Rab Syncrino Mid Fleece Hoody Review 2023

Combining the warmth with the anti-odour benefits of merino wool with the durability and quick drying properties of synthetic fibres the Syncrino fleece is a winner.

PROS

• Warm
• Breathable
• Odour free

CONS

• Side pockets unnecessary
• Stiffer material for the chest pocket would reduce sagging

Mid layers are a tricky item to choose: you need maximum flexibility as well as that Goldilocks formula of being able to shed heat as well as retain some warmth. Merino wool can fit that bill and is a superb material for outdoor activities, but it does have some drawbacks. It can be heavy when wet and can take longer to dry than synthetic material. It is warmer and feels a more natural material as well as not generating static and the odour-free properties mean it can be worn for long periods without washing, which makes it ideal for long weekend adventures as you can pack less.

The Rab Syncrino Mid Fleece Hoody manages to combine both the benefits of a synthetic fleece with the properties of merino wool. The mix is more skewed towards synthetic with the main body being 65/31 polyester/merino mix (the other 4% being elastane for stretch) and the panels with ore merino in the 56/44 mix. The extra synthetic means that the jacket will have more durability (always an issue with Merino and activewear) and it will be faster drying. The latter is important because you need your mid-layer to dry with just your body heat after that 2-hour slog to the base of Ben Nevis. I have used the jacket for hiking (mostly) and multi-pitch climbing and the occasional run and it’s performed very well for all of them. I will definitely be taking it on summer hikes as a throw-on layer when the breeze gets up and if I put a long-sleeved base layer under it I will be using it for early winter hiking too.

Breathable on warmer days, warm on cooler ones. The Syncrino fleece is versatile.

I found the mixture perfect, nice and warm, breathable and very quick drying. I haven’t washed it through the test period (4 weeks so far) and it still smells fine. It’s nice and stretchy so offers good freedom of movement when climbing. The outer face is smooth enough to get a hardshell or windproof on easily when the wind gets up as it isn’t windproof at all. It is, however, super breathable and has been great in these warmer spring days. So full marks for the main body material with its smooth face and brushed inner. The side panels have more merino in them and are thinner and even more breathable so the body mapping works well.

The style is athletic, as you would expect, and cut for performance. It is slim fitting and fits well with a climbing harness. All seams are lock lock stitched inside and out which means the jacket is super comfortable when worn next to skin with no rubbing when wearing a pack. I tested a size medium (I’m 171cms and 77.5kgs – a UK 40” chest) and it fitted well; snug with no sagging or bunching up. The hood is also stretchy and worked well when pulled over a cap or worn under a climbing helmet – it also worked OK when pulled over a helmet.

The hoody was stretchy enough to go over a climbing helmet which helped on breezy belays.

The Syncrino Mid Fleece Hoody has a full YKK Vislon zip with a glove-friendly zip tag. It’s finished with a storm flap and chin guard. The zip has performed well throughout the test as the jacket has been on and off all the time in the mid to late-spring conditions I’ve been wearing it. The three pockets have reversed YKK coil zips, nice and light and offer a windproof zip closure. There are two hand pockets – for me, they were of little use as access was restricted when wearing a harness or pack hip belt. I would ditch them in favour of two chest pockets instead. And talking of chest pocks the jacket has a good-sized one. The pocket material is thin, highly woven, polyester and well-sized. Although Rab suggests it’s good for stashing a compass and energy bars in it I (as I suspect most people would) have used it to stash my phone in. You can get most phone sizes in it but the thin outer material tends to sag heavily so I would say ditch the two hand warmer pockets and use a slightly more rigid chest pocket material even better have two chest pockets. Still, it’s a minor, issue as I know plenty of people like hand warmer pockets.

The cut offers excellent freedom of movement for when adventures get technical.

To summarise: the Rab Syncrino Mid Fleece Hoody is an excellent all-around mid-weight fleece. It combines the benefits of a synthetic fleece with the properties of superfine Merino wool. The cut and style are great for all types of outdoor adventures and the merino content means less washing is required which can only be better for the environment. A good fleece which will serve you well for many years which deserves the 5 star rating.

The Rab Syncrino Mid Fleece Hoody comes in sizes S-XXL for men and UK 8-16 for women. It comes in 4 colour options for men and three for women.

The SRP is £160 and it can be bought directly from Rab and specialist retailers.

If you have enjoyed reading this review and found the content useful please consider a small donation by clicking the donate button. We do not take advertising or accept payment for reviews. Your kind donation ensures you get independent and honest content. Thanks and Happy Adventures!

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!