The Arc'teryx Covert Cardigan is our best for travel and town pick, and we rate it 64 out of 100.
A sweater-knit face over brushed fleece backing, where the dense knit is doing durability work the softer fleeces cannot match.
Scored on Breathability, Warmth, Layering and Fit, Weight and Value for Money, on a model weighted for hiking, which is not the job this jacket is best at.
Best for Travel and Town
Arc'teryx Covert Cardigan
- Weight: 527g (men's M)
- Fabric: Alpenex II, 100% recycled polyester
- Construction: Sweater knit face, brushed fleece back
- Pockets: 3
- Hood: No
Pros
- Knit face resists pilling and abrasion
- Warm for travel and town
- Three low-profile pockets
- Looks like a sweater, not gear
Cons
- 527g and slow to dry
- Wind goes straight through
- Bunches at the elbows under a layer
Our Verdict: Arc'teryx Covert Cardigan
The one fleece here that will still look presentable in three years, and the one you should leave at home on the hill.
It scored 64 out of 100 across our five scored metrics, and it took the best for travel and town award.
Knit face resists pilling and abrasion is what earns it that spot.
527g and slow to dry is the trade-off, and for this buyer it is the right one.
We would hand this one to travel and daily wear where the jacket has to look good for years.
Three seasons of wearing this most days and the face still looks new, which I cannot say about the Kyanite. It is also heavy, slow to dry and useless in wind, so it never comes on a trip.
James, Top-Notch test team
Where the Arc'teryx Covert Cardigan Scored, and Where It Slipped
Strongest on warmth, weakest on weight.
Here is how it did on every metric, with the rest of the field for comparison.
Breathability
6.5 out of 10, better than the thickness suggests because the weave is loose.
Wind goes straight through it, so it is not a weather layer.
Drying times are long once it gets wet.
| Breathability | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 8.5/10 |
| Arc'teryx Covert Cardigan | 6.5/10 |
| Guide average | 7/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 5.6/10 |
Warmth
7.2 out of 10, solid static warmth for town and travel.
The brushed backing is warm without being the softest fleece on test.
It bunches at the elbows when you layer over it.
| Warmth | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 9/10 |
| Arc'teryx Covert Cardigan | 7.2/10 |
| Guide average | 7.1/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 6/10 |
Layering and Fit
6.2 out of 10, held back by weight and bulk rather than cut.
Soft jersey-knit cuffs and low-profile laminated pockets keep it looking tidy under a coat.
Three pockets, which is generous for a piece in this style.
| Layering and Fit | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 8/10 |
| Arc'teryx Covert Cardigan | 6.2/10 |
| Guide average | 6.7/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 5.5/10 |
Weight
527g on our scale, which is heavy for a fleece with no hood.
Sizing runs generous, so check the listed weight for your size.
It is one of the heaviest jackets in this ranking.
| Weight | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 9.1/10 |
| Arc'teryx Covert Cardigan | 5.7/10 |
| Guide average | 7.2/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 3/10 |
Value for Money
The dense sweater-knit exterior resists face pilling and bushwhack abrasion far better than a brushed fleece.
That is the argument for the premium money: it will look presentable in three years when the Kyanite will not.
As trail performance it is poor value, as a jacket you wear five days a week it holds up.
| Value for Money | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 9.5/10 |
| Arc'teryx Covert Cardigan | 6/10 |
| Guide average | 7.5/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 5.5/10 |
Should You Buy the Arc'teryx Covert Cardigan?
It is best suited to travel and daily wear where the jacket has to look good for years.
The standout: Knit face resists pilling and abrasion.
The catch: 527g and slow to dry.
Other Picks From the Same Test
Three more from the lineup, each better at something this one is not.
Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody, our best for cold camp. The warmest stretch fleece here and the most comfortable thing on test, held back by pack-strap pilling that should not happen at this money.
Columbia Steens Mountain 2.0 Full Zip, our longest lasting. Owners report 10 to 15 years out of this jacket, which no scoring model built around performance can see.
Cotopaxi Abrazo Half-Zip, our best three season crossover. A warm, likeable camp and trail-walk fleece that gets restrictive the moment the ground steepens.
Also from this test: the Amazon Essentials Full-Zip Polar Fleece, our best budget buy pick, if the fit of this one is wrong.
Specifications
| Weight | 527g (men's M) |
| Fabric | Alpenex II, 100% recycled polyester |
| Construction | Sweater knit face, brushed fleece back |
| Pockets | 3 |
| Hood | No |
Conclusion: Arc'teryx Covert Cardigan
Tested against every other fleece jacket on this list, the Arc'teryx Covert Cardigan came out as our best for travel and town pick at 64 out of 100.
Knit face resists pilling and abrasion is the reason it wins.
You do give something up. 527g and slow to dry is the catch.
This one is for travel and daily wear where the jacket has to look good for years.
Still weighing it up? See how it stacks against the full field in our 10 Best Fleece Jackets for Hiking, Tested and Ranked guide.
