I really like my R1, it's really soft and comfortable. For an all in one I'd probably get the tech face version, it adds a little bit of wind and rain resistance. More on reddit.com

Kuhl stuff runs pretty trim. More on reddit.com

Best is a really hard thing to nail down. Best for you? Best budget? Most expensive? Fit is important, as is style. Are you hiking to elevation? Guided/unguided? Expecting snow or rain? City only or adventure travel? For a shell, the Patagonia Torrentshell or Marmot Precip are good rain shells that pack well on a decent budget. I personally use the Mountain Hardwear Exposure/2 in Gore-Tex PacLite Plus. It's a very good shell at less than 10oz for my size and packs very small. Arcteryx Beta AR is probably the top of the line, at around $750CAD. For a fleece, there are a lot of fleece better than the Better Sweater (don't get me wrong my partner loves her full zip BS, it's a good layer just bulky and pretty heavy). If you're on a budget the MH100 fleece from Decathlon is hard to beat at like $20 and it's lightweight. Grid fleece like the R1 from Patagonia is a really good option, mine lasted me well over a decade of hard use, 1/4 zip crew neck weighted about 11oz. I replaced it with the Outdoor Research Vigor full zip, it's about 15oz in my size with a hood, but if you went 1/4 zip no hood it's lighter, around 10oz. Alpha Direct is the best for ultralight, it's super fast drying and very breathable, usually weighing around 5oz. Delicate though, and you'd want a shell overtop for any breeze or being static. You might want to consider an insulating layer as well. Fleece might not be enough at high elevations or in freezing temps depending on who you are and how you're acclimatized. Again, Decathlon on a budget with the MH100 puffy, a perennial UL budget down coat. Patagonia has lots of varying down options, Micro Puff or similar, also the Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer. Arcteryx makes the Atom, it is a synthetic insulation option if you prefer that, same as the lighter weight Enlightened Equipment Torrid (kinda like like a trash bag though) or Evolved Supply Co Outcast (also made by EE with a similar design but different face fabric). More on reddit.com

The biggest difference between Patagonia and less expensive brands (Mountain Hardware is pretty comparable) is that Patagonia offers a forever guarantee. So if a zipper ever breaks or a cuff comes unstitched, they’ll fix it for you or replace it. More on reddit.com