Montane Mens Pacplus Jacket RRP £220

Product Information

This three layer waterproof jacket should be cleaned regularly with Nikwax Tech Wash; I wash my jacket about once a month, or more often if it gets really filthy. The twin hem drawcords can be tightened one handed, though as on the hood they are a bit more fiddly than the modern type built into the seam. The Montane Pac Plus XT Waterproof Jacket has all the basics you’d expect from a proper mountain shell: a zip chest pocket, two large hand pockets (big enough for a map) and a helmet-compatible hood. The hood, which isn’t helmet-compatible, fits well and gives excellent protection while moving with the head to allow side vision.

Coming in at under 300g the Pac Plus Jacket from Montane is a lightweight and packable waterproof Gore-Tex Paclite jacket. Classic Mountain outer layers are cut slightly larger in the upper body to allow for bulkier winter layering underneath. From unsupported ventures to the North Pole, smash and grab route attempts on the North Face of the Eiger to high profile scientific work in the high Arctic. The DWR forces water to bead up and roll off the surface therefore preventing the fabric from absorbing moisture. The Pac Plus Jacket is a fully waterproof jacket that manages to be both lightweight and extremely packable, whilst maintaining most of the features you’d expect on a much heavier jacket.The jacket boasts a fully adjustable hood and weather-resistant pockets, making it ideal for various mountain activities where packability is crucial. Washing can be done in a machine according to the manufacturers care guidelines (on the internal label). The lower the RET value, the less its resistance to moisture transfer and therefore the higher its breathability. Making my way up the gully it was quite slippy and I caught my elbows on the rock a few times and caught my shoulders once or twice. The main zipper is a YKK AQUAGUARD, which not only keeps out all but the hardest rainfall and, when zipped closed, seals tight to prevent drafts coming through the zipper teeth.

The wiring is easy to shape to give a custom fit aound your face, but remains rigid even when buffeted by strong winds. Montane knows a fair bit about mountain clothing, and this AW21 fast and lightweight hill-ready waterproof jacket sounds promising from the off.Stretch just a little more and you could have a Pac Plus XT, arguably a better all-rounder than most of those, and one that's equally suited to hillwalkers, backpackers and mountaineers.

The Montane Pac Plus was the lightest jacket in our review of the best waterproof jackets, and the best one for backpacking or any trip where weight matters. While I wouldn't want to go running in it, I've found the Pac Plus XT Jacket comfortably un-clammy for its intended end uses, mountaineering and hillwalking in all weathers and temperatures, from snowy and sub-zero to warm and wet. Note that we have now included the Montane Phase jacket over the pac plus in our latest update to our waterproof jacket guide. This is well demonstrated in the choice of fabric used in our lightest weight Gore-Tex Waterproof Jackets.Admittedly, it’s 25g or so heavier than the original Pac Plus, but we think the tougher fabric and the addition of pit zips are well worth the slight weight increase. Many of us are all rounders, doing a bit of hillwalking here and a little climbing there; the occasional backpacking journey; winter mountaineering when the chance arises; infrequent trips to the Alps. Id heard a lot of great things about the original Pac Plus jacket and was looking forward to see what changes had been made to an already decent jacket.