REI Co-Op is no stranger to fleece, often in the casual variety. But with the Hyperaxis 2.0 the brand has built a technical, warm, breathable fleece jacket that does double duty in the front- or backcountry.
The Hyperaxis 2.0 is mostly form fitting with a slightly relaxed profile. Think comfy lounging hoodie you can wear on a chilly day, that then doubles as a solid hiking midlayer. It layers well under a puffy or rain jacket (or both if you’re downright freezing), and works as your only outer layer in cool, moist environments.
The REI Hyperaxis 2.0. A fleece hoodie for overcast days, whether you’re downtown or in the backcountry.
Fleece was made to be cozy — and while the exterior of the Hyperaxis 2.0 is built to be rugged, the interior is a high-quality, fuzzy affair. It’s warm, soft on the skin, and doesn’t leave fibers on everything.
Left: Exterior face fabric is durable and doesn’t shed. Right: interior is soft and cozy.
The Hyperaxis 2.0 comes with a hood, thumb-holes, three zippered pockets, and weighs right around one pound. It’s offered in Men’s, Women’s, and Women’s Plus Sizes.
See the Men’s REI Hyperaxis 2.0
See the Women’s REI Hyperaxis 2.0
See the Women’s Plus Size REI Hyperaxis 2.0
Unique Features of the REI Co-Op Hyperaxis Fleece 2.0
REI created the Hyperaxis with performance in mind, and that means pockets, thumb-holes, a hood, and an athletic fit.
The arms are a bit longer than normal to accommodate for the large, well-positioned thumbholes. This helps with layering, and turns the cuffs into half a glove, keeping your hands warm when it matters.
Extra-long sleeves and solid thumbholes create a half-hand glove, perfect for chilly days and layering.
There are three zippered pockets on the Hyperaxis. The hand-pockets are extra-large, and can technically fit a 32 oz. Nalgene if you wanted to. The front of each pocket is lined with the same interior cozy fleece. The backs of these pockets are a mesh material, and make for incredible heat dumping vents when you’re hiking hard.
Zippered hand-pockets warm the hands when needed, and serve as vents when moving hard.
The low-profile external chest pocket has a tiny zipper, and holds basic essentials — like a phone, map, or bar.
A low profile chest zip holds essentials.
Sheer Stretch
The REI Co-Op Hyperaxis 2.0 uses Polartec Power Stretch Pro. This is a fancy, industry-leading fleece fabric that focuses on mobility more than anything. And it works extremely well. The stretch factor of the Hyperaxis is impressive, and there will be no compromise on body movements whether you’re backpacking, climbing, or doing jumping jacks.
We didn’t even pull that hard. The stretchiness of this fabric is impressive.
The Power Stretch Pro also gets top marks for breathability, which is key to an active fleece. You don’t want to overheat. This, plus the full zipper and heat-dumping hand pockets make for a temperature-versatile midlayer.
This stretch extends to the hood, which can fit over a climbing helmet, but maintains an athletic casual fit most of the time.
See the Men’s REI Hyperaxis 2.0
See the Women’s REI Hyperaxis 2.0
See the Women’s Plus Size REI Hyperaxis 2.0
Who is REI Co-Op?
REI Co-Op doesn’t really need an introduction — it’s the in-house brand of the largest U.S. outdoor retailer. The company is known for creating thoughtful, sustainable products that rival (and often beat out) premium competitors.
The Hyperaxis Fleece 2.0 is REI’s answer to the active fleece product category, and for the price it stands out. See the REI Hyperaxis Fleece 2.0 for men, women, and in plus sizes.
This article is sponsored by REI Co-Op.
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What is the official name of the color of the fleece highlighted in this post?
Hi Josh. This specific color was available a couple of years back but doesn’t appear to be any longer, at least at the moment. We don’t have the color name saved, but the closest you’ll find now is ‘Mineral Water’ for men or ‘Indigo’ for women.