Re: Any opinions on the TAD Ranger Hoodie?
Fleece is a Pacific Northwest staple.
I have the Ranger hoodie, the Recon (a thinner weight fleece), and the Shagmaster (a super lofty/floofy fleece like the Mountain Hardwear Monkey Man). I like the tighter fit that TAD uses which is nice for backpacking because there is no excessive fabric to get bunched up, but any high quality outerwear will offer that. The higher pockets are awkward for normal use because you feel like you're fishing for nipples when you fetch something, but it's also nice when you've got a pack on as the waist strap won't block the high pockets. There are also zip pockets everywhere for packrats.
I like the hood design as it lays flat and cradles the back of the neck when the zipper is all the way up, instead of bouncing around on your shoulders like a sack of fabric. The shagmaster is an exception as the hoodie isn't structured like the fleece, softshell, or hardshell hoodies. However, the shagmaster is really a layer piece as it doesn't block wind.
The prices aren't really that different from high quality outdoor brands like Marmot, or Mountain Hardwear, Patagonia, Arc'Teryx, etc. The fleeces, at least when I bought mine, are still made in California, USA so that is a big bonus for some buyers. One of my softshells was made in China and the other in the USA. There are several companies make TAD knockoffs (or "inspired by") like Red Dragon Airsoft and Condor if you want to dabble for cheap to see if you like the fit. I can't guarantee how well they're made considering the prices are pretty low.
One negative is that TAD has an annoying habit of stocking just one batch of stuff once a year during season and when it's gone, it's gone until next year. You might not want to buy next year because they change the design each year. If they're out, you'll have to check if anyone has it for sale on forums or ebay.