MONTANE ALPINE PRO
Does Montane’s first jacket using Gore-Tex maintain the brand’s design credibility? Let’s find out!
Fancy a bar fight between some gearheads? Just ask which is better, Gore-Tex or eVent. For years Montane would have said eVent, and fans of the brand were very vocal in their support – making Montane the label of choice for those who weren’t impressed by Gore-Tex as a waterproof and breathable shell material.
Step forward to 2017 and Montane has ditched its tried and trusted allegiance with eVent and introduced a range of Gore-Tex jackets. It’s using Gore-Tex Pro in the new Alpine Pro, which is the most durably waterproof and breathable version of the well-proven fabric. Of course these days there are loads of brands using Gore-Tex, so to stay ahead of the game, Montane also needs great design if it’s to maintain its success and brand allegiance of its fans.
On first appearances Montane has got the design right. As the Alpine Pro name suggests, this is a mountaineering-biased design, so should be ideal for those wanting a more practical edge to their waterproof. So you get a pair of OS map-sized main pockets placed high on the body so you can access them easily while wearing a harness or rucksack hipbelt. There’s also a third chest pocket: it’s not big enough for OS maps, which is a pity, but you can slip small guidebooks in here, or a GPS receiver.
The pockets are sealed rather than mesh-lined and have water-resistant zips. There are pit zips for added ventilation, useful in more exposed mountain walking, scrambling and mountaineering situations – either while wearing a climbing harness, or being in heavy rain and not wanting open pockets or front zip! The latter is a good, chunky one, with an internal baffle.
The hood gets a wired peak, so you can adjust its shape as you drag the crumpled jacket from your pack. Rear volume adjustment and face drawcords allow a good fit that moves well with the head.
Scramble over rocks in this jacket and you’ll find that the sleeve movement is superb – no hint of cuffs riding up as you reach for holds. I also like the body length, which protects the bum and doesn’t ride up when scrambling and reaching for holds.
It weighs 469g (size L), which is lighter than the popular and similar £330 Mountain Equipment Lhotse, which weighs 528g, but that jacket does have a larger third chest pocket and for me that would tip the balance. But if you are not as picky about pockets as me and want to save a few grams, then the Montane Alpine Pro is the one for you.
Now let’s get back to that fight about which is better: Gore-Tex or eVent fabric? For me, the difference between the two is so small as to be insignificant. I get far more annoyed by and uncomfortable from poor jacket design than the waterproof breathable material used.