Montane Dyno Jacket
Just in for test in Montane’s new Dyno Jacket. This impressed on a showroom visit a while back and I’m glad to say the production version looks plenty nice and large is a nice fit. Oh I hate having to wedge myself into a size medium sample…
What have we got? Well, on the face of it, a General Issue softshell with regulation features such as hood and two chest pockets. But as ever, there lurks within, facts and features at which one can raise an eyebrow, purse lips, even place a hand upon the hip and throw ones head back to the sounds of a theatrical laugh.
The fabric they’re using is a good talking point, it’s Pertex Equilibrium ECO. It’s got great moisture management, whether it’s coming from inside or outside, and decent wind resistance with a little bit of stretch. But that ECO tag means that’s it’s both recycled and recyclable, surely the way forward for any “man made” fabric?
There’s more here than a green stamp of course, it’s got the no-frills practical spec that you expect from Montane too.
Those chunky red YKK zips are nice for a couple of reasons. All we seem to get these days are the water resistant types, or fine toothed/coiled reversed zips, so a change is good, and it’s the sound they make too: ZZZZZRRRRRPP! They say “I’m a big zip, get oot ma face” without apology. Refreshing to see and reassuring in the hand.
The cut is good, Montane are increasingly dialing the whole range into an athletic fit, I hope this follows through to the older models like the Featherlite. I’m no Hen Broon, but slimmer fit is always better, and lighter too mind.
The hood below has a wired peak, so the Dyno is intended as your all-day outer layer. It’s a good hood, nice fit with good protection, good adjustment around the face, a wee velcro tab for volume adjustment at the back of the head (which really should be a drawcord these days) and it rolls away , secured with a velcro tab.
A lovely wee touch is the soft lycra patches against your wrist. It feels nice and gives a close fit without any pressure as well.
I haven’t weighed it yet, but Montane’s 375g doesn’t sound over-optimistic, and at £90 I reckon this is going to put the frighteners on a few folk whose similar models are well past the ton.
It’s got the new embroidered logo too. Aye, much better.
More later.
Pity they’ve released it a few months too late, I could have done with it at the beginning of winter.
I see softshell functioning like a thin windproof fleece rather than a more breathable alternative to a waterproof layer, something that means you don’t need a windshirt rather than something that means you don’t need a waterproof.
Coincidently my hoodless softshell is similar to the Dyno, it’s a Montane softshell from a while back, might have been a Dynamo or an earlier version of the Dyno. Made from IBQ Thermaskin and with a chunky zip just the the new one.
How robust is the fabric? I’d be looking at using it scrambling too.
I love chunky zips, get fed up of those fine ones pulling apart.
So I try to take each sample on it’s own merit, and this does seem like a tough mountain jacket, of which we will find out more soon enough.
The hood thing is interesting, I’ve got an Arc’teryx softshell in for test (first look tomorrow) which is hoodless, so I’ll be running them agaisnt each other and I have a feeling it won’t make any difference to me. Most of the time I’m going about wearing a battered cotton camo cap and a buff!
The Dyno is nice on though, I like gear that you pull on and it doesn’t impose upon you, it’s just there.
I wonder if that’s a lightweight thing as well?
A lot of my kit scome with Salesman Sample Not For Re-Sale all over it :o)
The colours look pretty good on my monitor, maybe just a shade dark if that helps?
I think windshirts are starting to suffer from the ‘jack of all trades’ syndrome, they used to be only windproof but very very breathable, now they’re trying to make them showerproof as well and like Chasetrailbuilda I find some of the more technical Pertex fabrics used in windshirts aren’t breathable enough or more accurately because of various DWR coatings allow moisture to bead, even on the inside and stay wet rather than letting it spread and dry.
Having just ordered myself an alpine pull on (as a deluxe wind shirt) I doubt I can justify this too, although they do seem to be somewhat different breeds of Equilibirum :)
They do certainly make powershield etc look very pricy.
