Yew Ferals! Hasn’t it been the longest time? I honestly, like SO many other people, haven’t felt the bug to write, film, photograph or create at all this year – instead, I’ve spent a lot of it just sitting with my emotions and taking this year one day at a time.. And then 10 months just flew by – how? I could write a book about this year, but that’s not what you’re on this blog for – right? So let’s get straight into my new favourite bit of kit for Autumn – the Protium! Of course, I firstly have to break down the techy stuff!
What is it made of?
The Protium uses Montane’s Thermo Grid fleece fabric to provide comfort, stretch and protection while you’re out and about. A brushed inner wicks away sweat and feels super comfortable next to skin if you’re wearing a short sleeved baselayer. It has a smooth face meaning it’s really easy to to layer up over the top of (none of this sleeves riding up nonsense!).
Favourite Features
Aside from just how comfortable it is the Protium is simple, neat and not unnecessarily feature-heavy. The features that it does have, however, have been well thought out and well executed. Here are my favourite bits:
- Close fit collar – Fits a tad too close for my liking – but I just unzip it a little bit and it’s much more comfortable. When it’s fully zipped up it sits too close to wear a buff underneath it, so you’d have to undo the zip a tad.
- 1/3 length YKK front zip – The perfect length. Opens up wide enough for you to easily pull it on and is the perfect length for extra ventilation when you need to cool down.
- Low profile flat locked seams – Extremely comfortable. I’ve been out running in the Protium on frosty Autumn mornings and it doesn’t rub or chafe anywhere.
- Low profile hem and cuffs – they sit close, but not restrictive. If I have to put some gloves on I can easily pull the sleeves over them to seal out the cold spots.
How does it fit?
The Protium sits in Montane’s ‘Active Mountain’ category which means that the piece is designed to be low bulk and fit closely to the body. The articulation in the arms reduces the amount the fleece rises when your arms are above your head (e.g. scrambling and climbing) but also results in a better fitting, more comfortable garment that layers better underneath a shell jacket.
I found that it fits closer than some of my other fleeces, but it definitely isn’t what I’d call a ‘snug’ fit. I quite liked that because it means that I had lots of room for a base layer underneath it. It also means that it doesn’t feel restrictive, so I’m always comfortable in it.
What could be improved?
Honestly, not very much unless I was being extremely nit-picky. Personally, it’s a bit long for me, but I’m 5’1″ so most things are long on me! If it bothered me that much then I would just whip out my sewing machine and bring it up a bit; But on the plus side it means it’ll still work well on you if you are taller than me!
Verdict
I love my Protium – It breathes well (which is something I struggled with in the Iridium Hybrid), it keeps me warm and it’s the perfect layer to pop on under a softshell when is cold and windy (like… Every day in Wales!). For £50 you can’t go wrong really! Whether you’re a daily mountain user or you just need an extra layer to keep you toasty on your morning dog walks then this is the fleece for you.
That’s it guys – the gorgeous and super comfy (did I already mention that?) Protium Pull-On from Montane. If you have any more questions then please do leave them in the comments section below.
Have a great week, Ferals!
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Wearing: Montane Women’s Protium Pull-On in Astro Blue
The Feral Lady 