Sponsorships | Equipment Reviews | Events and Expeditions
In the Long Run
By Jay Reilly (April 2005)
Most of my reviews so far have been based upon my initial thoughts and reactions when using MONT equipment for the first time, or for a given expedition.
But let’s face it – not everybody who invests time energy and money into buying quality outdoor gear, needs it for only one trip. They need it to last and perform, trip after trip, year after year.
My latest review addresses this topic exactly. Because I’m still using the same stuff from MONT that was sent to me over a year ago! So this review is what I call a “longevity report”.
You’ll notice that all the stuff from my earlier reviews is in there, and I’ve devised a scoring system that goes from 1 to 3. The highest is “1”, and the lowest is “3”. I’ve scored the products on areas, which I believe potential MONT customers would consider important. These areas are –
- Fabric colour fading
- If the fabric has stretched
- If there are any unusual holes
- The loft of the down and whether it’s held up
- Whether the fabrics have retained any odour
- If the fabrics have “pilled”
- General wear and tear and how accelerated I felt it to be
- Whether the zips have stood up to repeated use.
Even though I’ve had these products for maximum of 12 months, when I actually sat and counted up the approximate days’ usage, I was quite surprised!
Many of these garments and products have had almost a lifetime’s worth of use in that short time!
I have counted only the number of times I have actually used the product – not the time it was with me, and being unworn.
| Score | Colour Fading | Stretch | Holes | Down Loft Retention | Odour Retention | Fabric Pilling | Wear | Zips |
| 1 | Little to no fading | None | None | As New | None | None | None | As New |
| 2 | Expected Level | Expected Areas | Expected Areas | good | Slight | Slight | Slight | Sticky |
| 3 | Well...it used to be red... | Oh, I've lost weight! | Expected Areas | Hello? Loft? | Bin it!! | Ahhh!! A Yeti! | Where'd my pants go? | Better use a button... |
| BACKPACKS | Days Used | Colour Fading | Stretch | Holes | Down Loft Retention | Odour Retention | Fabric Pilling | Wear | Zips |
| Quartz | 150+ | 3 | N/A | 2/3 | N/A | 1 | N/A | 2 | 1 |
| Mountain Guide | 20 | 1 | N/A | 1 | N/A | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| SLEEPING BAGS | Days Used | Colour Fading | Stretch | Holes | Down Loft Retention | Odour Retention | Fabric Pilling | Wear | Zips |
| Main Range | 90 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | 2 | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| SHELLS | Days Used | Colour Fading | Stretch | Holes | Down Loft Retention | Odour Retention | Fabric Pilling | Wear | Zips |
| Superfuse Jacket | 30 | 1 | N/A | 1 | N/A | 2 | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| Synchro Pants | 50 | 1 | N/A | 1 | N/A | 2 | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| SOFT SHELLS | Days Used | Colour Fading | Stretch | Holes | Down Loft Retention | Odour Retention | Fabric Pilling | Wear | Zips |
| Space Junky | 30 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Meteor | 60 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| DOWN CLOTHING | Days Used | Colour Fading | Stretch | Holes | Down Loft Retention | Odour Retention | Fabric Pilling | Wear | Zips |
| High Altitude Jacket | 110+ | 1 | 2 (Pockets) | 1 | 2 | 2 | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| High Altitude Pants | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | N/A |
| Icicle Jacket | 60 | 1 | 2 (Pockets) | 1 | 1 | 2 | N/A | 1 | 1 |
| WARM WEAR | Days Used | Colour Fading | Stretch | Holes | Down Loft Retention | Odour Retention | Fabric Pilling | Wear | Zips |
| Glacier Jacket | 60 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Duo Pants | 90 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A |
| Beanie | 150+ | 2 | 2 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A |
| Slinx Polo | 150+ | 2 | 2 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| El Gringo Pants | 150+ | 2 | 3 (Elastic) | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A |
| CLOTHING | Days Used | Colour Fading | Stretch | Holes | Down Loft Retention | Odour Retention | Fabric Pilling | Wear | Zips |
| Adventure Light Pants | 60 | 1 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Adventure Light Shorts | 200+ | 2 | 1 | 1 | N/A | 1 | 2 | 2 | N/A |