Polo Ralph Lauren Classic Estate-Rib Quarter-Zip Sweater

Estate rib is the heavier knit Ralph Lauren uses for its cold-weather sweaters, and the weight is what separates this from the fleece quarter-zips elsewhere on this page. It is a real sweater, so it works over the oxford above and under a field jacket, and the zip lets him dial the warmth rather than committing. At 4.7 it is the best-rated piece in the collection, albeit on the fewest ratings. It is wool-blend, so it pills slightly at the underarms in year two. Skip it if he runs hot; this is genuinely warm, not decorative.

Rated by the Build a Boyfriend editors. How we pick and rate. An editorial score, not a customer rating.