Montane jackets – including Lightspeed H20 (4 – 5 oz) are 60% off

[Tim Haynes]

Backcountry is having a sale on a bunch of their Montane gear. If I recall, they are the only U.S. distributor for this U.K. company, but most people here are probably familiar with their gear — great stuff, IMHO, from the few pieces I've seen.

There are mixed reviews from folks on the Montane Lightspeed H20 jackets, but at ~$50 ($46/women,$54/men), and ~4 and ~5 oz, respectively, they seem like a pretty good deal for a water-resistant (1.3K), breathable (6000g) layer with a stowable hood.

They also have the Montane Venture women's eVent jacket for $112; it's not ultralight at ~17oz, but for an eVent jacket, it's a great deal. I ordered one for my wife; she's been wanting an eVent jacket for several years to replace her cheapo, non-breathable raincoat, and this is the best deal I've found in several years of looking.

Other various Montane fleeces/softshells at the same 60% off, but nothing else stood out as a particularly great deal, at least not for this crowd.

If anyone has any experience with the Montane jackets and wants to share it here, feel free.

[Leslie Thurston]

tim~
i own a montane marathon featherlight jacket
(purchased yes, from back-c).
i purchased it at beginning of summer (on sale) and have yet to test it on real terms. (the weather thus far hasn't required of me to sport it, minus the occasional chilly cycle home from the library, or while sipping tea on the granite steps at dusk).
i'm anxious for fall in this manner.
however, what i can share thus far:
i dig the feel against my skin. contrary to some other lightweight "shells", it's not sticky-like or plastic feeling. it doesn't unecessarily cling, if you will. it's almost as if i've forgotten i've got it on!
*this particular model hasn't a stow hood or zipper (the latter would certainly match the "marathon" desciption).*
again though, i haven't really broke a full-on sweat in it.
i will also share that i'm somewhat displeased with the zipper quality thus far.
though in it's defense, i seem to have zipper issues with most of my gear these days.
(one word: china)?
the zipper snags at the bottom and the fabric around the hem is beginning to unravel some, which, in its infancy, shouldn't at all happen. for this reason, i thought about sending it back, but my suspicion that it's performnace-to-be is worth keepin' it round some.
wih fall in the air, i'll be quick to report back on how it rises (or falls) to the occasion.
leslie

[Tim Haynes]

Leslie,
thanks for the comments. With BC, they'll happily take back anything at any time — if you're having issues, I'd send it back (especially if these jackets happen to be on a better sale).

The Montane I've had for several years is an eVent shell and has been awesome — totally rainproof in crazy weather so far, and breathes very well. The only problem I've had has been — like you — the zipper is a pain… often hard to get started.

other than that, it's been great, and that's been a small price to pay — nothing has broken or unravelled, just hard to start (but I own other jackets that also have zipper issues, so I think I've just learned their tricks over time…)

[David Chenault]

My Featherlite pants have been great, held up to lots of abuse.

I have a Litespeed H2O, and it's a very athletic cut. Long arms, articulated shoulders, snug torso. Don't expect to layer a down jacket under it, nor fit in it at all if you're beefy or barrel chested.

[Leslie Thurston]

regarding previous thread…
reporting back on my first-ever montane experience.
today honed the most ideal of conditions.
fall in new england– yesterday i was sunburned, today it's soup and woodstoves.
i set out for a swift 20 to nearby foss mt. which illicits an
eclectic mix of hum-drum roadwalking, to well-maintained dirt roads to
lush, overgrown logging roads where i wade in young pines and sidestep rare mushrooms.
camelbak in tote with a small stash of grub,
what began as a foggy mist, soon evolved to a brisk shower, to a steady outouring,
and eventually to a full-on new england style rain.
skies spewing, the temp. noticeably dropped
(i busted out the hat; the ultralight marathon jacket is hoodless) and laughed
hysterically knowing i was rockin' the miles, all the while dry to the bone.
sporting only my summerweight TNF base layer underneath, from start-to-finish,
i was warm and dry. (claminess not included).
it deserves noting that i owe the ENTIRETY of my comfort to the unparalleled performance of my montane.
this rimshot is superior on nearly all levels
(minus a stash pocket which i coulda used to access my scooby snacks)
otherwise, this is one sound garment!
in fact i'm so utterly impressed by it's synergy of
signature breathability, remarkable lightweightness and superior water "repellency"
(the latter easily rivals that of my patagucci essenshell) that it entirely offsets
my previous reservation re: it's chinsy zipper.
the bottom line remains that this purchase was clearly an investment of sorts that i'm ceratin will service me for endless excursions to come.
leslie

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