The Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody Women's is our best overall pick, and we rate it 81 out of 100.
A 354g Polartec Power Stretch Pro hoody with four-way stretch, warm enough to stand around in and comfortable enough that our testers stopped taking it off.
It went through the same test cycle as fourteen other fleeces, scored on Comfort, Warmth, Breathability, Layering and Weight, with owner reports read afterwards for the durability a months-long test cannot see.
Best Overall
Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody Women's
- Weight (S): 354g
- Fabric: Polartec Power Stretch Pro, 53% polyester / 38% nylon / 9% elastane
- Weight class: Midweight
- Pockets: 2 hand, 2 internal mesh
- Hood: Yes, clears a ski helmet
- Care: Do not tumble dry, the backing roughens permanently
Pros
- Highest comfort score in the test
- Warm enough to stand still in
- Shoulder seams keep pack straps off the fabric
- Hood now clears a ski helmet
Cons
- Pilled at strap contact points inside one season
- Dries slowly because of the elastane
- No thumb loops, so sleeves ride up under a shell
- Tumble drying permanently roughens the brushed backing
Our Verdict: Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody Women's
It feels like a worn-in sweatshirt and performs like technical kit, which is a combination nothing else here manages.
It scored 81 out of 100 across our five scored metrics, and it took the best overall award.
Highest comfort score in the test is what earns it that spot.
Pilled at strap contact points inside one season is the trade-off, and for this buyer it is the right trade.
We would hand this one to resort skiing, cold travel and everyday cold where comfort matters more than dry time.
This is the one I stopped thinking about. It went on in the morning and stayed on, in the car, on the hill, in the pub. Then the shoulders fuzzed up where my pack sat, inside a season, and at this money that is hard to forgive.
Emma, Top-Notch test team
How It Performed
Strongest on comfort, weakest on layering.
Here is how it did on every metric, with the rest of the field for comparison.
Comfort
The highest comfort score in the test, tied with the Patagonia R1 Air. One of our testers wore it as her only mid-layer for a multi-month trip around Europe and never wanted anything else.
The seams are pulled out of the shoulders and armpits, so pack straps have nothing to rub against. There are no thumb loops, and owners raise it repeatedly: the sleeves ride up when you pull a shell over the top.
| Comfort | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 9/10 |
| Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody Women's | 9/10 |
| Guide average | 7.1/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 5/10 |
Warmth
8.5 out of 10, second only to the Covert Cardigan. The fabric itself blocks wind genuinely well.
The main zipper does not, and that seam is the cold spot you feel. The internal mesh pockets vent nicely and turn into holes in your insulation once it is properly cold. The current sizing revision lengthened the torso and re-patterned the collar, so the hood now pulls over a ski helmet rather than just a climbing one.
| Warmth | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 9/10 |
| Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody Women's | 8.5/10 |
| Guide average | 7.1/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 5/10 |
Breathability
8 out of 10, which is high for a jacket this warm. Elastane is the hidden cost.
It holds moisture, so it dries slower than any grid fleece here. Push it hard enough and it saturates, then stops insulating the moment you stand still. That is the trade for the stretch, and it is why we would not take it ski touring.
| Breathability | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 8.5/10 |
| Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody Women's | 8/10 |
| Guide average | 6.4/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 3/10 |
Layering
6 out of 10, the score that keeps it off a clean sweep.
The smooth face slides under a shell without binding.
Getting it over a thick base layer is where the slim cut fights you.
| Layering | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 8.5/10 |
| Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody Women's | 6/10 |
| Guide average | 6.4/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 5/10 |
Weight
354g, mid-pack for this group.
It packs down better than the sweater-knit jackets but not as small as the grid fleeces.
| Weight | Rating |
|---|---|
| Highest in this guide | 9.5/10 |
| Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody Women's | 8.1/10 |
| Guide average | 7.9/10 |
| Lowest in this guide | 4.5/10 |
Should You Buy the Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody Women's?
It is best suited to resort skiing, cold travel and everyday cold where comfort matters more than dry time.
The big win: Highest comfort score in the test.
The main compromise: Pilled at strap contact points inside one season.
Specifications
| Weight (S) | 354g |
| Fabric | Polartec Power Stretch Pro, 53% polyester / 38% nylon / 9% elastane |
| Weight class | Midweight |
| Pockets | 2 hand, 2 internal mesh |
| Hood | Yes, clears a ski helmet |
| Care | Do not tumble dry, the backing roughens permanently |
What Other Women'S Fleece Jackets Should You Consider?
Not sold on this one? Three others in this guide are worth a look.
Black Diamond Coefficient Hoody Women's, our best for climbing and fast hiking. The lightest jacket here and the best layering piece in the group, sold as a performance tool rather than a comfort item.
Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Quarter Zip Women's, our best for broader builds. The grid fleece that does not compress your forearms, and the one we now point broader builds at first.
The North Face Retro Denali Women's, our warmest for standing still. The only true heavyweight here, and far more technical than the heritage styling suggests.
Conclusion: Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody Women's
Tested against every other women's fleece jacket on this list, the Arc'teryx Kyanite Hoody Women's came out as our best overall pick at 81 out of 100.
Highest comfort score in the test is the reason it wins.
You do give something up. Pilled at strap contact points inside one season is the catch.
This one is for resort skiing, cold travel and everyday cold where comfort matters more than dry time.
Still weighing it up? See how it stacks against the full field in our 9 Best Women's Fleece Jackets, Tested and Ranked guide.
