{"id":1599,"date":"2023-06-07T13:10:28","date_gmt":"2023-06-07T12:10:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/?p=1599"},"modified":"2023-06-09T11:05:08","modified_gmt":"2023-06-09T10:05:08","slug":"montane-minimus-lite-jacket-the-best-lightweight-shell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/2023\/06\/07\/montane-minimus-lite-jacket-the-best-lightweight-shell\/","title":{"rendered":"Ladies Montane Minimus Lite Jacket: The Best Lightweight Shell?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Martha our Taunton Store Assistant Manager gives us her thoughts.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I was lucky enough to get my hands on Montane\u2019s new Women\u2019s Minimus Lite <\/a>Waterproof Jacket which accompanied me on our recent staff trip<\/a> across Dartmoor, where I could really put it to the test. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Looking into the distance, praying for rain to properly test the Jacket!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This simplistic jacket boats a minimalist feature set to help reduce weight that does not lessen its performance and has since become a staple in my everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having a lightweight and easily packable coat is always desirable. Weighing in at only 200g, the Minimus Lite makes for a nifty hiking companion that is significantly lighter than many other waterproof jackets on the market. This makes it super easy to shove into my bag and not occupy heaps of room, ideal for keeping my pack weight down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How it Fits<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Minimus Lite is part of Montanes trim fit.<\/em> Trim fit is designed to offer a closer fit, great for fastmoving, active use.  Designed as an active layer perfect for running, I personally sized up from my usual 10 to a size 12 to allow for me to fit an insulated jacket underneath as I am prone to being very cold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I found the 10, whilst a closer trim fit, had very short arms. It was a more comfortable fit but since it is a close-fitting running jacket, it didn’t leave room for thick base layers, I benefited having the extra room in a size 12 (for reference I am 5\u20197\u201d).  However, I did find the coat bulged when not wearing the added layers- a mistake on my part. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Super light face fabric has plenty of stretch and breathability<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The benefit of having that closer trim fit is the added articulation, which really accommodates fast moving activity, optimising trail running and lightweight hiking so it\u2019s up to personal preference. The fully adjustable hood has a wired peak and three points of adjustment that are super easy to adjust. Maybe not the most stylish of hoods but does the job keeping the rain off and didn\u2019t hinder my vision or movements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The part-elasticated shaped wrist cuffs help minimise heat lost and reduce weight by not using annoying hook and loop tabs, although the sleeves did come up a little short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I loved how stretchy it is, especially for a hardshell jacket. As a result, it allows for great movement, whether it\u2019s hiking for multiple days across Dartmoor with a heavy pack or running on rainy days. Having worn this jacket all day long on particularly drizzly days, I found my movements unhindered, and I\u2019ve appreciated just how comfortable it is for a hardshell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wrapped up warm with plenty of layers underneath, glad I sized up<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Tech Spec<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The 20 denier PERTEX\u00ae SHIELD 2.5-layer stretch nylon fabric gives it a much less crinkly feel relative to other hard-shells. That, along with the added stretch, meant the Minimus lite lacked that \u2018crisp packet\u2019 feeling so commonly felt in waterproof jackets and was super comfortable to wear all day. With a hydrostatic head of 20,000mm, and whilst not boasting as much as the 28,000mm of GORE-TEX, I find it coped well with the typical British weather.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whilst it may not compare to the hydrostatic head and ruggedness of a 3-layer GORE-TEX jacket, the 20D nylon fabric makes it surprisingly breathable, especially for something so slim fitting. This makes it ideal for its use as a heavy-duty running jacket, or something for those fast-paced hikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Taking my time….I don’t think it is THAT waterproof<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On The Hill<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Minimus lite jacket came with me on our recent staff trip walking point to point across Dartmoor. Having never used a PERTEX\u00ae SHIELD garment before, I was worried about how it might hold up against the elements, but it really surprised me. Even after quite a few hours of continuous rain, and some hail, raindrops were still beading nicely across most of the coat. It had wetted-out where the hip belt of my pack pressed against it, but that is to be expected with the continuous contact. The fully seam taped construction and the YKK AQUAGUARD\u00ae on both the front zip (along with an internal storm flap) and pockets gave that extra bit of waterproof protection too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  • \"\"
    Happy to be dry and see a bridge and not boulders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/li><\/ul><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    When walking across Dartmoor, I valued the breathability, I didn\u2019t overheat too much walking all day. Even when wearing it as more of a windproof layer on the dry sunny days. Similarly, since returning and walking my dog or running in warmer rain spells, I haven\u2019t been too hot. Being 20D, the jacket is considerably thinner than that of a GORE-TEX shell, since it\u2019s really designed as protection whilst running, however this jacket will still hold up regarding durability (just not as much as those thicker garments).  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The Minimus has two pockets also with the AQUAGUARD\u00ae YKK zips. These aren\u2019t particularly large but good enough to keep your phone, keys, and a snack bar or two! I had trouble accessing the pockets with my hip belt from my pack, but the coat isn\u2019t necessarily designed for use with a large pack- so this is understandable. When running or dog walking, they\u2019re perfect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    I had the \u2018allium\u2019 colourway of Minimus lite jacket, a light purple\/pink colour; a refreshing step away from the plainer colours often dominating the world of women\u2019s waterproofs. Although if you prefer, the Women\u2019s Minimus lite comes in a stylish dark \u2018Eclipse Blue\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Final Thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"
    Both happy to see some brighter colours for a change<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Overall, I was super happy with the performance of the Minimus jacket. With PERTEX\u00ae SHIELD a cheaper option to other waterproof membranes, it is great to have a reliable waterproof that still performs well in the British rain without having to shell out! That matched with it\u2019s great packability and lightweight nature makes it a great companion for my hiking trips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When not doing long-distanced hikes, I still utilise the jacket all the time, for dog-walking and my commute to walk and it delivers. If it\u2019s a super technical and ground-breaking waterproof shell you\u2019re after, then perhaps look elsewhere, but if you\u2019re looking for lightweight waterproof protection, the Minimus Lite might be right for you. The minimalist style yet quality performance of the Minimus Lite is ideal for those fast-paced hiking trips or drizzly trail runs. The stretchy, lightweight feel accommodates lots of movement and yet doesn\u2019t compromise on waterproof ability.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Martha our Taunton Store Assistant Manager gives us her thoughts. I was lucky enough to get my hands on Montane\u2019s new Women\u2019s Minimus Lite Waterproof Jacket which accompanied me on our recent staff trip across Dartmoor, where I could really put it to the test. This simplistic jacket boats a minimalist feature set to help<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":82,"featured_media":1622,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_price":"","_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_header":"","_tribe_default_ticket_provider":"","_tribe_ticket_capacity":"0","_ticket_start_date":"","_ticket_end_date":"","_tribe_ticket_show_description":"","_tribe_ticket_show_not_going":false,"_tribe_ticket_use_global_stock":"","_tribe_ticket_global_stock_level":"","_global_stock_mode":"","_global_stock_cap":"","_tribe_rsvp_for_event":"","_tribe_ticket_going_count":"","_tribe_ticket_not_going_count":"","_tribe_tickets_list":"[]","_tribe_ticket_has_attendee_info_fields":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[35,67,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-1599","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-reviews","8":"tag-montane","9":"tag-review","10":"tag-waterproof"},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/45\/2023\/06\/0R2A6290-Enhanced-NR-Edit-scaled.jpg","author_info":{"display_name":"Stu","author_link":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/author\/stuartholland\/"},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1599","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/82"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1599"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1599\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1752,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1599\/revisions\/1752"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1622"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1599"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1599"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.citrus-lime.com\/tale\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1599"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}