Shoulders and back: nylon, so straps don’t crush the loft.
Pack straps and hip belts flatten pile fleece right where you need it warm. Here they sit on stretch nylon, and the loft stays lofty.
Defender 2026 · HighLoft Fleece Jacket
Want a fleece jacket where nothing is just for show?
5 parts, 5 jobs
Review of our Karpathian Sherpa Fleece
★★★★★
“The polartec fleece is as warm as it can get for a fleece. I am renovating and wanted some cosy and real warm fleece. This one delivers.”
By Saint Javelin · 100% Made in Ukraine
At a glance
Meet the HighLoft Jacket
Nylon on the shouldersPolartec High Loft pileFull-length two-way zip
Open it from the bottom to ventZipped hand-warmer pockets
Nylon on the shoulders and backNylon on the forearmsHighLoft Jacket vs a regular fleece jacket
Why it beats the fleece you already own.
| HighLoft Jacket | Regular fleece jacket | |
|---|---|---|
| Nylon where packs and brush wear it | ||
| Polartec, the fleece used by the US military | ||
| Warm when you stop, not just on the move | ||
| 100% Made in Ukraine |
Forearms and sides: nylon, so brush and rock don’t chew it up.
That’s where you brush past branches and lean on rock. The nylon takes the hits, and the pile stays plush.
High Loft
The body: Polartec High Loft, where you need the heat.
Polartec says the US Army’s Gen III Level III cold-weather jacket, nicknamed “the smoking jacket”, is made from High Loft. The same Polartec fleece is in this jacket.
It’s the warmest top in our Defender collection.
The zip: two-way, so you can vent without taking it off.
Open it from the bottom to let heat out on the move, or pull it on over every layer when you stop. The stand collar keeps the heat in at your neck.
Proven in the Swiss Alps and the Yukon.
Worn at the summit above Lauterbrunnen in the Swiss Alps. Worn in the Yukon backcountry, at rest and layered over the Ninja Hoodie at a frozen lake.
The Defender 2026 collection
Made for where the weather turns.
Every panel has a job. Yours is to get out there.
Midnight Black · S to XXL
Shop the HighLoft Jacket$195 · 100% Made in Ukraine
Reviews
People loved the last one. Most sizes are gone.
Heads up: these reviews are for a different product, our Polartec Karpathian Sherpa Full-Zip Fleece. The HighLoft Fleece Jacket is brand new, so it has no reviews yet.
Almost sold outPolartec Karpathian Sherpa Full-Zip Fleece
4.72 from 29 reviews
Review of the Karpathian Sherpa
★★★★★“So warm! I was really surprised by how warm this keeps me.”
LiztymkiwVerified buyerUnited States
See it on Judge.me ↗Review of the Karpathian Sherpa
★★★★★“A really thick, soft and comfortable fleece. This has become my go-to winter fleece”
Paul N.Verified buyerUnited Kingdom
See it on Judge.me ↗Review of the Karpathian Sherpa
★★★★★“I am absolutely delighted with this fleece. … Its fantastic to wear and is so warm and comfortable. Ideal for the Scottish winter.”
GrantVerified buyerUnited Kingdom
See it on Judge.me ↗Review of the Karpathian Sherpa
★★★★★“Excellent!!! I love mine! It is not only well made but I love the length and how warm it is without being heavy. It is also lined and love the pockets!”
MAOKVerified buyer
See it on Judge.me ↗
The HighLoft is built for more
- Polartec High Loft: the warmest top in our Defender collection
- Stretch nylon where pack straps and hip belts rub, so the loft stays lofty
- A full-length two-way zip and a stand collar that holds the heat in
Too nice to be real? Fair. Our mums didn’t write these, promise. They all live on Judge.me, and “Verified” means Judge.me matched the review to a real order.
Check our homework on Judge.me →Who's behind it
The Saint Javelin story
February 2022The million-dollar sticker
On February 16, 2022, former journalist Christian Borys printed 100 stickers of a saint holding a Javelin missile to raise money for Ukrainian charities. He sold over 10,000 and raised over $1M.
Late 2022From meme to maker
We started making our gear in Ukraine. In late 2022, we built and donated military winter gear to Ukrainian soldiers, which went on to inspire the Defender collection.
Since thenProving our gear
Our gear has been proven around the world: in the hardest conditions in Ukraine, high in the Alps and even in the Yukon backcountry.
Today100% Made in Ukraine
We built our production from the ground up. We bring the best materials we can find, like Polartec fleece, into Ukraine and work with manufacturers across the country to make our gear.
As seen in
Rated 4.9 out of 5 across 5,400+ customer reviews
The warmest top in our collection · 100% Made in Ukraine
Get the HighLoft Jacket
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Polartec High Loft Midweight Fleece Jacket
$195
The warmest top in our Defender collection: Polartec High Loft. 100% Made in Ukraine.
- Warm when you stop: Polartec High Loft, the warmest top in our collection
- Pack straps won’t crush the loft: stretch nylon on the shoulders, forearms and lower sides
- On and off over every layer: full-length two-way zip and a stand collar
- Warm hands, no draughts: two zipped hand-warmer pockets and a bungee hem
- Midnight Black · S–XXL
Questions we get
How warm is it?
It's the warmest top in our Defender collection. In real cold, wear a shell over it; on dry, still days it works on its own.
Is it military issue?
No. Polartec says the US Army’s Gen III Level III jacket is made from High Loft, the same Polartec fleece we use, but the jacket is ours: designed for the outdoors and made in Ukraine.
What colours and sizes are there?
Midnight Black, in S to XXL. The size chart is on the product page.
Where is it made?
100% Made in Ukraine. We bring the Polartec fabric in, and the jacket is cut and sewn in Ukraine.
Tough gear,
for tough people.
Every panel has a job.
Shop the HighLoft JacketThe Defender Collection 2026 · 100% Made in Ukraine
