If you know of Melanzana, you know how difficult it is to get your hands on one of their coveted Micro Grid Hoodies. It’s a versatile piece that’s great for climbing, backpacking, skiing, lounging, and more. Their products are only available at their headquarters in Leadville, by appointment, or with limited online restocks. With resale prices of Melanzana hoodies going for over twice of their retail cost, it’s not economical to buy secondhand. If you’ve always wanted to pick up a Melly (it’s what the cool kids say), here’s a list of Melanzana alternatives to tide you over, because nobody should be without this ultra cozy, technical fleece.
Table of contents
- Criteria for Melanzana alternatives
- Balabusta Gear Hoodie (discontinued)
- Burgeon Outdoor Highlander Hoodie*
- Fayettechill Leah and Livingston
- Freedom Industries Radiase Thermal Grid Pullover Hoody (discontinued)*
- Lightheart Gear Fleece Hoodie
- Lobo Point Gear (discontinued)*
- Mountain Hardwear Summit Grid Half Zip Hoody
- Mountain Hardwear Summit Grid Tunic Hoodie
- Outdoor Research Trail Mix Pullover Hoodie (discontinued)
- Merrell Geotex Pullover Hoodie
- Sambob Microgrid Hoodie
- SkyGoat CAMP Hoodie
- Squak Grid Fleece Mid-Layer Hoodie*
- Thuja Burrow Hoodie
- Youer Climb On Hoodie
Criteria for Melanzana alternatives
For this search, every Melanzana alternative needed to come as close to the original product as possible. This means it has a hood. It has a kangaroo pocket. It’s made of a similar fabric to the Polartec Micro Grid Fleece. These matching features will not be called out in what’s similar.
Items notated with an asterisk have not been tested personally. All similarities and differences are judged based on descriptions and images. Purchase at your own risk, and report back!
Balabusta Gear Hoodie (discontinued)
What’s similar
- Made in the USA (NC)
What’s different
- Two different fits: straight and curvy
- Goes up to 2XL
- The curvy fit runs much more trim than the Melly
- Longer cut
- Three different body colors
Burgeon Outdoor Highlander Hoodie*
What’s similar
- Made in the USA (NH)
- Also comes in kids’ sizes
What’s different
- Double hood closure with a drawstring and a snap
Buy the Burgeon Outdoor Highlander Hoodie for $99.95.
Fayettechill Leah and Livingston
What’s similar
- Made in the USA
- Roomy fit
What’s different
- Uses Polartec Power Grid
- Thumbholes
- Goes up to XL for women and XXL for men
Buy the Fayettechill Leah and Livingston Hoodies for $98.
Freedom Industries Radiase Thermal Grid Pullover Hoody (discontinued)*
What’s different
- Uses RADIASE™ Thermal grid
- No hood cinch
- Scuba hood
- Has a hem cinch
- Less fun colors
- Only available for men up to 3XL
Lightheart Gear Fleece Hoodie
What’s similar
- Made in the USA (NC)
- Nearly identical design and color schemes
What’s different
- Toggle in the middle front half of hood
- Longer hems in front and back
- Thumbholes
- Goes up to 4XL for the women’s and 3XL for men’s
Buy the Lightheart Gear Fleece Hoodie for $99.
Lobo Point Gear (discontinued)*
Production is currently on pause, but peep their Instagram.
Mountain Hardwear Summit Grid Half Zip Hoody
What’s similar
- Price point
- Double hood cinch
- Half zip
What’s different
- Not made in the USA
- Goes up to XXL
- Runs larger than the Melly
- Bottom cinch
Buy the Mountain Hardwear Summit Grid Half Zip Hoody for $90.
Mountain Hardwear Summit Grid Tunic Hoodie
What’s similar
- Price point
What’s different
- Goes up to XXL
- Runs larger than the Melly
- Bottom cinch
- Not made in the USA
Buy the Mountain Hardwear Summit Grid Tunic for $85.
Outdoor Research Trail Mix Pullover Hoodie (discontinued)
What’s different
- Goes up to XXL
- Very boxy
- Polyester accents
- Drawstring for hood
- Half zip
- Not made in the USA
This has been discontinued, but Outdoor Research has an updated fleece, though it doesn’t appear to be a grid fleece anymore. Buy the Outdoor Research Women’s Trail Mix XT Fleece Pullover Hoodie for $120.
Merrell Geotex Pullover Hoodie
What’s similar
- Price point
What’s different
- Runs smaller than the Melly
- Lighter weight fabric
- No cinch for hood
- Not made in the USA
- Only available in a pullover for women
- Goes up to XXL
Buy the Merrell Geotex Hoodie for $60.
Sambob Microgrid Hoodie
What’s similar
- Made in the USA
- Hard to get your hands on
What’s different
- Runs larger than the Melly
- More fun colors
- Can get custom designs or hoodies made from scrap fabric
- Unisex sizing comes in narrow or wide
- Expensive
Buy the Sambob Microgrid Hoodie for $130.
SkyGoat CAMP Hoodie
What’s similar
- Headquartered in Colorado
What’s different
- Runs smaller than the Melly & different pattern for a more active fit around shoulders
- Proprietary GOATGrid fleece fabric
- Made in Taiwan
- Tri-color body
- No cinch for hood
- Women’s goes up to 2XL, men’s goes to 3XL with tall sizes available
Buy the SkyGOAT CAMP Hoodie for $98.99.
Squak Grid Fleece Mid-Layer Hoodie*
What’s different
- Thumbholes
- Fleeces are not made in the USA
- The pricepoint is more affordable than a Melly
- Women’s goes up to 2XL, men’s goes to 3XL with tall sizes available
Buy the Squak Grid Fleece Mid-Layer Hoodie for $59.99.
Thuja Burrow Hoodie
What’s similar
- Made in the USA (VT)
What’s different
- Hood cinch feels flimsier
- Customizable
- Construction is slightly different
- Fun, limited edition versions exist
- Goes up to 4XL for women, 3XL for men
Buy the Thuja Burrow Hoodie for $110.
Youer Climb On Hoodie
What’s similar
- Made in the USA (CA and Oregon)
- Buttons instead of cinch for hood
What’s different
- Thumbholes
- Kangaroo pocket is fairly small
- Stretchy fabric panels and cuffs
- Women’s sizing only up to XXL
Buy the Youer Climb On Hoodie for $140.
Am I missing any Melanzana alternatives? Let me know in the comments!
Some products were provided to me for review. This post contains affiliate links.
3 comments
Squak Mountain Co. Squak hoodie!
Mola in VT made up a custom one for me like a Melly with r1 fabric for I think around $80!
what would be your recommendation for comparable performance with a more natural fabric?