The Montane Women’s Protium Hoodie performed highly in our hill test of fleeces and mid-layers. Here’s the full review by Lucy Wallace.
Montane can generally be relied upon to produce high performance gear at a price that is accessible to most people, and they have done exactly this with the Montane Women’s Protium Hoodie.
The Thermogrid fleece has a cutaway grid pattern on the internal face that helps to both trap air for warmth, and manage moisture. It performed exceptionally well working up a sweat under a hard shell in damp weather- managing the moisture and meaning that I didn’t freeze when I stopped.
The smooth outer face, flatlock seams and four-way stretchiness allow it to be layered between other garments with ease. The hood fits under a helmet, and the overall shape and generous length ensure that drafts are kept out. I tested a size 12, which felt true to size.
I really only have one gripe and that’s about the pocket layout. Maybe it’s me, but I carry a lot of stuff around with me for work etc (notepad, snacks, compass, camera phone). The Protium has a single napoleon pocket, slightly angled, presumably to keep it out of the way of rucksack straps. I find it quite uncomfortable when in use, digging in to my chest- even with small items, and miss having somewhere to shove all my other gubbins.
That aside, this is a versatile garment that performs really well in all conditions, whether on it’s own, or as part of a bigger layering system, and on sale at a sensible price.
Read more: Best fleeces and mid-layers reviewed
