The Montane Protium Hooded Fleece Jacket is a perfect fit for cooler hillwalking days

Montane is known for creating high-performance outdoor gear that excels in demanding environments, with a focus on lightweight design and durability. Their Protium Hooded Fleece Jacket exemplifies this ethos, offering a versatile mid layer that combines warmth, breathability, and a sustainable edge.

With over 90% recycled fabric and a classic grid patterning for warmth, this fleece delivers efficient insulation without excess weight, making it ideal for a range of activities, from cool-weather hikes to multi-season camping.

Let’s dive into the details of what makes Montane's Protium Hooded Fleece Jacket such a good buy for those colder days when worn as a mid layer – and the perfect jacket for campsite lounging in the warmer months.

Fabric

Impressively, the Montane Protium Hooded Fleece Jacket uses over 90% recycled materials, combining sustainability with Montane’s signature lightweight, technical performance.

Built from Thermo-Grid Fleece, which is deliciously soft and fluffy, the fabric blends 93% recycled polyester and 7% elastane for flexibility, providing impressive warmth for its weight.

This construction enables efficient heat retention in cooler climates while remaining pretty breathable. The fleece is crafted with mobility in mind, making it ideal for active days in the hills or on the trail, but we did find that it's slightly too warm for layering under Gore-Tex when the temps are still in the teens and you're going uphill.

For the summer, however, it makes for a great campsite jacket, or stowable insulation layer in your pack. We've found it to be perfect to pull on when you stop for a sandwich in the summer - but for winter insulation it's absolutely bang on perfect, and wicks pretty nicely too.

Fit

The Protium Hooded Fleece offers a close, athletic fit that’s built for performance without unnecessary bulk. Its streamlined cut sits comfortably against the body, making it an ideal layering option that’s easily worn under waterproof or insulated jackets without feeling restrictive. The sleeves are a little long on us, but we're reasonably short in the arm and torso for a medium, so for most it should fit well.

With a snugly cut hood designed to fit under a helmet, the fleece serves well for climbers, bikers and hikers looking for a secure, minimal-layer experience. Additionally, its stretchy fabric ensures full mobility, even in challenging conditions where movement is key.

Weight

Montane has managed to keep the weight minimal without sacrificing its stellar insulating properties. Coming in at 390g (13.7 oz) for a men's medium, this thing is lightweight yet warm, helping adventurers seeking an efficient, high-performance layer that won’t add unnecessary weight, or indeed, bulk.

This is particularly noticeable when compared to heavier fleeces, as the Protium provides comparable warmth but takes up far less room in a pack. Hooded fleeces always have an additional advantage of being able to pack down into their own hoods, and when done so, this takes up less space than a Nalgene water bottle.

Features

The Protium Hooded Fleece has some good features that enhance the overall performance and feel. Equipped with YKK zips made from recycled materials, the fleece jacket integrates sustainability into its design without sacrificing durability - the zip feels easy, snag free and very durable.

The full-length front zip provides ventilation when needed, while the secure YKK zipped hand pockets offer convenient storage for essentials, like cheese and biscuits. They're also lined for a lovely, cosy feel. These pocket zips are also recycled, supporting the jacket’s general eco-friendly construction.

Montane’s attention to the hood design further enhances this fleece’s functionality, with a technical hood and neck baffle that’s snug enough to fit under a helmet, keeping your chin and face warm on colder days.

Sustainability

Sustainability is at the forefront of the Protium Hooded Fleece’s design, with more than 90% of the materials sourced from recycled sources.

By using recycled polyester and environmentally-friendly YKK zips, Montane supports a more sustainable approach to outdoor gear, reducing the environmental impact without compromising the quality of the jacket. A win-win for both planet and consumer.

Value and verdict

For its performance, sustainable design, and quality construction, the Protium Hooded Fleece offers strong value for outdoor enthusiasts seeking an all-rounder mid-layer.

Eighty-five of your hard-earned pounds isn't insignificant as a sum of money, but in comparison to other more expensive brands, this is actually pretty decent, especially considering the jacket’s recycled materials.

Overall, we reckon this fleece provides excellent value, especially for those invested in sustainability. Montane’s attention to detail and emphasis on movement and comfort make it a worthwhile investment for hikers, climbers, and adventurers seeking a responsible yet high-performing mid-layer option.

How we tested

This fleece was tested over several months by Lewis Mulholland, long suffering partner of LFTO writer Fliss Freeborn. Lewis did all the hard work of wearing the fleece and telling Fliss about how it felt - the pros and cons. Fliss did the easy work of research, writing, photography and uploading. It takes two to tango.