Mountain Hardwear Monkey Man Jacket

Daz Oborn
Reviewed: 17 February 2010

GREAT FLEECE.

Very warm, very comfortable, lovely soft feel.
I've no idea why the other reviewers are marking this jacket down for lack of wind proofness - it's not supposed to be windproof! Fleeces are thermal layers only to be worn underneath shell jackets if needs be.
Hoping that it wears and washes well unlike all other fleeces which bobble up and look rubbish in no time.

Too tight around the neck and my neck is quite slim.
Fairly expensive but I would say its not overly expensive relative to other inferior fleeces. I wouldn't pay full price so had to wait ages before I found one in the sales, worth the wait.

Looks good. Feels nice. Keeps you warm.

Chris Lawrence 5
Reviewed: 17 February 2010

VERY WARM, GREAT LOOKS, BETTER UNDER A SHELL OR IN THE PUB

The design and cut are excellent and make for a close fitting but non restrictive jacket. The fabric is possibly the warmest and softest fleece around and traps warmth very effectively, especially under a shell. Dries quickly, packs down small, and the lycra panels keep the jacket snugged in around you.

Not very windproof, but there is more than you might expect, possibly because the fur holds warm air quite effecticely. You will feel a cold breeze through it pretty soon, but possibly no more than Polartec 200 anyway. Not sure how well it would wash. Would it lose that lovely cuddly feel?

There are fleeces and fleeces, but this stands out for sheer comfort and pleasure in wearing. A lot of warmth for its weight, and a great looking jacket into the bargain. A bit more wind proofing would be welcome, and make it more of a hill jacket than a pub jacket, but I love it anyway.

tim waltham
Reviewed: 20 November 2007

NICE TO WEAR BUT NOT FUNCTIONAL.

warmth, lightweight, very tactile, eyecatching, powerstretch cuffs.

no hem drawcord and it needs one. i have a large and a 34 inch waist and its too loose at the hem, i can feel drafts because of it. i fit north face and arcteryx large sizes but the i needed xlarge in this and the arms are slightly too long.
biggest downfall is complete lack of wind resistance, even the lightest of drafts will get through it. its a little bulky so together with no wind resistance its only suitable for use under a big hardshell. polartec thermal pro is not a good material to make outerwear with.

i wear it everyday, but only inside the house :(
it holds no warmth when there is a breeze so its uses are very limited.

it is nice to wear, lightweight and soft,
others always seem impressed when they see it though. i would buy it again but not for more than £60, youre better off with a softshell for outside use.

Lisa Shannon
Reviewed: 12 July 2004

SNUGGLY, LIGHT AND A BIT OF A LOOKER

Warm. VERY warm. And it feels so soft and furry you'll never want to take it off. I felt like a big fluffy cat whilst wearing it! Purrrrr. It's so much more satisfying to wear than a normal fleece and it looks great due to the close cut. The lycra panels around the cuffs and waist make for a snug fit and add to the jacket's distinctive look. And you can shove the sleeves up without cutting off the circulation to your hands.

The manufacturers claim that it is very compressible and I have to agree. It squished up pretty small in my daysack and because it's very light, I hardly noticed it was there.

No protection from the wind whatsoever.

Fellow hikers will try to steal it - watch your back on campsites.

A well designed, unusual fleece that is very warm, light, small when compressed and looks fantastic. A little on the pricey side but worth it, in my humble opinion.

Monkey Man, we love you!