The Montane Featherlite Hooded Jacket is a windbreaker that weighs 4.5 oz and is great to layer over a fleece in windy and cool weather to keep the wind from chilling you on hikes or runs. It’s fairly ornate as ultralight wind jackets go with a snorkel hood, dual hem adjustments, zippered hand warmer pockets, semi-stretch cuffs and a rear hang loop  While Montane’s sizing has improved in recent years (it used to run a full size small), I still recommend going up a size in this jacket, if only so you have more flexibility in mid-layer selection for colder days.

Related: Best Windbreakers and Wind Shirts

• Size: Men’s XL, reviewed
• Weight: 4.5 oz / 128g
• Hood: Under helmet
• Stuffable: Yes – right hand pocket
• Features: Hem adjustment, semi-stretch cuffs, handwarmer pockets, hood brim
• Materials: Nylon, YKK zipper

The Montane Featherlite Hooded Jacket is a ultralight windproof jacket that can be worn by itself or over a mid-layer like a fleece to trap your body heat an prevent cold wind from chilling you. Montane is a well-known UK outdoor clothing and gear manufacturer that makes exceptional clothing for hiking, climbing and trail running. They’ve recently started selling direct through a US-based online store, although it still only has a subset of the products they sell on their UK online site, but that is changing as they ramp up operations here. I’ve always liked their mid-layer fleeces, rain pants, and rain jackets because they work really well. I’ve held onto a number of garments from Montane, including a numbered 25th anniversary edition of the Montane Featherlite Smock Wind Shirt (I kid you not) and use them frequently.

The hood provides good protection around the neck and face

A lot of windbreakers don’t have hand warmer pockets, but they are a useful feature for storing lightweight gloves, a snack bar, or a fleece beanie. The wrists are semi-elasticated, so you can pull them up your arms to vent heat, while dual hem adjusters let you seal out the wind from below. The jacket comes with a DWR coating, but it’s not a waterproof jacket so don’t get your hopes up. The nylon, which is uncoated, provides good breathability because it’s so thin and lightweight.

But the thing that makes this jacket is the hood. While it’s not adjustable, it’s intended to fit under a hood, not over it, so the front opening, which is elasticated, is fairly snug, which you want for warmth. The hood has a protruding front bill that protects glasses from drizzle and a high neck that protects your neck and upper chest from chills. There’s even a zipper garage at the top to protect your face and beard.

In this picture (above), it was 40 degrees out and with a brisk 20 mph wind. I remained toasty warm with a thin wool baselayer and a 90 gsm Polartec Alpha Hoody underneath the Montane Featherlite.  You get a lot more flexibility when layering, by wearing thin clothing layers, than by wearing one much heavier jacket. This type of layering strategy also often results in carrying less clothing weight and bulk.

More recommended wind breakers

Recommendation

The Montane Featherlite Hooded Jacket is a richly featured wind breaker that makes a good outer layer when layered over a fleece sweater on cold and windy days. It has hand warmer pockets and a good hood, designed for under-helmet use. Weighing just 4.5 oz (men’s xl), it will keep you warmer when hiking in exposed terrain without the need to wear or carry a heavier insulated jacket. When layering, you’ll have a lot more flexibility to fine tune your warmth level by wearing several thin layers rather than one composite one. Even though it’s not waterproof, an ultralight wind jacket is often worth carrying in the transitional months of spring and autumn because it amplifies the effectiveness of a warm mid-layer with virtually no extra bulk.

Disclosure: Montane donated a jacket for review.

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