The Best Quarter-Zip Sweaters To Layer Up With

Marine Layer bills this pullover as a blend of a sweatshirt and a thermal shirt, judging by the close-knit waffle weave for both durability and lightweight-yet-warming comfort. Organic cotton is a nice sustainable touch you can feel good about wearing, while ribbing at the cuffs and waists helps the sweater stay in place as you move – it won’t ride up or expose your midriff.

The quarter-zip pullover, long before it became an easy-to-wear piece for guys on land, was trusted at sea and made with rugged quality by French outfitter Armor-Lux. The company helped outfit the French Navy, and this aptly named sweater is a prime example of its utility in the wild, from the bold and easily visible stripes to the thick 100-percent wool construction. The zip placket is also shorter than other quarter-zip sweaters, providing more coverage around the neck in blustery weather.

Faherty has a magical formula on its hands with its Legend Collection: The fabric itself, whether in sweater form or as a stretch flannel shirt jacket, is ridiculously soft and wildly comfortable. It’s all wrapped up in one “throw on and go” package with the neutral, versatile Navy Twill Quarter Zip. The relaxed fit through the body makes it easy to layer over a henley or a soft-washed buttondown. Tapered sleeves provide a snug fit and a bit of insulation from the cold.

This quarter-zip sweater features a burly but not-too-heavy cotton-blend build and sherpa lining for plenty of warmth. The end result is a speckled fleece pullover that looks like you unearthed it at a surplus store. It’s never a bad casual style move to wear a piece like this alongside broken-in denim with rugged leather boots on a cold night.

Out of all the brands on this list, Peter Millar makes the widest variety of quarter-zip pullovers in enough fabrics and colors to please even the pickiest shopper. The Stealth Performance Quarter Zip is the pullover you should choose if you want a more active-minded version for golf or day hikes: The 92 percent polyester, 8 percent spandex blend is super-stretchy and made to move around in. Note the Tailored fit and four-way stretch fabric, which is well-suited to wear over a lightweight, moisture-wicking polo. Bonus: UPF 50+ sun protection is baked into the fabric.

The quarter-zip pullover makes plenty of sense as a functional and surprisingly rugged layer, and few companies are better suited to bring the style into the great outdoors than Scandinavian outfitter Fjallraven. Made from super-warm lambswool, the durability of this sweater is amped up even further thanks to abrasion-resistant elbow- and shoulder- patches made using Fjallraven’s famously weather-ready G-1000® fabric. The taller ribbed collar is designed for outstanding warmth and wind protection in blustery conditions, and even the reinforced chest pocket is designed with G-1000 fabric reinforcements to safely stow your EDC.

Searching for a quarter-zip sweater polished enough to handle Zoom calls and face-to-face meetings? This is a great choice. It’s made from 100 percent cashmere (take it to the dry cleaners if you run into any pitfalls) for a remarkably soft-to-the-touch finish. The color choices also give you some leeway in terms of style – go bold and fresh with Blue Haze, or sleek and sharp with the “Black Caviar” option.

Fashioned from polyester and yet looking more polished than sporty, this is a helpful stretch pullover you can throw on at a moment’s notice without missing a beat. Think of it as a laidback layer to throw on when you need to catch a train on a cool day but don’t want the added bulk of a thick puffer jacket.