The SkyGOAT Half-Zip Air 70 Pullover Hoody is an ultralight microgrid fleece that fills the gap between a standard sun hoodie and a heavy mid-layer.  It’s perfect for cool mornings when you want a little more insulation before the sun comes up, or as an ultralight mid-layer under a windbreaker or softshell jacket when you know you’ll generate a lot of body heat while hiking or climbing a mountain. It’s equally at home in town and sporty enough for a date night when you don’t want to be weighed down by a heavier sweater.

• Gender: Men’s (Women’s Available)
• Type: Mid-Layer Fleece
• Weight: Men’s Large 5.4 oz (153 g)
• Material: 70 gsm (grams sq meter) recycled polyester grid fleece
• Fit: True to size

Fabric

The SkyGOAT Half-Zip Air 70 Pullover Hoody features a custom 70 gsm ultralight grid fleece with a highly porous knit that provides excellent breathability. While slightly less breathable than Polartec Alpha Direct, it is more structured, wind-resistant, durable, low-shedding, and low-maintenance. I simply throw mine in the wash with the rest of my hiking clothes and wash on cold/tumble dry on high without a care.

Deep half-zip allows for added ventilation

Features

The Half-Zip Air 70 Pullover Hoody has features that make it good for hiking, backpacking, and trail running across a wide temperature range, with or without an external shell.

Combination Hood and Collar: While Skygoat calls this garment the “Half-Zip Air 70 Pullover,” it also includes an under-helmet-sized hood. The combination is a real plus and not something you find on other hoodies, providing extra warmth around the neck when the hood and the center zipper are up and cover the front of the neck, preventing warmth from escaping. This subtle adjustment is the hallmark of good layering and thermoregulation for hiking and backpacking.

Half-length Zipper: Lets you dump extra warmth to prevent overheating and perspiration

Thumbloops: Thumbloops keep your wrists warmer and make it easier to pull on a windbreaker or shell layer.

No Kangaroom Pocket: Reduces weight and makes it easier to layer under a climbing harness.

Performance

The Half-Zip Air 70 Pullover Hoody works well on its own or layered with other garments in a wide range of conditions. It’s a great mid-layer under a windbreaker or softshell, retaining extra warmth while you warm up at the start of a hike and retaining it after you delayer. It’s also thin and breathable enough that you can push up the sleeves or unzip the front zipper to vent excess heat, so you don’t have to take it off when you start to perspire. This makes it an exceptional choice, especially in colder weather, when stopping to remove a layer can chill you, and it’s best to keep moving to stay warm.

The grid design reduces weight while allowing air and moisture vapor to pass through, providing modest insulation without trapping excessive heat

The Bottom Line

The SkyGOAT Half-Zip Air 70 Pullover Hoody is a versatile ultralight layer for hikers, backpackers, climbers, and trail runners who need more warmth than a sun hoodie provides without the bulk of a traditional fleece. Its breathable 70 gsm grid fleece, deep half-zip, combined hood and collar, and thumb loops make it easy to regulate temperature while you stay on the move. At just 5.4 ounces, it adds useful insulation without weighing down a pack, and its durable, low-maintenance fabric makes it practical for regular use.

Although it lacks a pocket and breathes slightly less than Polartec Alpha Direct, the added structure, wind resistance, and durability are worth the trade-off. Whether worn by itself on a cool morning or under a windbreaker in colder conditions, the Half-Zip Air 70 is a comfortable, efficient mid-layer that earns a place in a lightweight layering system.

Disclosure:  SkyGoat donated a garment for review.

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