Best Mid Layer for Hiking, Backpacking, and Travel (2026)

Arc'teryx's Delta Jacket is an ultralight fleece made of Octa Fleece, 1 of the newer, high-tech fleeces to deed the marketplace successful the past mates of years. The sanction comes from the octopus-like weaving which creates aerial gaps, which assistance trap warmth portion besides allowing moisture to escape. It's precise fashionable with cottage manufacture ultralight brands, but Arc'teryx adopted it for the 2025 revamp of the company's fashionable Delta fleece jacket.

I hesitated to enactment this overgarment successful this usher because, portion I similar it arsenic an ultralight mid furniture for summertime trips, determination is an older, heavier mentation of the Delta jacket. Judging by the aggravated reviews connected Arc'teryx's website, it was precise popular. This overgarment is thing other entirely, but disgruntled fans of the older mentation aside, this is simply a large mid furniture for summertime trips, particularly erstwhile paired with a prima garment hoodie. At 8.5 oz for this, and 6 oz for a prima hoodie similar the 1 from Kuiu below, you person a combo that allows aggregate layering options and inactive weighs little than galore much fashionable grid fleece options. My lone gripe is that manner was, um, not taken into information successful the plan of this jacket. One idiosyncratic reappraisal connected the Arc'teryx tract likens it to Mr. Roger's sweater, which is astir right. But hey, it's light, it's functional—who cares astir manner successful the backcountry?