Who else has got an insulated jacket addiction?
OK, so maybe it's not an addiction but I've often looked for an insulated jacket that is warmer than the Montane Flux, not beasty enough to take up half a pack and resilient.
Is the Montane Hi-Q Luxe that jacket? Well, almost. The one thing I've found is that it's perhaps less resilient than the Flux jacket which has a pretty tough exterior.
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| On Dartmoor with a snow storm incoming. Very cold! |
Montane Linky - https://www.montane.co.uk/mens-c1/hi-q-luxe-jacket-p168
Just a note that my version of the jacket was the first incarnation. I'm not sure whether later versions (2016 one) are any different except for more colour variation.
A snap sale at Gaynors in Ambleside saw me take a gamble at the Hi-Q Luxe in an attractive black colour (the only one on offer sadly). Never mind, at least you'll be warm on the hills, even if MRT can't find you if ever anything happens..!
It's been put through its paces across the snowy Northern fells, the windy mountains and over the deceptively cold Dartmoor.
So the first thing to say is that the Hi-Q Luxe is pretty warm. There's a mix of Primaloft insulation which Montane claims is more like down. It has a Gold Primaloft 'Luxe' fill which makes it one of the warmest Primaloft fills on the market. It mixes this with a micro baffled design and a PEAQ down interior lining which is pretty nice on the skin!
The jacket is significantly warmer than the Montane Flux (my go-to jacket generally). The Flux also has things like reflective bits on which are great touches. The Hi-Q Luxe doesn't have these which seems a bit unfortunate. I would say the jacket is probably close to twice as warm as the Flux, if you want a comparison.
The outer is Pertex Quantum ripstop which is not as resilient as the outer of (say) the Flux jacket, so I wouldn't be wearing this for any scrambling or climbing personally (unless it was underneath a hard shell). Having said that it'd be too warm for climbing except very cold temps.
The jacket is very articulated and moves well with your movement, if that make sense! The pockets are great and warm for your paws if they get nippy. The one unique thing is the Hi-Q Luxe has articulated ("low-bulk") sleeves which means you can pull the jacket up your arm if needed to aid ventilation. Haven't had the need or desire to do this but it's interesting. It means the 'cuff' of the arms is slightly up inside the sleeves of the jacket, rather than right at the 'ends', with the jacket 'curving round' under the arms - if that make sense! I hope it doesn't make this part of the jacket more prone to wear, which would be one possibility of this.
Haven't worn it while wearing a helmet so can't comment on that but the hood is definitely helmet compatible. Chin guard and pretty good zip toggles mean the jacket would be pretty good with bulky gloves on. Quality zips. Have only used when out wearing smaller gloves so far.
Sizing is spot on. I'm a medium in everything really and got this in a medium. There is enough room to get a mid layer underneath very easily. I can also get my medium (TNF) waterproof over the top of this too. I'm of a wiry type of athletic build if that helps anyone with sizing! Montane clothing fits me pretty much perfectly.
I've worn this out in drizzle and mizzle - so nothing too wet or certainly not dreich conditions. But in lighter rain and even some snow the jacket has beaded pretty well. So the claimed insulation when wet isn't something I've tested heavily as yet.
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| Looking across to Scafell Pike on a deceptively cold April day - despite the mild winter |
One thing I will say about the jacket (and this could be due to the interior lining) is that it's unbelievably 'electrical'. Every time I wear the jacket or take it off, I am charged up and get static electric shocks immediately. I've never had a jacket so prone to this. So if you're someone who gets static shocks easily, avoid this jacket or only take it off with gloves on! This does make me cautious to recommend the jacket wholeheartedly, to be honest - but this is possibly more to do with me than the jacket.
But if you're looking for something with a bit of extra warmth than something like the Montane Flux and that packs down pretty small, this could be the perfect solution. It isn't really designed for serious adventures through bracken and against rock too much. But it is a very warm, stylish and useful bit of kit for those colder days! It's also a good jacket for those colder days and evenings around town!
