Staff Family member Anne takes the Montane Anti-Freeze into the wild to complete some of the King’s Trail in Sweden!
How does Montane describe the Anti-Freeze?
“A seriously warm down jacket for freezing temperatures. The women’s Anti-Freeze XT Hoodie is a go-to down jacket for adventurous souls looking to fully embrace the cold.
Delivering an excellent warmth-to-weight ratio means despite its enhanced warmth, this down jacket is lightweight and packs away well!
The Anti-Freeze is ideal for a variety of adventures in extreme environments, from high-altitude hikes to treks through totally frozen landscapes in the Northern Hemisphere.
Featuring both recycled outer fabric and recycled down lining with PFC-free DWR and is made with sustainability in mind.”
Key Features
- 210g 750+ fill power water-resistant down insulation provides excellent warmth while being highly packable and lightweight
- Water-repellent and windproof nylon rip-stop outer fabric provides durable weather protection
- Mountain fit allows for additional layering beneath the jacket
- Packs into its own stuff sack
Let’s give it a test!
I tested it in The Arctic Circle on a trek up mountains and in valleys across frozen lakes in the Swedish Lapland on the Kings Trail route in March 2024. It stood up to the challenges it was exposed to – brilliantly.
I wore it in three different ways:
1 – as a jacket in itself when, for example, I was out on a windy evening at approximately -9 degrees watching the Northern lights and when we were in a boat on the water being a tourist and travelling around the islands of Stockholm
2 – as a second of three layers of jackets when travelling on a snowmobile where layer one was a soft shell jacket and layer three was a hard shell. It easily accommodates both base layers, fleece, and a soft shell jacket underneath.
3 – during a snowstorm when, on snowshoes, we were walking into a headwind at approximately -20 degrees. Again, it was worn as one of three jacket layers over base layers and a fleece. I was as warm as toast!
What I really liked, apart from the fact that it kept me warm, was that it is so lightweight and could be packed into a small stuff bag. Which was really appreciated as we carried everything we needed while we were on our week-long trek.
The fact that the jacket has been designed with a drop back means that your rear is kept warm and that was particularly noticeable while I was out watching the Northern Lights as the wind was coming from behind me.
The sleeves have a wristband positioned about 2cm inside the sleeve so your wrists are kept cosy and the jacket can accommodate gloves easily.
Very clever! The jacket has a good-sized zipped inside pocket for small valuables and the outside pockets are also zipped. The hood is adjustable to fit as is the lower hem so you can stay nice and cosy! A really nice touch is the fleece lining around the chin; when the winds were blowing, it felt nice to have that against my face.
Final Thoughts
In summary, I was so pleased to have had this jacket with me on my trek across Swedish Lapland in the Arctic Circle this year when temperatures frequently fell to minus 20. It was light, warm and easy to carry when not being worn.
It would suit you if you are heading out to somewhere similarly chilly especially if you are carrying your gear with you as it weighs almost nothing and takes up very little space in your backpack.
Montane have produced a cracking winter jacket; it stood up to all the claims it made in it’s marketing description.
I’m planning a trip to Antarctica and this will definitely be accompanying me!
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