Well I was one of the lucky Trail mag winners so after a few months wear I thought I'd give my review.
So here it is.
On the whole I agree with Chris' group test review in TGO a couple of months ago. Though I do question your body length/shape Chris because you can get an OS map into the pockets while wearing a pack.

Quick opinion for those who can't be bothered to click on the review.
Am I happy - yep it's a GREAT freebie.
Would I recommend you shelled out your own cash - no way!

I won one as well, my thoughts on it are on the same review.

Crezzer, what size is your jacket? My test jacket is a medium and I can't get a map in the chest pocket, as I said in the review. I can get a map in the lower pockets but the lower part of these is cut off by a hipbelt and I can't then get a map in or out. I have a long body!

Two reviews say it's very waterproof the other says it's not.

Who's right?

Also (regarding the reviews), if you tape the seams you lose breathability. What would be the point (especially if some of the side panels aren't even Event!). It's not a waterproof, it a soft-shell. It doesn't come with a hood, but you expect the seams to be sealed so it doesn't let in water - ridiculous! Reviews can be difficult when the user doesn't seem to understand what the product is for.

"It doesn't come with a hood, but you expect the seams to be sealed so it doesn't let in water"

Seems to me it's a multi activity jacket, which negates putting on/taking off waterproofs every five minutes.
Works fine in that respect.

I won one as well and I think it's great, I wear it far more than I expected to.

James - I don't see how your comment relates to the point I was making - care to clarify? Soft shells should be water resistant enough not to have to resort to a hardshell unless it buckets down, but should be significantly more breathable than a hardshell. Otherwise why bother with them. If you tape the seams you've got a heavy hardshell with no hood that offers no more breatheability.

Read my post. I'm not saying the jacket doesn't work (though the lack of hood is silly), the comment about taping seams (from crezzas review) makes no sense to me.

i would of thought that a multi-activity garment should be water resistant to the same - or similar degree - all over.

what is the point of the membrane holding out against significant rainfall if water p1sses in though the seams in Drizzle?

i seems rather like own the left hand side of a bucket - ridiculous.

i bought a Montane Featherlite smock in the summer,i used it for the first time on the summit of Scafell.
In a moderate wind,it was so noisy flapping about i was embarrassed by it.still its worth it for the light weight.

I honestly never noticed seams leaking, and although I initially limited it's use to fair conditions, I have been caught out in some tremendous downpours and have remained dry, without taped seams. therefore I don't see the need for them.

For me a hood would "top" the jacket off, although this would increase it's weight.

Breathability was fine, on a walk in Glencoe, when everyone else was doing the "jackets on, jackets off" routine I was fine.
Do they do trousers?

Oh dear. rewrite - in drizzle water won't get through the seams to any significant degree. Similarly, in drizzle very little rain will come into contact with the side and underarm venting panels.

If you want to fully seal it you might as well just put a hard shell on.

Taping the seams would not significantly reduce breathability, though it would be hard to do because of the inner scrim. You'd probably have to shave the taped area to make it possible, which I think is what Gore's done with some of their Windstopper stuff.

It would be largely pointless anyway because the sides of the trunk and inner areas of the sleeves are almost totally porous being just the shell and the scrim laminated together without the membrane. That means they might as well be full vents but without the option to close them. It means they're great for staying cool but when you stop or in high winds you chill fast.

I think it would be a much better jacket with more wind-resistant but stilll breathable panels instead of the very porous stuff and a decent hood as well. I don't see the point of a hoodless mountain softshell.

Two reviews say it's very waterproof the other says it's not.

The main fabric is completely waterproof, but the seams aren't taped so water does come through there in heavy rain and the trunk side and inside sleeve panels are completely non-waterproof. It's fine in light rain, but it won't stand up to downpours. Also, DWR on this type of fabric won't last as long as on a typical waterproof jacket.

The GoLite jacket we've just reviewed has a near identical venting system and has the same issues, though it has a hood as well. I've been using a Haglofs Sharkfin Hood, which is a Windstopper soft shell jacket with massive side vents and a seriously good mountain hood and it's excellent. Maybe the best softshell I've used including the Arc'Teryx one. The big vents make up for some of the fabric's limitations and it has a great fit and a nice sturdy feel. Full review in a couple of weeks, though it is a tad spendy at over 200 quid :-(

I had my hands on the Montane Softshell jacket a few weeks ago in Rathbones, but after reading the reviews i'm glad i resisted the urge to buy.



OM has saved my bank balance once again:o)

I saw a Sprayway windstopper jacket and they got round the problem by by externally taping the seams.

Lovely jacket with amazing hood. I don't find pertex that breathable though (prefer windpro fleece) so don't think windstopper, especially without pitzips, would be a good idea. It did look cool though.

Do not see the point of softshells without hoods. Sadly most don't have hoods. Especially womens ones-which seems to be the complete reverse of womens microfleeces which often seem to have a hood which can make layering difficult.

I'd think microfleeces and baselayers should be hoodless and softshells hooded...

A reply to a few who were confused by my review. I based my review on how the jacket was advertised, ie it would deal with 90% of UK weather, and how I would feel if I'd bought it based on that.
For it's level of waterproofing and wind resistance I'd save £100 and get a windproof shell.
Yes I agree with some of you, if you want 100% waterproofing then get a waterproof shell, tha's my point. As Chris stated in the TGO review, with the level of protection versus warm etc etc I don't see what this jacket is designed to do on the mountain that isn't provided by other cheaper products.

Chris, it's XL so that maybe explains it.

All that said I wear it "most of the time", it's light, looks good and keeps drizzle at bay. The thing is "most of the time" means out and about in town, walking the dog, or getting the kids from school. When on the mountain it stays at home and weather depending I take the waterproof shell or Featherlite windproof.

I just don't think it does what it states it can and that other softshells do.

Crezzer, I think the size does explain the pocket issue as I can almost get a map in the chest pocket. Two sizes up will make the difference.

I was interested in your "most of the time" point. I do exactly the same with windproof fleece and stretchy softshells as well. On the hills in summer I prefer a windproof over base layers or microfleece with a waterproof over that in rain, in winter I prefer Paramo.