Montane's latest lightweight eVENT jacket is one of the best of its kind we've ever used, minimum weight with maximum effeciveness.
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Montane Superfly Jacket
Tested
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Price:
£175.00
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Weight: 397 grammes
(medium)
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Features: eVENT
mini rip-stop waterproof breathable fabric with taped seams,
integral adjustable rollaway hood with wired peak, full
length front zip with hook and loop closure storm baffle,
two large pockets with water-resistant zips, part
elasticated cuffs with hook and loop closure, refelctive
strips, simgle-handed elasticated drawcord hem, zipped
security pocket, drop tail.
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Very breathable, great cut, light and compact too.
Be nice if the hood fitted a helmet, but read
on...
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The Concept This year's Superfly weighs around 150 grammes
more than last year's model, however the use of the highly breathable
eVENT fabric makes it more suitable for the sort of high intensity
activities that lightweight jackets are intended for and makes it
ultimately more versatile, or at least less sweaty...
As the name suggests, it's a lightweight shell intended to be a
token presence in your pack, but still able to offer total waterproof
and breathable weather protection without skimping on useful features
like proper pockets, an effective hood and properly protected zip and
pocket openings. In other words, lightweight but decent protection is
the aim.
Features Based on last year's Superfly, the new version gets
more breathable three-ply eVENT fabric with a neat mini-ripstop face
plus pockets, an adjustable hood with wired peak, storm flap,
adjustable cuffs etc. The two main pockets get water-resistant zips
for weather protection.
Other than the fabric, the main development is a neater, closer
cut for more efficient wicking along with less flapping together with
a useful drop tail for butt protection when running, biking or
climbing.
In
Action One of the best lightweight jackets we've ever used. For
starters, as we've said before, we really rate the eVENT material for
breathability. The only competitor that comes close is Gore-Tex Paclite,
and that works in a subtly different way with a buffering effect that
we reckon gives eVENT an edge.
You can still overwhelm the fabric with fierce use - a race pace
lap at a mountain bike 24 hour race left us damp from condensation,
but the same would have happened with any fabric - but you'll stay
drier for longer and dry out faster when you do get soggy.
We also really liked the cut. It's neat and tapered, but not too
tight, with a great droptail that helps keep your butt clean and
happy when the mud's flying around. The hood's not overcomplicated
and there's a limited range of adjustment, so try before buying if
you have a big noggin or a long neck, but it worked for us and the
wired peak kept the worst of the rain out of our eyes.
Elsewhere there's everything you could ask for. A proper storm
flap protect the main zip opening , the cuffs are adjustable and
comfortable, the map pocket takes an OS map - which is unusual with a
lightweight shell - and so on. Remarkably you get all this and an
overally weight, for the medium, of a smidgeon under 400 grammes,
which is amazing. Pack size is good too, not 'tiny' but certainly
small enough for a lid pocket on most day sacs.
If we were picking holes, we'd prefer mesh-lined main pockets that
could be used for additional venting, though the water-resistant
zippers would then have to be covered and a larger hood capable of
taking a helmet. In fact the latter refinement is on the way - the
winter version out in September gets a hood that'll accommodate a
climbing helmet and a double-ended main zip for harness use, so if
that matters to you, hold on for a few months.
One of the best, if not the best lightweight waterproof jackets
we've ever used. The evENT fabric has great breathability and also
feels more durable than it's main Gore-Tex Paclite rival, though only
time will resolve that one.
The cut is neat, close and functional while you still get all the
features many lightweight shells compromise on without gaining a load
of weight and bulk. The combination of breathability, cut, protection
and useful features with light weight and low bulk makes the Superfly
a winner.
If you need a helmet-compatible hood, wait for the new version out
in September and for the ultimate in light weight, check out the
Hydra-Lite Smock at a comedy 215 grammes. For most people though, the
Superfly makes more sense.
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Performance
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Value
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Pushed for time:
Very breathable, sub 400 grammes in weight, nice
close-fitting cut and with a hood that works as well. One of
the best lightweight shell jackets we've ever used.
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