. This is the most common mistake in layering: people buy a mid layer that fits them beautifully, then find the shell will not close comfortably over it.

Do you need one in Australian conditions?

Most days, yes. Australian mornings run cold and firm and afternoons turn warm and wet, often in the same run. A mid layer is what lets one setup cover both, and taking it off at lunch is the point rather than a failure of planning.

If you run hot, or you are riding park at a high tempo, you may find you want a lighter mid layer or none at all under a shell. Layering is personal, and it is worth experimenting across a few days rather than following a rule you read once.

Mid layer or hoodie, what is the difference?

Often the same garment, bought for a different reason. This page is about the layering job it does. If you are shopping for the look rather than the system, our hoodie range is the same gear approached from the other direction.

Buying mid layers in Australia

We carry fleece, hoodies and flannels from Jones, Yuki Threads, ThirtyTwo, Burton, Brixton and more, including our own Twelve range. Free shipping on orders over $90, with same and next-day dispatch from our Richmond store in Melbourne.

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