Here at Trekitt, we stock a wide range of premium outdoor brands that offer fantastic clothing and gear for all adventures, both big and small. If you follow us on social media, you may have seen our recent campaigns with one of our long-standing brands, Montane. (And if you haven’t, you can find all our social media links at the bottom of the page…once you’ve finished this riveting read, obviously). Anyway, back to the point, who are Montane? Where are they from? What do they stand for? What’s all the fuss about? We thought we’d take the chance to tell you about their history, innovation and why we love their kit so much!
Who are Montane?
Montane are a British outdoor performance brand that specialises in timeless, lightweight, versatile clothing and equipment. Their products are suitable for everything, from multi-day adventures to all manner of mountain activities and even expeditions in extreme environments. They have been pushing the boundaries of endurance and versatility for the last 30 years, evolving for efficiency through a simplified ‘less is more’ approach. To achieve this, they work closely with serious mountain professionals, leading adventurers and top-performance athletes to continuously develop clothing and equipment that both inspires and enables your journeys through nature.
Montane – Innovation in action
From the Montane Yukon Arctic Ultra to the Montane Dragons Back Race, they sponsor some of the world’s toughest endurance events. Their unique team of athletes consists of ultra-endurance runners, high-altitude mountaineers and inspiring climbers. This team put Montane’s kit to the test in challenging environments and endurance events. This rigorous testing ensures their products are durable and functional, so they can withstand your adventures, whether trail running, hiking, climbing or tackling a challenging expedition. Montane continuously scrutinise their kit and processes to stay at the forefront of innovation and product development.
History of Innovation
Montane’s founding directors Chris Roff and Jake Doxat met on a three-month expedition to southern Chile in 1989. Over their shared passion for adventuring and love of the great outdoors, in 1993 Montane was born.
In 1997, Montane launched the Extreme Smock, which became one of their most iconic products. This success led to the creation of their Extreme Range, which outdoor professionals and mountain rescue teams worldwide still use today. After creating their early product ranges, they quickly emerged as innovators in the outdoor clothing industry, creating the Eight Smock jacket in 1998. This was an early version of the softshell jacket that we see today, but in its time, it was revolutionary! In 1999, Montane diversified their range and became known as the ‘pioneers of Featherlite™ clothing’ by creating the original, super lightweight and packable wind shirt.
Montane’s success with versatile and lightweight products
As the years passed, Montane began to sponsor various talented adventurers and some of the world’s toughest endurance events. They created numerous versatile and lightweight products that set new industry standards and even won awards! Some of which can still be seen in their range today, like the Terra Pants – a go-to staple for many outdoor enthusiasts. 2014 saw the launch of their first dedicated trail running clothing, accessories and packs collection, called Via Trail. Specifically designed for ultra runners, the collection was highly successful and paved the way for the second-generation Via Trail series in 2018.
Montane’s Gore-Tex Partnership
Montane established its partnership with Gore-Tex in 2016 and became the first technical outdoor brand to receive a Gore license in over a decade. Continuing to improve their fabrics and technologies, the following year, they became the first technical brand to use PrimaLoft® ThermoPlume insulation. At the time, it was an innovative lightweight ‘synthetic down’ insulation. Nowadays, PrimaLoft® is a popular technology in the outdoor industry and Montane use it throughout their synthetic insulation range.
Montane Extreme Smock
In 2018, Montane launched a high-performance update of their iconic Hydrogen Extreme Smock, which offered low-bulk warmth and protection for various mountain pursuits and challenging expeditions in cold environments. This smock embodied the lightweight, breathable and versatile ethos that they have evolved over the years.
Commitment to the Fair Wear Foundation
In October 2019, Montane became a member of the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF). For those of you who haven’t heard of the FWF, they are an independent, non-profit organization. They work with brands and manufacturers to improve labour conditions and worker’s rights in the global textile and apparel manufacturing industry. Montane supports Fair Wear’s mission to turn the global garment industry into a force for good. They aim to create a truly people and planet-positive sector, setting genuinely fair standards for everyone to follow.
30 Years of Progress
This year, Montane is celebrating 30 years of progress. They are using this significant milestone to reflect on their journey over the last three decades and how it’s shaped them as a brand. It’s been crammed full of innovation in the workshop and extreme expeditions to the most inhospitable corners of the planet. They’ve supported extraordinary athletes who push the boundaries of possibility and well-established partnerships with the world’s most brutal endurance events.
In the future, Montane plans to continue their pursuit of creating versatile, performance-focused products. While also reducing their impact on the landscapes and wild places where they find their inspiration.
Trekitt and Montane – A long-standing partnership
We’ve been stocking various Montane products for many years, but winter 2018 is when things really started to kick off! We delved deep and worked closely with Montane to select our first full clothing and equipment range…The result was phenomenal! Customer after customer began to invest in Montane products, and we were excited to see such a great response.
Trekitt only stocks products that are guaranteed to perform. They have to meet the impeccably high standards and impress our very own oracle of the outdoors, Assortment and Purchasing Manager, Steve (Hi Steve!). Continuously impressed by Montane’s innovative and versatile products, their popularity hasn’t wavered since! The rest, as we say, is history.
Who are Montane – Why did we choose Montane?
We live the outdoors! Exploring the mountains and wild landscapes is at the heart of our DNA. As a company located in the rolling hills of England, we’re extremely familiar with how unpredictable our weather can be! It’s true, British people do love to talk about the weather, but honestly, not having the right kit can make or break your adventure! That’s why we’re always looking for clothing and outdoor equipment that excels in UK conditions, both on and off the mountain. We take great pleasure in offering the best assortment of products for your next adventure, whatever the activity, whatever the weather.
Montane is a powerful British brand; their products are designed, tried and tested to work in our conditions. They’re also really well suited to exploring some of the most remote corners of the globe. During the past three decades, Montane have been continually evolving their technologies, fabrics and products to provide the highest-performing gear they can.
What do they mean to Trekitt?
We couldn’t sum up our thoughts any better than Montane’s own tagline – Built For More. This epitomises their commitment to timeless, functional and versatile products, which is more relevant now than ever. Over the years, they’ve aligned themselves with some of the most cutting-edge adventures, adventurers, races and racers across the planet. Bringing together people, challenging environments and their products to keep them at the forefront of innovation and development. This experience helps to ensure that the versatile and high-performance products they make today can adapt to your changing plans and adventures. They’re built for more and will be just as reliable and appealing in years to come.
So, now that you’ve heard all about Montane, why not head over to our website and check out their versatile product range for yourselves! Whatever the adventure, whatever the season, Montane’s adaptable product range will have something for you.
If you have any questions or need further advice about any of our products, you can visit us in-store at our Hereford Service Centre, or speak with our friendly customer service team via telephone (01432 263 335) or email ([email protected]).
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