Review: Montane Fireball Lite Hooded Jacket

Pwoar, now this thing is bright. The vivid blue wouldn’t normally be to my taste, hence the reason my entire wardrobe is compiled from hues of dark green. Although the blue is a staple of men’s outdoor clothing it’s one I’ve largely managed to avoid wearing but actually it’s warmed on me over the past month of use, making a strong contrast to whatever else I’m wearing. The branding is really minimal, just the stamp on the chest as is customary with Montane.

I’m a fairly stocky build so often find that the really technically designed mid-layers are pretty tight. But that’s not the case with the Fireball. It’s got a pretty comfortable causal fit, with a normal feeling length to it, while still feeling plenty functional for active outdoor use.

There’s a nice loft to the synthetic insulation and a clear difference in the panelling which make up the body of the jacket, both which feel incredibly stretchy to the touch – particularly those side panels.

£190 is a solid whack for a mid-layer. Even with the recent price hikes across well pretty much every industry and product, you don’t have to look too hard to find much heavier insulated outer layers, even in down for around the same price range.

You can also definitely find a solid mid layer from competing British brands such as Mountain Equipment and Rab for a good chunk cheaper.

That said, this is a really well technically designed jacket with good eco credentials and the Fireball Lite comes in a good £30 cheaper than the  popular Arcteryx Atom LT and £80 less than Patagonia’s Nano Air Lite.