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Shag Hoodie v2.0 - Fallen Rock
Item weight: 127 grams
$250.00 NZD
US Men's Plasma 1000 Alpine Down Parka - Light Gray
Item weight: 237 grams
$650.00 NZD
Heatwave Puffer Jacket v1.5 - Raindrops
Item weight: 308 grams
$839.00 NZD
Montbell is a Japanese brand who have two main design philosophies that drive product development, ‘Function is beauty’ and ‘Fast and light’. This is reflected in super lightweight, technical fabrics used together with minimalist hardware. Montbell boast some of the most impressive specs available on the market and are incredibly competitive in pricing compared with other jackets of the same quality. Many of Montbell's offerings have unrivalled weight to warmth/waterproof rating ratios.
Superior 800
Montbell sources its high quality down as a by product of the food industry in regions with extreme temperatures. They specifically ensure that no down is purchased from live-plucking operations, prioritising ethically sourced, consistent quality and high fill power.
Birds in areas with a higher temperature fluctuation produce feathers that allow them to keep cool in the warmer months and cosy in the cold ones.
Fill power measures the fluffiness, quality, and insulation efficiency of down, indicating how many cubic inches one ounce of down occupies (800-fill means 1 oz fills 800 cubic inches). The higher the number, the more air is trapped, providing better warmth to weight ratio, greater compressibility and a higher loft.
800 fill power is a premium option and is often the highest most high-end brands will go up to (spolier alert - Montbell goes higher!).
Montbell's Superior 800 is their most iconic down jacket. Impressively balancing weight and warmth using premium quality down to outperform jackets with a much higher price tag. Great for keeping warm at campsites or for every day wear in the cooler months.
Plasma 1000
The Montbell Plasma jackets are made with the world's lightest premium, quality 1000 fill power down. Paired with ultralight fabrics and a design that considers weight at every part of the process, you end up with a warmth to weight ratio that is unrivalled 🪶
The Superior 800 Jacket and Plasma 1000 Jacket (the ones without the hood!) offer exactly the same warmth, but because the Plasma contains higher quality down, it doesn't need as much of it - resulting in a lighter weight. The Superior 800 Jacket weighs 200 grams, the Plasma 1000 Jacket weighs 130 grams.
The Plasma 1000 Alpine Parka uses more of this premium down fill for a very cosy winter option. This is our most popular puffy in the shop as will keep you warm in temperatures below minus.
Versalite
We've written another trail note on rain jackets HERE which explains how to choose an take care of your rain jacket.
We choose to stock four of Montbell's most premium, three layer rain jackets depending on your priorities.
The Montbell Versalite is the the lightest of the three and is the result of Japanese designers taking ultralight philosophy to the edge of possibility. Using Montbell’s proprietary three layer fabric, DRY-TEC, Montbell have reinvented what it means to be an ultralight, fully seam seeled rain jacket whilst offering superior breathability.
This jacket is the one ultralighters pick up in the shop and froth over. There are reddit threads about just how unbelievably light they are and thru-hike fans across the world. Perfect for fast paced movement like running and hiking.
Peak Shell & Tempest
The Peak Shell is for anyone who loves how light the Versalite is but wants something that holds up to a bit more. At 198 grams it's only around 20 grams heavier, and that small penalty buys a slightly tougher 15 denier face and a full 3-layer Gore-Tex build, so it takes pack straps, scrub and the odd scramble in its stride where the featherweights ask to be babied.Big pit zips dump heat fast on the climb, and Montbell's K-Mono cut keeps the panels and the grams to a minimum before the whole thing packs down to about the size of your fist. It sits right between the ultralight Versalite and the more hard wearing Tempest. Made for fast, high output days in the hills where you're moving quick but your gear is still going to cop a bit.
The Tempest Jacket is the pinnacle of Montbell’s rainwear and a result of 25 years of development and 9 iterations (previously called Storm Cruiser). This jacket perfectly balances weight, performance and durability. It comes in a weight that firmly puts it in the ultralight category, whilst maintaining an incredible level of performance and durability, using a 3-layer Gore-Tex that will perform for years. It has a beautiful matte finish which results in a softness and less 'crunchy' feeling an sounding jacket. It's ultralight luxury in the outdoors but just as good for around the city.
Rain Trekker
An updated version of the well loved Rain Dancer, the Montbell Rain Trekker is unbelievable value for money - but not too good to be true! Montbell believes that high performance gear can still remain affordable, making sure everyone can stay safe in their chosen outdoor pursuits.
The Rain Trekker is the best value 3-layer Gore-Tex rain jacket in the world, with a thicker denier outer for durability when you're bush bashing in the hills. When you think of a rain jacket, this is what you will likely imagine. Perfect for tramping and everyday wear.
