Down and Insulated Jackets

Montane Phoenix Stretch Jacket | Review

£125 aint peanuts, but it’s still a good price for an insulated jacket, especially one from a well-respected outdoor brand. So is there a catch here?

Why We Chose It: Temperature regulating, recycled materials
Price: £125
Weight: 470g

The Phoenix family of well-priced synthetic insulated jackets (Icarus for men) has been around for a few years now. We’ve seen a lightly insulated version, a heftier one, now we have this new one with super stretchy side panels and a nice new Pertex Quantum Eco face fabric.

Anyway, the first question that we expect will be on the minds of anyone tempted in by that attractive £125 price point is probably going to be: will it actually keep me warm? In short, yes but it will also keep you cool. Sound confusing? Let us explain…

What’s The Montane Phoenix Stretch Best Suited To?

The idea behind this jacket is active insulation. You’ve got those narrow baffles and a down-like synthetic fill for warmth, but then big stretchy panels under the arms that will let some hot air escape while also giving you a nice range of movement as well.

With all that in mind, it’s going to be climbers who’ll get the most out of this jacket – it’s the kind of thing you could wear on the crag during those colder climbs from early spring through to autumn.

Those same virtues will also make this a good option for backpackers and bikepackers too, particularly when you consider that it’s fairly light at 470g and that it won’t take up too much space in your backpack either.

Bear in mind this isn’t the warmest of jackets out there though. it might suit those milder days during the UK’s winters but on a typically cold day you’ll probably want something a bit burlier.

The Eco-Creds

Montane have used a bunch of recycled fabrics in this jacket. You’ve got the outer Pertex Quantum Eco which is made from a 50% recycled polyester, the inner liner which is 100% recycled and then a PrimaLoft Silver synthetic fill on the shoulders and hood that’s made from 100% recycled materials as well.

There’s a lot to commend Montane for in that regard then, though some might be a little disappointed to hear that there are still PFCs present in the jacket’s durable water repellent finish (despite this pledge). Montane seem to be moving in the right direction with their eco-efforts though so hopefully by next year we’ll see a Phoenix jacket without any eco-hazardous chemicals.

Performance

We’re big fans of the PrimaLoft Thermoplume synthetic fill Montane have used here. With synthetic jackets what everyone ideally wants is the same lightweight warmth as a down jacket and then the extra wet weather performance on top that down isn’t able to bring (without extra treatment). With Thermoplume, PrimaLoft have got pretty close to achieving the same insulating qualities of a 550 fill power down jacket while also managing to mimic the look of a down jacket as well. The secret is in its special fibres which are engineered so that they can be blown into the baffles of a jacket with the same equipment used for down jacket manufacturing – something that wasn’t possible with normal synthetic fills before.

Useful features that should help to protect the wearer from the elements include a water resistant and windproof Pertex Quantum Eco outer fabric, an internal storm flap underneath the main zip, deep handwarmer pockets and a snug hood which is designed to fit comfortably under a climbing helmet

There are other features that make this suitable for climbers. For instance, the arms are long and articulated so that the jacket’s hem won’t ride up when you’re reaching upwards and the handwarmer pockets are positioned so that they can still be accessed when you’re wearing a harness.

As for the cut, it’s an athletic one, albeit one that does give room for a light fleece underneath. We found all but our lightest and close fitting waterproof jackets would fit over the top of it comfortably.

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