Field Journal

Stories Behind the Gear: Montane’s ‘Further. Faster.’
Written by Daniel Neilson // Photography Courtesy of Montane

‘Further. Faster.’ is more than a tagline for Montane. It is the company’s very ethos. We speak to Design Director Matt Kemp to understand how this ethos informs the designs of its products, including the new Tenacity Nano Softshell and Sirocco Lite Insulated Jacket.

Further. Faster. That’s Montane’s tagline. You’ll have seen it. It’s clear. It’s meaningful. It’s also pervasive, cutting through everything Montane does. The brand’s competitive athletes know that the right gear at the right weight will give them an edge. Ultrarunner Galen Reynolds, endurance athlete Katy Parrott, and Montane Dragon’s Back Race winner Simon Roberts all need the perfect balance in their gear to go, yep, further, faster. Montane’s mission informs its design ethos.

Matt Kemp is the Design Director at Montane. From his studio at Montane’s headquarters, he tells the story of how garments are designed and produced, all with a single aim. ‘We have a design strategy that underpins everything we do. It aligns to the company goals and it ties back into ‘Further. Faster.’ It is who we are as a brand. At Montane, we want to design in a way that is lightweight and offers a performance edge to our customers.

He explains that low weight is often a factor, and Montane is undoubtedly known for this, but there are so many other considerations. The product needs to effectively manage moisture, be comfortable all day long, and move with you. ‘It all leads to someone being able to go further and go faster in whatever activity they’re doing. Yes, we do produce low-weight products, but we would never compromise the product itself.’

Montane has three pillars the design team always considers: design, materials, and construction.. They then consider the materials they want to put into the product. Then, it’s about construction and how they choose to put those materials together.

‘We embody simplicity, but that’s not just an aesthetic choice; it’s how we build the product. It’s inherent to our lightweight approach. We could put lots of seams and styling into the product, but if we do that, we’re just adding for the sake of adding, so we tend to keep it to the essence of what the product needs and that inherently delivers a clean look.

‘Every element of the product has to have a reason to exist, prioritising performance. It pushes us to really test the boundaries of construction techniques.’

Design in practice

These three pillars and the underlying design ethos are exemplified in Montane’s new softshell, the Tenacity Nano hooded and non-hooded version. It is a simple garment, certainly on first inspection. It has harness-compatible pockets, an adjustable hem and hood (on the hooded version), and a zip down the front. So far, so softshell. But look closer. The material is GRANITE Stretch Nano, a lightweight, double-weave softshell with a four-way stretch. It feels like cotton and has a non-fluorocarbon DWR treatment. Examine the seams. They’re minimal, reducing the jacket’s weak points and offset to avoid rubbing points. Oh, and it weighs 275g – for a high-performing softshell. That’s light.

‘The Tenancity Nano really is a case study for our design ethos,’ says Matt. ‘If you start with the materials, we’ve selected ones that are super lightweight – this is our lightest softshell material, but we’ve still made sure the fabric is durable. It’s a product that could be used for Alpine climbing. We need to make sure that it can stand up to the environments it’ll be used in.

‘We’ve then looked at enhanced construction techniques, which allowed us to use fewer materials and, in turn, reduce the amount of bulk in the product. It’s not only more packable, but it’s much more comfortable to wear because you’ve got less bulk.’

The front placket for the pocket, for example, has been bonded, so it’s really low profile and more comfortable. In a traditional construction, there’d be two layers of fabric – bulkier and less packable. The team then consider every element. The trims, for example, on the zips can still be held with gloves on, but grams have been saved.

It all starts with the consumer. ‘We recognise they want high breathability and durability, and we ask, “OK, how can we deliver the best product for that person doing that activity?” The design, the materials, and the construction should answer the brief we’ve set ourselves.’

It was a similar process with the Sirocco Lite Insulated Jacket. It was about finding the right amount of insulation to keep the person warm for, say, ski touring or another active sport, without overheating – and at the same time managing moisture. This is a big ask, so it’s one of the reasons there are different materials across the jacket. The Sirocco Lite is designed to insulate the core with breathable, four-way-stretch insulation. It’s synthetic, so it retains heat even when wet. The outer layer is wind-resistant with a PFC-free DWR coating. The material on the arms is a four-way stretch fleece that is comfortable on the skin as well.

Matt explains that the jacket’s design comes from experience in knowing which insulation weights work – and from testing, testing, and testing. ‘Whether it’s a cold winter run or ski touring, we need people to use these products, give us feedback, and ensure they’re doing what they need to do in those environments.’

The ethos of ‘Further. Faster.’ is one that guides Montane as a company and can be seen through every garment it produces. They have offered the tools. The rest, we’re afraid, is up to the customer.