Incidentally, I’ve got some windshirt stuff coming up, I’ve been all impressed by one in particular!
New windshirts? you’re impressed by one in particular?
Sounds interesting, if it’s lighter or the same as a Montane Jetstream but more breathable then I’m very interested.
i’m torn between the alpine pull-on and the dyno…
What would really interest me is if you can place it over a glass of hot water without water beading on the inside….
That would definitely get my attention :-)
The Dyno will be great on the hill right now and on a walk on a misty spring morning. But a Windstopper monster with a helmet hood is too specific for me and what I get up to.
Like you say, versatility is the thing.
Everything’s got it’s perfect window.
Kev, Alpine Pull-On? http://www.rab.uk.com/clothing/soft_shell/alpine_pull-on—247/
It really is a case of Rab meeting Montane after school for a square go :o)
At that weight really can’t see why you’d get one and not an Alpine. (or a lightspeed!)
I actually found some Alpine pull ons to try on in Go Outdoors but I’m ordering one through my local independent :) I suppose the climbers shop etc will likely get both in to try soon enough.
Softshell gets knocked around a bit, but part of that is just forum fashion and most of it’s just confusion. Some stuff is there just to be a stretchy and slightly more breathable alternative to a hardshell (arc’teryx venta SV, the old Haglofs Sharkfin hood, etc). Certainly I never pack overtrousers with my sharkfin pants no matter how bad the weather. Some stuff there is as a stretchy, more water resistant and more abrasion resistant alternative to a windshell jacket/trousers (my ME Combin pants, this new Lizard top from the Haglofs wizards. I WANT ONE). Admittedly there’s a lot of stuff in them middle, some of which fails the “what’s the point?” test, but it doesn’t take much imagination to work most stuff out there into your layering system.
ACS, you’ve kind of spelled it out there. Membrane Softshell as your outer layers, and woven if you’re expecting to layer.
I rarely take softshell tops on overnighters, I think I subconsciously expent them to not be as warm at camp and still be damp in the morning.
I shall test that theory shortly.
I hope the scale is 1=okay and 10=cast iron :o)
So you wonder over to Haglofs site and see the viper II is 76% Cordura and so presumably rather tough.
Really handy sites really. Its a shame that not every manufacturer seems to like being so helpful on their websites :)
Some of the info on some of the big brands websites is atrocious.
with a value of 4, just looking at it should cause it to unravel!
the haglofs viper, as martin mentions, utilizes cordura which probably also accounts for the 150+ gm difference between the two jackets!
have you worn the dyno out into the wilderness yet, pete?
martin, have you found a place that stocks the red RAB alpine pull-on? also, do you know how tough the fabric is?
It’s only been to work for a day so far, more on it soon!
The stretch fabric may be more prone to damage that the non stretch version?
As far as the softshell debate goes with these items, personally I’m not sure its a one size fits all conditions for the Dyno. For example, the Stretch Equilibrium fabric (presumably similar to the Equilibrium ECO) is moderately wind resistant, so under some conditions (strong cold wind) a simple windproof would actually be warmer. So, in practice I tend to use it dependent on conditions, and carry it as my mid layer in the warmer months of the year (because it has less insulation than a 100 weight fleece).
That all makes sense rp610.
And when you mention about the wind going through the fabric? There really is no sensation quite like the point where a softshell reaches the limits of it’s protection, the cold comes straight through and no amount of pulling up zips and fastening pockets will help you.
I’m currently using the Haglofs Halo jacket and it has a good mix of Flexable (like the Lizard) and stretchy Windstopper on the front, great for when your running against cold windy rain! It hasn’t failed me yet and the DWR is spot on. Well designed for it’s purpose, but would I wear it for fell walking? I’m not sure… I would normally take a windshirt and micro fleece.
I’ve had a Halo on test for ages and I love it, it’s the most uncomromisingly technical clothing piece I’ve used I think.