Better gear.
Less misery.
The difference between a good cold trip and a bad one is rarely the weather. It is the small stuff that goes wrong. Here is the small stuff, and what we built into one hoodie to fix it.
Six things that make a cold day miserable
- 1Wet layers that stay wetPolartec 200 dries fast and keeps you warm while it does.
- 2Wind on your faceZip it all the way and the hood closes like a balaclava.
- 3Forgetting the face coverIt is built into the hood. Nothing to pack, nothing to lose.
- 4A fleece worn through by strapsStretch nylon on the forearms and lower sides takes the rub.
- 5Cold air at your waistA bungee hem you can cinch tight with one pull.
- 6Cold hands, lost phoneFleece-lined zip hand pockets and a kangaroo pocket.
“Better gear, less misery.”
We found every one of these the hard way, over five days and 55 km off-trail in the Yukon backcountry, with nights down to −10 °C.
Every Defender fixes something the last one taught us
Defender is our yearly cold-weather collection. Each year we take what we learned, go further outdoors and build it tougher. It all started with a sticker.
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February 2022It started with a sticker
Journalist Christian Borys prints a sticker: a saint in green robes holding a Javelin. He hopes to raise a few hundred dollars for Ukraine. Days later Russia launches its full-scale invasion, and the saint goes around the world.
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2022Made in Ukraine
We stop being a meme and start being a maker. Production moves into Ukraine, and we start learning how to make things that last.
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November 2023The first Defender
Our first cold-weather collection: a fleece, and the padded work socks people still buy from us today.
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2024Polartec arrives
Defender moves to Polartec: quarter-zip fleeces, a sherpa hoodie and thermals. Customers start calling them the best fleece they own.
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2025Into the mountains
The Karpathian Sherpa fleece, shot with Ukrainian veterans hiking the Carpathian mountains. Our first real step into outdoor gear.
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2026Tested in the Yukon
Defender 2026: Polartec Power Grid, Micro 100, 200 and High Loft, cut and sewn in Ukraine. Before it went on sale we wore it for five days and 55 km off-trail in the Yukon backcountry, with nights down to −10 °C.
Get the Ninja Hoodie
Polartec 200 Midweight - Ninja Hoodie
- Stay warm on long, cold stops: Polartec 200 midweight fleece that breathes on the climb and dries fast when you stop.
- Leave the balaclava at home: zip it all the way up and the hood closes around your face.
- Carry a loaded pack all day: stretch nylon panels on the forearms and lower sides take the wear.
- Keep hands warm and kit secure: 2 zip hand pockets plus a big kangaroo pocket.
- Seal out the wind: storm guard behind the zip, bungee hem you can cinch tight.
People who own our earlier Defender fleeces
Defender 2026 is brand new, so here is what customers say about the Defender fleeces that came before it.
“What few mention is how dense it is! … it’s going to hold heat better and resist wind more than any fleece I’ve encountered, ever.”
“I wore it while hiking the alps in summer, going out with friends on a fall evening and now in the winter - it always performs and keeps you warm, when you need it to.”
“Sizing is spot on. Very warm in winter, and breathable when inside. … Best mid layer I’ve ever bought.”
“I’ve had the previous model for a year now. Great design, craftsmanship. The patch is a bit worn but everything else is still like new.”
“Better than any fleece hoodie I have purchased from name brand s in the past.”
“Washes very well - no sign of pilling or bobbling, even after numerous washes…comes up like new.”
Store-wide: 4.89★ from 5,469 reviews (Judge.me, 28 October 2026).
Questions we get
How does it fit?
A relaxed fit with room for a base layer underneath. If you are between sizes and want to wear it over a thicker layer, size up. Full measurements are on the product page.
Can it replace my shell?
No, and we will not pretend otherwise. It is a midweight fleece: warm on its own on cold, dry days, and the warm layer under a shell when it rains or snows hard.
Is it really Polartec?
Yes. Polartec 200, 100% polyester, from Polartec. The abrasion panels are stretch nylon (91% nylon, 9% elastane).
Where is it made?
In Ukraine, start to finish. Cut and sewn in ukraine, by teams who keep working through blackouts.
What colours does it come in?
Midnight Black, Olive and Ranger Green, sizes S to XXL.
