Montane Extreme jacket, tight arms?

[Martin1]

Hi, new here (have posted hello on intro page) and have just bought a new Montane Extreme jacket to replace my trusty well travelled but now worn out Buffalo belay jacket.
I quite like the Montane, seems to be well made with good hood but one thing is, even though its the right size in the body the lower arms seem just too tight, especially when I bend my arms it seems too restrictive across the inner arm/elbow joint.
I know the jacket (like my Buffalo gear) is supposed to be worn next to the skin but the lower arms on my Montane just seem too snug, and I have slim arms by the way not pop-eye arms!
So has anyone who has this jacket found the same?
My only other gripe is the hand warmer pockets are far too small, I'd at least have expected them to be big enough to put wet gloves in to dry etc. Oh and its made in China.
other than that it seems top notch!

 

[Waterworx]

Must admit, got one and love it, it was a tight fit, all over, until I lost a stone within a month, fits pretty well now. The arms for me are a snug fit, nothing restrictive though, I suffer more of the length of them. The pockets could possibly do with being a little larger but all in all in I wouldn't hesitate to get more of there gear. Annoyingly though i've put a little rip in it, farmers and there barbed wire fetishes lol

 

[TeeDee]

Mine seems to be very tight as well , which as you say increases the function of the jacket , I think we may all be used to the more 'roomy' aspect of say the Buffalo jacket as a general Outdoor bit of kit.

The Montane is extremly well made and great value for money , i just wish that they made a bigger version so you dont have to be either strapped in tight or fuully vented.

 

[scrogger]

This must be a common thing then, either we all need to be buying bigger sizes or its just the "fit". Mine is tight but I rarely wear more than a merino wool base under it and I have to say its been in some pretty foul weather. The worst was a full 7 hours of stair rod rain in the moors and even though the pertex outer( i think it could have done with a reproof) let water in I still felt warm and comfortable only in the armpit areas did it actually feel damp!!. Top bit of kit though and the hood is excellent. I am planning on shedding a few (14) pound now so will see how the fit gets!! lol

 

[Nonsuch]

I tried the XL and couldn't even get my arms down the sleeves !

NS

 

[TeeDee]

This must be a common thing then, either we all need to be buying bigger sizes or its just the "fit". Mine is tight but I rarely wear more than a merino wool base under it and I have to say its been in some pretty foul weather. The worst was a full 7 hours of stair rod rain in the moors and even though the pertex outer( i think it could have done with a reproof) let water in I still felt warm and comfortable only in the armpit areas did it actually feel damp!!. Top bit of kit though and the hood is excellent. I am planning on shedding a few (14) pound now so will see how the fit gets!! lol

Unfortunately i have the XXL , And thats as big as they make it....

 

[Martin1]

Well thanks for the replies.
Yes I have plenty of room in the body of the jacket, in that respect its just about a perfect fit but the arms seem to be far too narrow and I dont think that if I had large forearms that I could get my lower arms in!
I was hoping to be able to wear it over my (trusty and brilliant) Buffalo Special Six shirt when inactive. As I really bought the Montane to replace my trusty 15 year old (but now zip gone and torn) Buffalo Belay jacket.
In fact it does fit on over the Special Six ok bodywise but then the arms are squeezed too tight, even tighter than just wearing the Montane next to my skin.
It really is a shame as its a good bit of kit for the money.
Perhaps they'll stretch a bit with use? (says he clutching at straws)

 

[Opal]

Was gonna buy one of these but after trying it on, I thought it was too claustrophobic.

 

[bushblade]

I've got the smock and love it, use it lots, especialy for winter climbing, its a great fit. I have a medium and am a medium in most other clothing too.

 

[Martin1]

Well after trying to stress the sleeves in the elbow area over a few days it seems to have loosed up slightly.
I'd put it on and got a garden cane and shoved it down from the armpit just past the elbow bend and bent my arm as much as I could repeatedly trying not to put too much stress on the fabric obviously using the cane as an aid to my arm to try stretch the area.
It seemed to do the trick, that and just wearing the jacket around the house and garden, bending my arms. If anyone had spotted me it would have looked as though I was dancing!
Then yesterday I went for a walk in the freezing cold along the river for a few miles. Got a few snow flurries and the wind was icey cold to my face.
I didnt have a thermometer but it was well below freezing and I was warm unless I stood about for too long or walked real slow, then I felt a Tiny bit of cool not COLD.- but I run cold too.
I hate the cold and feel it real bad. So having just the jacket with a 50-50 mix t-shirt underneath, long johns and Rohan bags I was ok. I got home in the dark and was warmer then even cos the wind had dropped and I was walking brisker than my usual plod!
All in all it seemed to be ok and I wasn't aware of the contriction as before. In fact I'd wasnt aware of it at all then.
So, I dont think its any warmer than my Buffalo Special 6 (seems about same) but its a good jacket all the same (and cheap!) and the hood is good and toasty warm. Well worth it. Just wish the handwarmer pockets were deeper/bigger.