Montane Fury Hooded Fleece Jacket review: a reliable and stretchy workhorse for active pursuits

Montane Fury Hooded Fleece Jacket: first impressions 

Whether you’re trekking in the backcountry, belaying a buddy or ski touring, do it in comfort with this stretchy and breathable fleece jacket that’s right at home in the mountains. The Montane Fury features a durable smooth nylon face that can handle your more rugged adventures when you’re scrambling over rocks as well as a soft, brushed lining for comfort against your skin. This midweight fleece makes a solid outer layer for cool summer mornings and breezy summits, while it’s thin enough to wear as a mid layer under a down jacket or hardshell come winter. 

With tons of 4-way stretch, you can climb, reach and even sleep in comfort while wearing this fleece, which boasts a cozy hood to protect your head from the wind. Breathable fabric means you can work up a good sweat in it, though it might be too warm to wear for some summer adventures. Two zipped hand pockets will hold your phone and gloves, or just keep your hands warm if it’s chilly and though the hem and cuffs aren’t elasticated, they’re low profile enough to keep the chill mostly out and fit easily under a jacket. We don’t have much to complain about at all with this workhorse of a fleece except that we noticed some wrinkling after just one wear. 

Montane Fury Hooded Fleece Jacket: in the field

Spending so much time in the mountains, I’m always happy to get my hands on a new fleece as they make great mid layers in the winter and outer layers in the summer. This summer so far has been a bit of a scorcher in Scotland so I haven't needed tons of insulation, but I recently wore this as my outer layer up Ben Cruachan, a Munro in the Grampian Mountains, to see how it fared on a long day up high.

Here’s how it performed:

Sizing and fit 

I’d typically wear a UK 8 (US 4) and I tested a US 10. Personally, I like the fit. Even though the sleeves are a little long (and my arms may be a little short if I’m honest), I wouldn’t want this to be too tight so I can layer it and move properly. That said, I think you could get away with either your typical size, or size up if you want a bit more breathing room.

It has a regular fit which is reasonably streamlined, and the hood is super snug so it stays up in the wind even without being adjustable. The cuffs aren’t adjustable, but on me at least are close-fitting enough that they don’t have to be and though the hem isn’t adjustable, it still fits fairly close to my body.

Comfort

As a midweight fleece, this is definitely cozy and the lining is super soft if I’m wearing it over a T-shirt. Flatlock seams means it doesn't rub anywhere even though it doesn’t have a soft chin guard and all the stretch definitely adds to the comfort level. 

Moisture management and breathability 

Polyester and nylon both wick away sweat nicely, though since I’d always be wearing this over a base layer I’m not totally sure that matters.

For a midweight fleece, it’s pretty breathable too. I can feel the breeze through it actually, which is always a good indication of breathability. I was on an all-day hike so I wore this for the ascent and descent when it was cooler but I did take it off in the middle of the day because it really was too warm to merit a jacket. 

Odor control and durability 

If you’ve ever read any of my other reviews of fleece jackets, you’ll know that one of my main beefs with it is that it tends to get stinky which I hate. That said, I wore this on a pretty rugged adventure and the pits don’t really smell. I’m not sure if that’s because it’s a slightly looser fit, but it’s working for me and I’m glad not to have to wash it each time.

Some fleeces are prone to pilling, but this one has a smooth face which holds up better against wear and tear and the rocky scrambling I did to get to a few waterfalls. The sleeves are a bit wrinkled after one wear, which isn’t ideal but it’s certainly not a dealbreaker either.

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