Montbell Review [2023]: Outdoor Gear Worth the Price?

Whether you’re an experienced outdoor adventurer or just starting, you want to ensure you wear the right clothes. Choosing which brand to purchase, however, can be tricky.

While you may be familiar with Columbia Sportswear, Marmot, or Patagonia, that barely scratches the surface of outdoor gear brands available.

Montbell is a “newer” company that creates lightweight outdoor clothing and equipment. Curious about what that means? Let’s dive into all things Montbell!

What Is Montbell?

Montbell, sometime stylized as mont-bell in Japan, was established in 1975 in Japan and focuses on making high-quality outdoor equipment. Montbell first started making rain gear and sleeping bags for the rainy climate of Japan.

Throughout the years, the Montbell brand has been synonymous with innovation. Specifically in its rain gear technology, tents, and sleeping bags. It's now well-known for producing gear that can cover you for all kinds of outdoor activities.

Montbell has 2 overseas branches to serve its expanded markets.

In 2003, they opened Montbell America, Inc., headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. In 2005, they established Montbell Suisse SA.

Image Courtesy: Montbell

Where to Buy Montbell

While Montbell is a large company, its physical store presence is small compared to competitor brands. In the US, there are only 2 actual Montbell stores, and they’re located in Denver, Colorado, and Boulder, Colorado.

If you can't find a Montbell store near you, don't worry! Montbell also works with retailers nationwide, where you can buy its products in retail stores. It currently has retail partners in 17 states. Browse its list to find Montbell retailers in your state.

You can buy directly through the Montbell website if you prefer shopping online. They even have free shipping anywhere in the contiguous US if you spend over $50!

Where Else Is Montbell Available?

As I mentioned, it's pretty easy to find Montbell clothing in the US, due to a number of retailers carrying its products.

Aside from Montbell Tokyo, there are also some other Montbell stores around Asia. For instance, Montbell Singapore. If you can't find a stand-alone Montbell store, specialized outdoor and adventure shops in Asia also stock its products.

When it comes to Europe, it can be a little more difficult to find. Some specialized European outdoor and sporting goods stores stock Montbell products, although they might not offer the full range.

That said, Montbell's website is available for many different countries. When you go to its "global site", you'll see that's there's Montbell America, Montbell Swiss, and Montbell Japan. It looks like Montbell Swiss is separated into 2 categories: Switzerland and the rest of Europe.

Montbell Sizing

As with any clothing, whether made for the outdoors or not, you want to have it fit right. Montbell’s sizing chart is a great way to determine what size would work best for you and the products’ fit.

In Men’s/Unisex products, sizes range from XS-XXL, while Women’s products range from XS-XL.

What sets Montbell apart from other clothing brands is that its clothes and accessories, such as gloves, also have Asian fits. As Montbell is a company with operations initially based in Japan, the company offers a limited number of Asian-sized items each season in its Western stores.

Montbell also has dedicated size charts for Asian fits, as there is a substantial difference in size between the styles.

Montbell Bestsellers

Rain Hiker Jacket Women’s

As a company that takes pride in making rain gear, it makes sense that their rain jackets would be best sellers. With a three-way adjustable hood, you’ll always be able to see, no matter the weather.

This Montbell jacket also has 2 large, waterproof pockets to keep your valuables in while you venture outdoors! Plus, a stuff sack is included for ease of packing.

Alpine Light Down Jacket Women’s

A lightweight down jacket is a great way to keep warm and stay stylish if you want to do outdoor activities when it’s a bit colder.

With 800 fill-down, water-repellent fabric, and zippers that go all the way up to your chin, you’ll easily keep the wind out in one of their Alpine Light Down Jackets. It also has 2 internal pockets to bring your essentials with you on outdoor adventures.

Seamless Down Hugger 800 Women’s #5

In addition to clothing, Montbell also makes gear, including sleeping bags.

This Montbell sleeping bag is shorter in length and shoulder width, making it more suitable for many women. With 800 fill down and an interior made of elastic quilted fabric, this sleeping bag has the insulation to keep you warm and toasty at night.

