The Better Sweater has been in Patagonia’s line for years and the company has made no serious effort to replace it, which is the clearest possible statement about how well it works. It’s 100% recycled polyester fleece, weighs 465 grams in a medium, and has a full front zip with three zippered pockets including one chest pocket it packs into.
The face fabric is a tight, fine fleece that sheds light wind better than most open-faced midlayers and is presentable enough to wear as a standalone layer in town. Worn over a merino base it covers most of spring and autumn. Under a shell it handles everything down to around 0C depending on your tolerance for cold. The slim-fit version cuts closer to the body, which works better under outerwear; the regular fit has more room for layering.
Patagonia produces it in a range of colours that are more restrained than the brand’s usual palette - forest greens, earth tones, dark navies. The construction is solid. After years and regular washing it holds its shape without pilling in the way that cheaper fleeces do, which is either a function of the tight weave or the yarn quality or both.
At £130 it sits in the middle of the midlayer market. It costs more than a basic fleece and less than a premium Polartec grid jacket. What you’re paying for is durability and a garment that works in more contexts than most - which makes the price reasonable by the time you’ve worn it for a decade.