Review: Montane Women’s Phase Lite Waterproof Jacket

I’m looking for a dynamic, well fitted jacket that is going to keep me dry out on the mountains – a good and comfortable layer that is breathable and has GORE-TEX in the design in order to keep me extra dry. Getting caught in the Scottish weather, I can find myself soaked through, so that’s the ultimate test for a waterproof in my book. 

I’ve recently taken up trail running and whilst I’m still very new to it, I’m out and about and often get caught in showers. With this jacket I am aiming to test out the breathability and the adaptability for faster movements in the hills. I’m particularly interested to see how the GORE-TEX Active membrane allows for that escape of moisture.

I do tend to find that I run fairly warm, and I hate the jackets that create an internal sauna! I need something that’s going to keep me warm but have the breathability to regulate my internal temperature. 

Heading out into the hills of Scotland, you can experience every season all in one day. Montane has designed this jacket with a light and breathable 3-layer fabric with the aim of keeping you comfortable and protected when heading out for a hike or a run. 

I found this jacket very lightweight and easily packable, I have no problem stuffing it into my rucksacks without it taking up too much room. It’s super easy to pull out and shove on, no matter the weather. This came into true force during my days at work; when the heavens opened, I quickly pulled it out of my bag, popped it on, kept myself dry without taking up too much space in my bag. 

The fully adjustable, roll away hood with the stiffened peak is a great design. It’s exactly the type of design that jackets should have, it doesn’t budge when you’re up on the hills in gale-force winds, It fully encapsulates your face, and stays put. It has a soft chin guard as well which reduces any rubbing on your face when you have it fully zipped up. 

One thing that does seem to be missing to me is pit zips – these are so important if you’re moving fast or needing ventilation. Missing out the pit zips on this really was a downside for me. I did find the jacket fairly breathable but not as much as I would have liked for my runs and hikes. I feel that I couldn’t wear a short sleeve under this jacket as I ended up sticking to the inside, whilst if there was that pit zip incorporated into the design, I think the ventilation would be exactly what I needed it to be. This might be down to personal preference, of course!

This jacket certainly kept me dry on the hills, and was able to keep me protected during the blustery winds. I would say it wasn’t the warmest of all jackets on those particularly cold and crisp days, but a base layer underneath makes for the perfect combo for hiking out on the hills.

£325 can seem like a pricey number, but with the inclusion of the 30 Denier GORE-TEX Active Shell, this certainly is a worthwhile investment to make. I know if I was making this choice, I would be wearing this every single day and getting every bit of use out of this jacket. You can find it on sale in places, so it is best to keep an eye on prices if you want to pick up a bargain! 

This is a high quality jacket that is certainly adaptable and waterproof – and of course value for money is subjective. I do know this will be my go-to jacket for bagging Munros and testing out my trail running from now on!