The Air Jacket is a new all mountain and all activity waterproof and breathable shell jacket from Montane and is made from the brand new Pertex Shield AP fabric. This superb jacket is simple and light enough for backpacking and hiking yet tough and reliable enough to cope with the worst conditions in our highest mountain ranges.
The "AP" stands for Air Porous, this new membrane technology contains a high concentration of uniformly spaced microporous holes that have highly hydrophobic properties. This membrane plays a dual role, giving the fabric both its waterproofness and a high degree of moisture permeability. Combined with a hydrostatic head of 20,000mm, the bi-component membrane pushes out moisture from the inside, providing all day comfort in a wide range of weather conditions and the durable construction provides reliable performance for the life of the jacket, even during intense use in harsh environments. Pertex Shield AP has raised the performance of Pertex fabrics to be comparable with the likes of Gore-Tex and eVent.
The Air jacket is made with a tough Nylon rip-stop face fabric and has 12-13 seam stitch count (compared to typical industry averages of 8) to create a tight, clean looking construction and super strong seams; this jacket is perfectly capable of standing up to some pretty serious abuse. Fully articulated arms have been specially tailored to allow a full range of movement and to reduce hem lift when you are reaching high and the cuffs are shaped to cover the back of the hand and can be cinched closed with glove and mitt friendly hook and loop closures. Montane, in my humble opinion, have one of the best hood designs around, this one is fully helmet compatible with a proper wired peak yet is not too baggy if your going lidless. If you want to roll it away to stop it flapping around there is a neat internal elastic loop that hooks onto the external rear hood compression cord.
Two A-line hand pockets are positioned to stay clear of rucksack belts or climbing harnesses and have the ever reliable and high quality YKK Aquaguard zips, these zips also feature on the external chest pocket. All the YKK Aquaguard zips, including the two way main one, are made in a stealthy matte colour which enhances this jackets clean and crisp appearance.
The new Montane Air jacket gives you high performance in a minimal and durable design for all mountain sports all year round.
-
85g PERTEX Shield AP fabric (20000mm Hydrostatic Head)
-
100% nylon rip-stop face and uses an advanced air porous membrane for the highest levels of waterproof durability.
-
Micro-taped seams throughout increase breathable surface area
-
12 - 13 seam stitch count on all seams versus a typical industry average of 8, creating a tight, clean and strong seam
-
Articulated arms for high reach movement and tailored specifically to reduce hem lift
-
Fully adjustable helmet compatible hood with three point adjustment and wired peak
-
Internal elastic loop combined with hook on rear hood compression drawcord allows hood to be rolled down and stowed away whilst not in use in windy conditions
-
Two map-sized A-line mesh lined hand pockets with YKK matte AquaGuard zips positioned clear of a backpack or climbing harness belt
-
Zipped external chest pocket with YKK matte AquaGuard zipper technology, designed to fit GPS or mobile phone with minimal movement
-
Full length, reversed and baffled YKK matte AquaGuard front zip
-
Roll over beard guard to prevent zip from contacting chin or mouth
-
Shaped cuffs with adjustable hook and loop tabs for ease of use with gloves or mitts
-
Fully adjustable hem to prevent weather entry and heat loss
Care and maintenance
To keep your outdoor clothing and equipment in tip top condition and performing to its maximum we recommend the use of Nikwax products. We have been using Nikwax products since day one (26th March 1986) and have found them to be totally reliable, dependable and effective. Today’s Nikwax treatments contain environmentally friendly elastic water-repellent polymers that bond to fabric fibres, leaving the spaces between open and breathable. These stretchy polymers are able to stretch and move with the fabric so they stay put for longer and work better.
Nikwax treatments will not change the look or feel of the fabric and they are all water based, environmentally safe, non-flammable and contain no nasty Fluorocarbons. Nikwax products can be used to clean, re-proof and revitalise all your outdoor technical clothing and equipment.
Waterproof breathable clothing has a durable water-repellent (DWR) finish applied to the face fabric during the manufacturing process. The DWR forces water to bead up and roll off the surface therefore preventing the fabric from absorbing moisture. If the outside of your jacket is soaked in a layer of cold water, the warm damp air within can’t escape and will condense on the inside. This makes the jacket feel cold clammy and can make you think that it’s leaking. The DWR finish is not permanent and needs to be maintained and revitalised to optimise performance.
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. Regular washing with Tech Wash will maintain the DWR for longer and remove salts and oils that can contaminate the fabric, and it will keep your lovely jacket clean and smelling fresh. Washing can be done in a machine according to the manufacturers care guidelines (on the internal label). First clean out any detergent and conditioner residue from the machine dispenser and then add the required amount of Tech Wash and away you go. Hand washing is also suitable but be sure to rinse the garment well.
When you notice that rain/water is no longer beading up and rolling off it’s time to re-proof. Nikwax TX Direct will re-instate a long lasting DWR to completely rejuvenate your jacket. Re-proofing can also be done in the machine once a garment has been washed. Just add the TX-Direct and use the same programme you used for washing. You can also use the spray-on product on a damp garment that has just been washed.
You wouldn’t buy a Ferrari and never have it serviced, so make sure you regularly wash and re-proof your quality kit.