Well, I don't qualify because I don't own these, but I looked at them in the store. They looked just like your regular fleece. My 0.02 is that even if you're paying more for higher-end gear, I highly doubt you're getting better or different fabrics/materials than what's already available on the general market, e.g. PrimaLoft, Polartec. There isn't a magic cycling-specific material out there that keeps you warmer than for winter hiking. You're paying for features and durability - and for marketing. Now, if you want to break through the marketing and get into the technical details of R-values and air permeability of different fabrics...

To stay warm you only need 3 layers: base, insulation, wind-proofing (no cotton anywhere!)