Montane Dynamo Jacket

TP
Reviewed: 16 July 2008

EXTREMELY VERSATILE. ALL SEASON LAYER.

Very flexible, can be used as an outer or mid layer at any time of the year. Light yet relatively warm for such a thin layer. Will dry quickly.

Will abrade under rucksack straps after about 4 years.

Worth the money. Versatility guaranteed.

Jake
Reviewed: 16 July 2008

QUITE VERSATILE

Nice light, stretchy fabric.
Windproof.
Breathable.
Very good, close fit without being restrictive.

Cuff tabs too bulky and fiddly.

A versatile jacket for cooler days. Used over a base layer, it is comfortable and breathable and moves easily with you.

It is certainly windproof and, for me, fills the gap between a windshirt on predominantly warm days and a mid layer / shell in colder weather. It hasn't yet been tested in rain.

As with most Montane upper body garments, the fit is great and it packs down quite small.

My only whinge is the cuff adjuster tabs. These are stiff rubber so don't wrap around the wrist very snugly. They are clearly designed to be used while wearing gloves but you won't be wearing this jacket if it is cold enough to need gloves. Otherwise a great jacket.

Simon Chaplin
Reviewed: 06 April 2008

EXTRA VERSATILITY

Good fit.
Comfortable fabric.
Wind resistance.

None found yet.

I've just bought this so it hasn't had a real test yet, only a few windy days locally. But it seems good, sourced at reduced price and should fit the bill for a lightweight outer layer for mountain days and scrambling/climbing.
Ratings are based so far.

Shuttleworth
Reviewed: 20 December 2007

NICE JACKET.

Nice cut, comfy, nice stretchy material, looks smart, resistant to showers, excellent pockets. Material is very breathable.

The material bobbles up on the inside, where it rubs whilst walking. Don't wash it or dry it without doing the zip up, and keep it away from other garments with velcro on, as it'll stick to the bobbles and cause nasty 'snags' visible on the outside, though these can largely be pulled out.

The rubber velcro cuff adjuster is appalling, too stiff to use, god knows what they were thinking.

The sleeves are very tight on the forearm, and I have skinny arms!

The two-way zip is nice to have but fiddly to do up.

Got mine for £25 from the Montane trade shop and for that I'm very happy with it. I cringe at the thought I might have paid more though, it doesn't have the performance to warrant over £50.

I generally wear a HH base layer and Montane Featherlite smock in dry weather down to around freezing. Once the weather warms up a bit the Dynamo may be more useful, as it's not as warm as the Featherlite due to it not being as wind resistant, but is more breathable.

Andy Howell
Reviewed: 09 October 2006

A VERY GOOD ADDITION TO THE OUTDOOR WARDROBE

Light, windprooof, comfortable and copes well with a fair amount of water.

None really.

A nice piece of kit. I bought it for autumn, spring when you might just need a reasonable mid layer that isn't too hot. It works perfectly over a light baselayer. Very breathable the jacket has a reversible zip for ventilation that works rather like those used by Paramo.

Ideal for cooler weather. Good protection from the wind and rain.