Why We Love Italian Vuelta Fleece (and What Makes a Good Mid Layer)

When Valeria started designing ski clothes, the problem wasn't jackets. It was everything underneath: fabrics that were cold, stiff and cut for someone else's body. That's why the mid layer is still the heart of Colturi, and why we're a little obsessed with fabrics.

What a good mid layer has to do

• Breathe. On the climb, sweat has to get out, or it chills you the moment you stop.
• Stretch. Poles, kick turns, reaching for your skins: a mid layer should move like your skin does.
• Stay warm when you stop. A soft, brushed interior traps warm air close to your body.
• Fit close. A slim, feminine cut layers under a shell without bunching, and looks good on its own at the hut.

Meet Vuelta

Vuelta is an Italian-made technical fleece and one of our favorite fabrics. It has exceptional stretch and breathability, a cozy brushed interior, and on pieces like the Stella, a light wind and water-repellent finish. You'll find it in:

• the Stella quarter-zip, our ski layering essential;
• the Oxygen fleece jacket, made for fast, high-output days, with bold prints;
• the side panels of the Stella Extrafleece and the Inspire hoodie, where it adds stretch and ventilation to a warmer fluffy fleece;
• the back of the Electra and Oxygen pants, for freedom of movement.

The rest of the fleece family

• Fluffy Warm: an ultra-soft, high-loft fleece for the coldest days. It's what makes the Stella Extrafleece and the inside of the Oxygen hybrid so cozy.
• High Performance 3D: a soft, mid-weight fleece with a honeycomb weave for breathability, used in the Ionic hoodie, our best-seller.
• High Performance prints: the soft, breathable fabric behind the all-printed Dream Flow.

How to choose yours

• Mostly resort skiing under a jacket? Stella or Dream Flow.
• Touring, skimo or Nordic? Oxygen or Stella: light and breathable.
• Always cold? Stella Extrafleece or Inspire.
• Want one piece for the mountains and town? Ionic.

Caring for technical fleece

Wash cold on a gentle cycle, skip the fabric softener (it clogs the fibers and kills breathability) and let it air-dry. Always check the care label on your piece first.

Still deciding? Our layering guide shows how a mid layer fits into a full ski touring kit.