Montane Khamsin Hooded Softshell Jacket: first impressions
On paper, the Montane Khamsin Hooded Softshell Jacket looked like a classic of the softshell genre – albeit a very good-looking one, admirably made almost entirely from recycled materials.
• List price: $220 (US) / £190 (UK)
• Gender availability: men’s & women’s versions available
• Materials: Raptor Flex softshell outer (88% recycled nylon, 12% elastane) with a PFC-free DWR coating, Octa fleece lining (100% recycled polyester
• Weight (average): 615g / 21.7oz
• Sizes: S / M / L / XL / XXL / XXXL
• Colors: Caper / Black / Neptune Blue (men's); Moonscape / Black (women's)
• Compatibility: Hiking, climbing, trekking, backpacking
Softshell jackets are often regarded as either an in-betweener or a do-everything garment, with different versions offering properties more solidly associated with other clothing categories. Various softshells claim to offer lightweight insulation (like a down or puffer jacket), more substantial but breathable warmth (like a good fleece combined with a base layer) or a decent degree of protection against the angrier elements (like a windbreaker or waterproof jacket).
Of course, they can’t perform all of these jobs to the same level as a purpose-specific piece of kit, but a really good softshell is like finding all the elements of the layering system combined into one handy piece of handsome-looking clothing. There can be big benefits to this, and lots of good reasons to invest in and wear a softshell, especially during the shoulder seasons of fall and spring, and when you’re out adventuring at a time and in a place that isn’t going to throw anything too full-on at you – such as extreme cold, wetness or heat.
But to be all things at once, a softshell has to be very smartly designed and well put together, with top-quality materials. Would the Khamsin Hoody cut the mustard? There was only one way to find out, so I have been testing this jacket out to see how it compares with the best softshells on the market.
Montane Khamsin Hooded Softshell Jacket: design and materials
Impressively, the Montane Khamsin Hooded Softshell is made from almost entirely recycled fabrics – the only element of the jacket that hasn’t had a previous life is the elastane content, which supplies the excellent and all-important stretch this top offers.
The outer is made with a softshell material that Montane call Raptor Flex, which is a mixture of recycled nylon and elastane and is designed to be wind-resistant, breathable and stretchy, so you can reach for holds when rock climbing, and generally move around freely and comfortably while wearing the top. The elastane appears to be intelligently concentrated in the side panels and underarms of the jacket, where maneuverability is most required.
The outer has also been treated with a PFC-free DWR coating, so that moisture from mist and light rain beads on the surface and rolls off, instead of soaking into the fabric. Obviously, this is different to full-on waterproofing, and will quite quickly wet-out in heavy rain, but it is much more breathable than any membrane used in a hardshell jacket.
On the inside, the Khamsin hoody is lined with Octa fleece, which initially feels like long-pile fleece, but is actually made from thousands of fibers cleverly arranged in a grid-like pattern, intended to trap warm air inside. This fleece extends all around the top (with the exception of the stretchy side panels), including the inside of the sleeves and hood.
The hooded softshell has an excellent-quality full-length YKK Zip, and features three pockets (two hand pockets and one interior chest pocket) all of which zip shut. The hood has a small peak (to keep the elements out of your eyes) and three points of adjustment: a toggle on the top of the head and one on each side of the face.
Meet the reviewer
Montane Khamsin Hooded Softshell Jacket: in the hills
I’ve been using the Montane Khamsin Hooded Softshell during a wide range of activities and adventures this fall, wearing it as both a standalone jacket and underneath fully waterproof shell layers when the weather has made that necessary.
I’ve been messing around in the mountains of Scotland and Wales where temperatures have been changing dramatically from being reasonably mild at the trailhead, but freezing by the time I’ve reached the peak. In these conditions, the Khamsin hoody has proven to be brilliant. I’ve found the Octa fleece inner to be exceptionally warm (almost too warm at times, but I’m sure I will appreciate this more as winter kicks in). The lined hood is particularly good, performing the role of a beanie or winter hat – it really kept my ears warm, and I was able to pull it nice and tight around my head and lower face when the wind was threatening to blow it off.
Meanwhile, adding to the excellent protection offered by the jacket, the Raptor Flex outer provides an impressive barrier against the wind. The DWR does as good a job as you can fairly expect it to – drizzle, mizzle and mist beads up and runs off, but as soon as the cloud juice starts falling properly you need to put a proper shell on.
The Khamsin hooded softshell is genuinely stretchy, which made a big difference when I was scrambling up rocky summit approaches, and having to use my arms to reach for holds. I’ve yet to use it while climbing at the crag, but one thing to note is that the pockets are positioned in the traditional place, which means they may not be accessible when you have a climbing harness on.
