How long is the life of a fleece?

[verbier61]

I have an old R3 patagucci which has served me well for about 5 years as the last layer before the XCR (or paclite) shell. I've had good care of it, but after maybe 3-400 days of use it looks very different from what it was... time for a change?

[mrw]

give it the sniff test

[Hugh Conway]

launder + stiff wire brush

[Wasatch_Expat]

I have a cheap fleece that was given to me 10 years ago by the company I worked for at the time. I took the logos out with a seem ripper and have been wearing it since then. Granted, it is not my everyday mid layer (I use a fleece vest for that, which is also 5 years old), but it's what I wear when I'm in the garage tuning skis, to and from the trailhead for cool weather MTB rides, etc. Still going strong. If it doesn't stink or have gaping holes in it, keep wearing it. Or you can send it back to Patagucci, and they'll recycle it and sell you a new one for the bargain price of $200 or so.

[verbier61]

yep this is more or less what I think, but I was just curious to hear other points of view.... thanks

[easyrdr]

Not sure what the life span is supposed to be-I bought my R3 in 98 and an R2 in 99 and still wear them all the time. They seem fine to me. I put them through the wash once a year at the end of each season. I figure they got a couple more years left.

[hutash]

They live forever. When you do retire it, take it to Patagucci for recycling. Fleece is just plastic, and real does last forever.