I have seen a few reviews on Cotswold about some threads pulling / some filling migrating to the outside. I I do have this problem in part on the left shoulder of my jacket and believe it to be the filling migrating out. No such problems with the Flux or other (non-down) related jackets, so when Montane say the jacket is a bit like down, maybe this is what they mean!
The other small 'issue' that I have (and have read one other review mentioning) is that if you leave the pockets open, the inside of your arm often catches on the zip pockets. It's nothing much and sounds a bit weird but it's bizarrely true.
As for me - my search goes on and this jacket may well be sold next Autumn. Don't get me wrong, the Hi-Q Luxe is great but the slightly less robust exterior is enough of a concern for me to see what else is out there. Recommendations anyone?
(Edit Jan 2018 - maybe the Rab Photon X is the answer - hard-wearing and Primaloft Gold Active. Or the Alpkit Katabatic)
Word is that Atom AR Hoody(or without) from arcteryx could by a really good buy. Coreloft is aproximately 95% of the warmth of primaloft gold and it has 120/90/60g filling throughout the jacket. Im also looking for this jacket but first I have to save more money for it.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment. Agree - Arcteryx make great kit. Expensive here in the UK though at around double the price I paid for the Montane jacket sadly.
DeleteYeah thats true, the flux jacket is right now on sale, so I was considering it, but after your review, Im rather against it and considering the Atom AR, can you tell my one thing, will it be comfortable to walk in it in -5C, or not, because thats my main goal for a winter jacket.
DeleteThe Flux is bomber and my go-to jacket - goes with me everywhere pretty much. It really depends if you run hot and what kind of walking you mean and where! If I was in the mountains in -5C and not raining I'd have on a thermal baselayer and a Polartec Alpha jacket (or maybe a Gore-tex jacket instead of the Alpha if steep terrain or moving fast). For short stops I'd have my Flux. For longer stops or camp I'd go down or Hi-Luxe. I was in the Cairngorms in winter around -5C in deep powdered type snow and I wore a thermal baselayer and my Gore-tex shell only, if that helps you know where I'm coming from. If you've got warm baselayers etc already, don't get really cold or don't have really long stops, the Flux is fine. I know some climbers who use it as their belay jacket - all depends on what you need! Hope that helps!
DeleteIm asking because I own the prism jacket which has like the third of the flux insulation and thats really just for spring and autumn walks where it is around 10C, perhaps 5C(40g on shoulders and on arms its too little). I also sweat allot so I just ordered form rab their alpha direct jacket so I will be testing it this year in surounding mauntains and on fast walks. I personally was looking for warm breathable winter jacket(so you can walk in it just with a base layer/power dry 200g/m2 LS shirt and thats it), sadly I couldnt find that sort of jacket, so i rather bought the alpha stuff. And this jacket(perhaps flux or atom)would be for casual use like city walks/work, or perhaps I can use it for stops or downhill walks when its cold, just wasnt sure if the flux is the right jacket. I was also eyeballing this scotisch jacket, perhaps you heard of it
Deletehttp://www.keela.co.uk/belay-pro-jacket.html
Its suprisingly cheap and it has 133g of primaloft gold in it, only downside is the apparance(it looks for me like security guy jacket), but other than that it looks really interesting, so perhaps also this jacket could be the one.
Yep Keela do a lot of bomber gear and will be very hard-wearing. I tend to run very hot and yet can get quite cold if stopped for long. I'd say the Flux is more hard-wearing and has more 'climber' type features. The Hi-Luxe is definitely warmer and can easily be worn around without looking too 'outdoorsy'. Other option TNF Thermoball? There's also Alpkit or for something different, Paramo stuff... Obviously none of the mainly insulation jackets will be as breathable as say Alpha or fleece etc. I wouldn't want to walk around in many of them in the mountains unless very cold.
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