The Montane Women’s Protium Hoodie performed highly when reviewed by Lucy Wallace.
Montane can generally be relied upon to produce high performance gear at a price that is accessible to most people, and they have done exactly this with the Montane Women’s Protium Hoodie, which is why this hoodie has previously been featured in our guide to the best fleeces.
Price: £29.99 | Weight: 334g | Insulation: Thermogrid 93% polyester 7% elastane | Sizes: 8-16 | Men’s version: Yes
The Thermogrid fleece has a cutaway grid pattern on the internal face that helps to both trap air for warmth, and manage moisture. It performed exceptionally well working up a sweat under a hard shell in damp weather- managing the moisture and meaning that I didn’t freeze when I stopped.
The smooth outer face, flatlock seams and four-way stretchiness allow it to be layered between other garments with ease. The hood fits under a helmet, and the overall shape and generous length ensure that drafts are kept out. I tested a size 12, which felt true to size.
I really only have one gripe and that’s about the pocket layout. Maybe it’s me, but I carry a lot of stuff around with me for work etc (notepad, snacks, compass, camera phone). The Protium has a single napoleon pocket, slightly angled, presumably to keep it out of the way of rucksack straps. I find it quite uncomfortable when in use, digging in to my chest- even with small items, and miss having somewhere to shove all my other gubbins.
That aside, this is a versatile garment that performs really well in all conditions, whether on it’s own, or as part of a bigger layering system, and on sale at a sensible price.
