Air-Grid Fleece 2.0: What We Changed (And What We Didn't)
The original Air-Grid Fleece has been on more dawn starts, dusk descents, and 5am airport runs than we can count. It's the kind of product that makes you nervous to redesign — the safe move is always to leave it alone.
But across thousands of trips (and a fair few very direct DMs), two things kept coming up: the fit could be better, and a bit more breathability when the pace stepped up would go a long way.
So before Air-Grid 2.0 lands, here's exactly what we changed, what we didn't, and the fabric science behind it.
12 months. One question.
The brief was small enough to fit on a post-it: how do we improve the fit and breathability without losing what makes Air-Grid a Zorali favourite? Not a different fleece — the same fleece, dialled in.
What followed was a year of fabric mills, sample rounds, and a lot of "almost, but not quite." We tested 2.0 prototypes through alpine dawns in the Victorian High Country, packed them for fast-and-light overnighters, and wore them under shells and over base layers across a range of conditions. Every round of testing came back with a list — cuff length, pocket reach, hood cinch tension — the things you notice on day three (or 300), not on a hanger.
The Grid, reworked
Air-Grid's signature is a geometric knit structure that opens up air space against your body — pulling vapour off your skin and pushing it out into the air, so you stay dry, warm, and comfortable on the trail.
For 2.0, we moved to a larger Grid geometry. More surface area means the fleece breathes harder when your output spikes on the climb, then quietly traps warmth again the second you stop. Layer a shell over the top and the Grid panels hold an insulating pocket of still air — turning a breathable mid-layer into a warmth system for cold lunches and long lookouts.
What we didn't change
Some things didn't need fixing. Air-Grid 2.0 keeps the thumb holes, the cinched hood, the kangaroo pocket, and the recycled-fibre construction that's been part of this fleece since day one. Same Air-Grid character — just breathing better.
A refined, roomier fit
We re-patterned the men's and women's cuts from scratch: a cleaner shoulder line, a longer back drop, and more room through the torso and arms for comfort that holds up on day three, not just day one. There's also a new safe-zip stash pocket for essentials, alongside the pouch-style kangaroo pocket you already know.
Mountains of street appeal
Fresh cuts, new colourways, and a finish designed to look just as good on the walk back to town as it does at the top of the trail.
12 months in the making
Where we landed for Air-Grid 2.0 — a roomier, more relaxed fit and genuinely better breathability — is an evolution of what's become a Zorali staple, not a reinvention of it. We can't wait to hear what you think.
— Cam & Elise
Air-Grid Fleece 2.0 is landing soon. For the full spec sheet — weight, recycled content, and breathability details — keep an eye on the Air-Grid Fleece product page when it drops.
