Montbell EX Light Down Anorak Review

The Montbell EX Light Anorak is an ultralight 900-fill power, down sweater that's ideal for wearing around camp or paired with a top quilt in cooler weather. Weighing 7.35 oz (in a size XL), the styling is minimalist, with a half zipper, non-adjustable hood, and elastic wrist cuffs. There are also two side pockets (without zippers) which join in the middle kangaroo style, allowing you to warm your hands together. Elastic hem adjusters are located inside the hand pockets, so they don't hang down from the hem where they can catch on obstructions.

Specs at a Glance

• Weight: 7.35 oz XL (6.2 in a size medium)
• Gender: Mens
• Insulation: 900 fill power down (2.3 oz of fill)
• Fabric: 7 denier ballistic ripstop nylon with DWR coating

When would you pack and wear an anorak like this? That really depends on your climate. I like bringing in on spring and autumn trips, as an extra thermal layer, for when I'm cooking food or hanging out in camp. I run real cold when I'm not active. It also makes a nice piece to augment a quilt, especially one that doesn't have a draft collar around the neck, helping to seal in heat at the shoulders and neck, and providing additional head insulation.

However, this anorak is too warm for me to wear when I'm active and hiking, making me sweat heavily, which is something I try to avoid in cooler weather by delayering. I think a lightweight 100 weight fleece is a far better garment to wear when you're active and exerting yourself because it isn't as warm, it will continue to insulate you if it gets damp from perspiration, and because your body heat is enough to dry it out.

Oversized Hood

While this anorak sounds ideal, there are a couple of potential gotchas to consider. First is the hood, which is huge. It's really sized for someone wearing a climbing helmet. There are no neck toggles to shrink the hood opening and no rear volume adjuster. I cope with this by wearing a puffy fleece hat and pulling the hood back so it covers the center or my head, but not my forehead. This helps seal in the heat over my ears, the back of my neck, and most my head. It's not ideal and my preference is for adjustable hoods with neck toggles, or at least a rear volume adjuster.

Unfortunately, many down jackets and parkas don't have adjustable hoods anymore because they're less expensive for manufacturers to sew and makes them appear lighter weight. But if you're purchasing a technical down sweater (like this anorak), a lightweight down jacket, or heavier down parka, I'd strongly encourage you to get one with an adjustable hood because it lets you seal in the heat generated by your head or vent it if you're overheating. Active temperature regulation is the name of the game when hiking or backpacking and an adjustable hood gives you the flexibility to fine tune it.

Sewn Through Construction

A second potential issue with this anorak is its sewn through construction. The perimeter of down square is sewn through the jacket, so you have the potential for cold spots along the seams. However, the advantage of this sort of construction is that it prevents down shift, which is important for a garment with so little insulation.

I don't think this is a deal killer however, because it's easily remedied by layering a windproof rain jacket or wind shirt over the anorak. You should carry at least one of those as part of a hiking layering system. anyway. Wearing a thicker undergarment, like a fleece pullover or mid-weight baselayer can also mitigate any cold spots.

7 Denier Fabric

I've owner a number of insulated Montbell Jackets over the years and while their lightweight 7 denier shells are down proof and super lightweight, they do have limited durability. If you use this anorak a lot, you should expect abrasion and holes to form in the fabric over time at the highest wear points, particularly at the wrist cuffs. It's also remarkable easy to slice through the fabric with an ice axe or crampon points, so keep the garment far away from sharp points. It might even be worth carrying a small patch of tenacious tape so you can prevent the down insulation from leaking if you hole the anorak accidentally.

Comparable Lightweight Mid-layer Sweaters and Jackets

Here's a list of comparable lightweight sweaters and jackets, with and without adjustable hoods. The weights listed are provided by manufacturers are directional, since most manufacturers don't list the size jacket that they correspond to.

Make / Model	Zipper	Fill Power	Weight oz.	Adjustable Hood	Price
Outdoor Research Baja Down Pullover	Half-Zip	800	9.2	Y	249
Patagonia Down Sweater Hoody Pullover	Half-Zip	800	14.4	N	249
Montbell EX Light Anorak	Half-Zip	900	6.2	N	269
Outdoor Research Illuminate Down Hoody	Full Zip	800	11.8	Y	269
Marmot Quasar Nova Hoody	Full Zip	800	10.9	N	285
Feathered Friends EOS Pullover	Full Zip	900	10.6	N	309
Arcteryx Cerium SL Hoody	Full Zip	850	7.6	Y	349
Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer Down Hooded Jacket	Full Zip	800	8	N	350
Nunatak Skaha Down Sweater Classic	Half-Zip	900	12.9	Y	370
Arcteryx Cerium LT Hoody	Full Zip	850	10.8	N	379
Western Mountaineering Hooded Flash Jacket	Full Zip	850	10.3	N	390
PHD Yukon Pullover K	Half-Zip	1000	12	N	532
Rab Zero G Down Jacket	Full Zip	1000	11	N	550

Assessment

While the Montbell EX Light Anorak is super lightweight, warm, and highly compressible, the oversized hood is a fail, making it difficult to keep cold temperatures from robbing the heat generated by your head when you're standing around in camp or sleeping under a top quilt. When looking at alternative products, I would encourage you to pick one that has an adjustable hood that can be cinched tightly around your face to seal in head heat. It really is a worth carrying a few ounces more for this feature, especially if you run cold when standing still or sleeping.

Disclosure: Montbell provided the author with an anorak for this review.

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