I learnt to ski later in life; after meeting Eisbar and his attempts at convincing me that skiing was the best thing since sliced bread I gave in. One thing that always attracted me to the idea of skiing was the gear. Whether slopestyle or Apres the combinations of ski suits, pants and jackets are endless and as someone who always likes to look stylish I liked the idea one can utilise the slope to show off your fashion sense. With the changes in technology and trends, the ski brands out there have come leaps and bounds in what is available. Focusing on cost, sustainability and technical abilities there are some incredible options now on the market, and this is where I came across Swedish brand MONTEC.
MONTEC was founded in 2016 in Sweden, and since day one they have built themselves around the customer experience. All of the staff at MONTEC are snow-enthusiasts, and from their personal experiences together with the community of their customers, they aim to create snow wear that is fashionable, durable and economical. I can certainly say my experience with their customer service team was like no other, immediate responses, friendly banter and super helpful. Shame all web shops are not this helpful! As for the ski gear, it is true to its ethos of the clothing being fashionable, durable and economical, there is a lot of choice in some great colour combos and it won’t break the bank for an outfit!
I chose the stylish MONTEC Doom W Women’s Ski Jacket in Pink/Black, I chose a size Medium as I wanted to be able to get a micro-down or fleece underneath but it’s very roomy so I could have gone for a Small. Built with the whole mountain in mind, the Doom is a jacket that’s poised for adventure, and is available insulated or as a shell depending on your needs. The ‘Insulated’ option comes with a versatile 60/40g insulation split for an excellent warmth to weight ratio, while the ‘Lined Shell’ option is insulation-free to keep you light on your feet, and the layering power in your hands. I chose an insulated version as I feel the cold more, even when spring skiing, but I liked that it was not too bulky or thick even with layers underneath.
The Doom has a million and one pockets from the multimedia pocket (this is SOOOO handy for getting those Insta snaps on the mountain) to the lift pass pocket, but the coolest feature in my opinion is the asymmetrical full-length zipper that creates a jacket quite unlike any other. Its technical specs are out of this world, with storm guard hood, under arm vents, elasticated snow skirt, wrist gaiters, micro fleece chin guard and an inner planket beyond the aforementioned asymmetrical full-length zipper this is a jacket that packs a lot into it!
The jacket is built using MONTEC shield-tec membrane that offers superior waterproofing but is also breathable because of the hydrophilic membrane. This technology actively draws moisture from the skin and therefore will keep you dry even in the most intense weather conditions. The outer fabric is coated with PFC-free ECO Huntsman Zelan R3 DWR treatment which to you and I means that water beads right off the fabric instead of soaking in, and I can tell you this is MAGIC, especially when on the ski lifts and you get dumped in wet snow and ice from the cables and it just rolls right off!
The insulation is also eco, MONTEC uses Sorona Eco insulation which is made partially from renewable, plant-based fibres that provide the right warmth to weight ratio for all day comfort. All in all this jacket is stylish, comfortable, economical and does what it says on the tin. I wore it for over a week skiing in the French Alps and it met every challenge, from full white out powder to perfect blue sky days with crisp corduroy this jacket didn’t flinch, and I looked dam good on the slopes if I don’t say so myself.
I have since gone on to buy the MONTEC Fawk Women’s Ski Pants Light Grey/Pink/Light Pearl to complete the outfit and it makes for a great entire look on the piste or off. So with travel restrictions easing and more and more of us heading to the slopes this season, why not invest in some new threads for your long-awaited return to the slopes; MONTEC will have you covered!
For more information on MONTEC and to view the Mens and Womens range see online.
