Artilect Halfmoon Bio Pullover Review 2023

With a tagline like Sustainability is Not Optional – US-based company Artilect Systems have thrown down the gauntlet. They have been designing and producing a whole range of apparel using innovative materials and features.

PROS

• Nice cut for active and casual wear
• Bio Fleece performs well
• Nice handwarmer pockets

CONS

• Handwarmer pockets not accessible with harness

We reviewed a couple of items from the Artilect range: the Artilect Sundown 250 and the A/SYS 1 Darkhorse. We found them functional and well-featured.

The Artilect Bio Pullover is a three-season (although there is no reason why you wouldn’t wear it in winter) fleece pullover that I have found to be useful and versatile. I’ve worn it for hiking, rock climbing, bouldering and a lot for casual wear to the climbing gym, around the house and mountain huts. It’s performed well in all these situations. It’s featured their A/SYS 2 mid-layer range so think, cool conditions on crag approaches and hikes when you might need to add a  shell layer for the summit. It works well with a gilet/vest.

Style-wise I’d say it’s more on the performance side than casual with a more close-fitting feel, which worked well when wearing a climbing harness or pack waist belt but could feel a little too close-fitting for casual wear. This is real nitpicking mind and probably has more to do with my body shape, if you have a skinny frame you’re going to be fine with it. Maybe I need to diet!

The cut of the Halfmoon Bio Fleece worked well with a climbing harness.

The main USP of the Bio Pullover is the PrimaLoft Bio Fleece. This new fleece material is made using 100% recycled and biodegradable fibres. The fibres have been treated to attract the microbes found in landfill and the ocean to help break them down at a faster rate than would be normal. The Bio Halfmoon looks like a fleece, feels like a fleece and performs like a fleece. The fibres are still synthetic so you will retain the benefits it just means that you can wash it as normal (which you may already do) and you shouldn’t need a guppy bag. I would imagine that we’ll be seeing more of this material in future if the claims are true. I’ve washed the Bio Half-moon a couple of times now and it was just fine, quick drying and I used normal detergent. You can find out more on the PrimaLoft page. You can imagine my look when some genius asked if it would dissolve in the rain – yes I said if you stood outside continually for two years. Or maybe you could lie in some landfill for a couple of years and see how you go – that’ll teach ‘em for messing with a Malham catwalk graduate!

So, I think that although I think the material is not as biodegradable as it might be in lab conditions (but then I am not the developer or materials testing scientist – so have only my opinions on that) Artilect has chosen the best material available at present and I think have been forward thinking on it. They should be applauded for their effort to try out apparel using the most up-to-date fleece when most manufacturers just rely on stating that their fleece is made from recycled materials. There you go, that is my opinion!

Again the active cut was great for active mountain sports – finishing Jacks Rake, Pavey Ark.

Material aside the Halfmoon Bio is well featured, it boasts a large chest pocket, easily big enough for any phone, folded map, route description or some food and gloves. If you need to stow more then the large hand warmer pockets offer access to a pouch-style pocket which was great on those cold evenings sitting drinking a beer. All the important seams are flatlock sewn so you shouldn’t experience any rubbing when wearing a pack or pack waistbelt. Final touches include some mice logo placements and reflective piping on the sleeves – which was surprisingly useful recently when staying in a mountain hut and I was scrabbling around for it in the dark.

The Bio Pullover has good freedom of movement for bouldering.

In conclusion, I think we’ll be hearing and seeing more of Artilect Systems this year. They are making real efforts in making their clothing range as sustainable as it can be whilst retaining its functionality. The Halfmoon Bio Pullover is well made with useful features, you would find it versatile enough to use for all your mountain activities as well as socialising in the bar and cycling around your neighbourhood and even attending meetings. A nice fleece.

The Artilect Halfmoon Bio Pullover is available directly via artilect.studio

It comes in sizes XS – XXL and three colour ways.

The SRP is £100 and there is a female-specific version which comes in sizes XS-XL and three colourways.

DISCLAIMER

Disclaimer – CGR reviewers and writers are never paid to provide a review and the website does not take advertising or link to affiliate sales. We are a bunch of keen climbers and travellers that accept sample products and offer an honest and independent review of the item. The reviewer will often keep the sample after reviewing it for both hygiene and safety reasons and more often it’s in no fit state to return!