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MONT – The Spotlight Still Shines!
By Jay Reilly (Nov. 2004)
A little news of my latest adventures….
It’s been an exciting few months for me – coming back from our expedition on Mt Pumori, where I tested some fantastic MONT gear, then back into the training for a trip to the Tian Shan range that borders Northern China and the Central Asian countries of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan.
This was an interesting trip. I was on with a team of Germans, sponsored by UNAIDS. Our goal was to climb 7500m Pik Pobeda, and erect a big carbon fiber AIDS ribbon on the summit – all to raise AIDS awareness across Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Unfortunately, despite all good intentions and efforts, there were team troubles, and, also unfortunately, the weather was not cooperative at all – which led to the deaths of almost 20 climbers in an avalanche on nearby Pik Khan Tengri.
The bottom line is that I left the Tian Shan feeling frustrated and disappointed – not to mention that I didn’t get a chance to really test the latest MONT equipment that had been supplied to me. However – all that has now changed, as I’m sitting in Kathmandu, Nepal writing this survey. I have just returned from leading an International Expedition on 6856m Mt Ama Dablam, where not only were we successful in placing an unprecedented 100% of members on the summit, but we also broke 2 world records, by placing the World’s youngest woman – 17yr old Nima Doma Sherpa, and the World’s first Taiwanese climber – Mr. Guan Jan Wu!
| Item | What MONT say | What I thought | Additional Comments | MONT's response |
| Space Junky (Soft Shell) | The Space Junky will extend your comfort in all but the nastiest of conditions….. | Oh where do I start? MONT has understated this jacket incredibly! This jacket was worn all day, every day in all conditions. It out-performed hard shells in a 6000m electrical snow storm. THE perfect jacket! | If it wasn’t against the law, I’d make this jacket my wife!! Devout Mountain Hardwear fans are in love with this jacket and are saying “where can I get one?” MONT – you’ve kicked a goal here! | Soft-Shells are our newest and with out a doubt, our most exciting clothing category. Although still quite new to many outdoor enthusiasts, soft-shells are set to become a must have and most loved item in many a gear cupboard. |
| Quartz Backpack | With climbing, skiing or ultra l/w camping in mind, this mid size pack is bombproof and designed for adventure…… | This is a fantastic pack! It carries beautifully and was big enough to fit all my High Altitude stuff. Love the overload panel at the front. There’s a place for everything! | Lid pocket a little difficult to access when the pack is really full, due to the zip opening being narrow. A small thing – but this pack REALLY needs racking loops on the hip fins! Those two improvements would see the perfect climbing pack! | Good feedback. We always want to hear how we can further improve our products. The Quartz is due for further development in 2005 and these items will be considered in any re-design work. |
| Superfuse (Alpine Shell) | A dynamic action cut & use of stretch fabrics results in l/w alpine shell that excels on ice or skis…… | Nice hard shell. Certainly one of the more comfortable ones I’ve worn, due to the stretch fabrics. Breathes well. Very tough. Comfortable climbing high on the mountain. | I was spoilt by the Space Junky, but hard shells definitely have their place, and as a technical jacket, the Superfuse is a winner! I look forward to using it again in New Zealand in January. | We look forward to more feedback from New Zealand. |