That said, it does have a higher price tag. Invest in this if you're an avid camper who'll get long-term use out of a high-quality sleeping bag like this!

Montbell Bestsellers for Men

Montbell Plasma 1000 Alpine Down Parka

Meet the Montbell Plasma 1000 Down Jacket—a true marvel in the world of ultralight outdoor gear.

As the name suggests, this jacket features 1000-fill power down, making it one of the most insulating pieces you can find, yet astoundingly lightweight. You'll barely notice it in your pack or when you're wearing it, but you'll definitely feel the exceptional warmth it offers.

Although it's quite pricey and somewhat delicate, it's great to keep you warm during cold patches and boasts extra features like having elastic cuffs and being easily compressible.

Montbell Storm Cruiser Jacket

As far as a quick jacket review comes, I've got nothing but good things to say about Montbell's popular Storm Cruise Jacket

With the Montbell Storm Cruiser Jacket, I wouldn't worry if storm clouds loom and the winds pick up. This jacket is designed to offer complete weather resistance without sacrificing comfort and is the epitome of functional outdoor gear.

What makes it so great? It's made with GORE-TEX fabric to ensure breathability while keeping water and wind at bay. Its wrist cuffs are made with a velcro tab so that they're adjustable and keep snow and rain out! On top of those things, it can also adjust at the waist to keep the cold out!

FAQ: How to Wash Montbell Sleeping Bags

Washing sleeping bags isn’t as simple as just tossing them in the washing machine. For this reason, Montbell has specific instructions for washing their sleeping bags.

They recommend hand washing your sleeping bag in a bathtub or sink. Additionally, to maintain the quality of the down, use a down-specific cleaner. 

The specific instructions they give are as follows:

• Fill the tub or sink with lukewarm water and down-specific cleaner
• Close the zipper, roll up the sleeping bag, put it in the laundry net provided, and submerge it completely
• Press down on the sleeping bag gently to remove stains
• Remove all soapy water and rinse thoroughly 
• While the sleeping bag is still in the laundry net, put the sleeping bag in a front-loading washing machine, and run the spin cycle for five minutes
• Remove any excess water by pressing on the sleeping bag and wrapping it in a towel
• Remove the sleeping bag from the laundry net and check there’s no water pooled inside the bag
• While the sleeping bag is still inside out, roll it back up, place it in the laundry net, and put it into a dryer at a low-heat setting
• Once the sleeping bag is 80% dry, remove it from the laundry net, fully open the zipper, and place the sleeping bag back inside the dryer, spreading it out over the drum evenly

Montbell Customer Service

If you have questions about Montbell products, your first stop should be the FAQ page on their website.

But, if you’d like to contact them directly, you can contact their Customer Call Center at 1-877-666-8235. They’re open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am-5:00 pm MST. They also have an online contact form.

Is Montbell Worth It?

Montbell is a well-reviewed, reputable clothing and gear company. It makes high-quality, lightweight products using ethically sourced materials built to last.

That said, the company's use of high-quality materials causes its gear to be on the more expensive range. Seeing as its equipment lasts, you can consider it a long-term, worthwhile investment!

Montbell's clothing gear is designed to be lightweight and easily packable, so it’s perfect for short backpacking adventures or even longer trips.

The variety of products Montbell offers also makes exploring the brand worth it. Not only does it manufacture basic layering clothes and coats, but it also offers sleeping bags, gloves, backpacks, footwear, and even cookware!

Aside from pricing being a factor, Montbell's lack of physical stores is one of the only downsides. That means it's difficult to try on Montbell clothing before you purchase it.

Our Rating: 4.1/5

Pros:

• Variety of gear for outdoor activities and weather conditions
• Ethically-sourced down feathers
• Clothing items have a “stuff pack” for easy packing
• High quality
• Products come with lots of useful features

Cons:

• Lack of in-person stores
• Expensive

Adventure in Style With Pilot!

Whether Montbell gear is what you’ll be buying for your next outdoor adventure or you're continuing shopping around, you’ll want to be fully prepared. Time to get gear from head to toe before you venture away!

Since you've already thought about your gear, you'll need to confirm where your next adventure will be. Make sure to plan it all out with a trusty trip planner!