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Montane Volt Pull-on Shirt Review

The Montane Volt Pull-on is so warm I can hike in it alone without my shell jacket in quite cold weather
The Montane Volt Pull-on is so warm I can hike in it alone without my shell jacket in quite cold weather

I carry a fleece pullover year round on day hikes and backpacking trips. Fleece is warm, it wicks extremely well, it doesn’t shrink in the wash, and needs no special care. A fleece pullover will keep you warm when it’s wet, it dries quickly, your body heat is enough to dry it out when damp, and fleece layers very well under a rain shell or wind shirt. But a 100 weight fleece pullover is often not quite warm enough for winter hiking, especially when the temperatures dip below 20 degrees.

Polartec Thermal Pro Honeycomb covers the chest, back, and tops of the arms while Polartec 100 is zoned on the sides of the torso and under the arms.
Polartec Thermal Pro Honeycomb covers the chest, back, and tops of the arms while Polartec 100 is zoned on the sides of the torso and under the arms.

That’s when I break out the Montane Volt, an exceptionally warm fleece pullover that I’ve been wearing, nearly continuously, since it arrived three months ago. Weighing just 14.4 ounces in a men’s XL, it’s made with Polartec Thermal Pro Honeycomb Fleece over the chest, back, and tops of the arms, zoned with Polartec 100 weight fleece along the sides of the torso and the bottom half of the arms. The combination provides unrestricted freedom of movement in the arms, good for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, while venting extra heat and sweat along the sides.

I have to warn you. The Volt is simply too warm to wear in anything above 30 degrees (unless you’re sitting still in my cold house.) It really shines when the air starts to be bitingly frigid and I frequently find myself stripping off my shell because I can wear the Volt as an outer layer all by itself.

Deep center zip and mesh backed pocket provide extra ventilation
Deep center zip and mesh-backed pocket provide extra ventilation

There are also some extra venting options on the Volt Pull-on that make a noticeable difference for releasing extra heat. The center zipper is several inches longer than a typical 1/4 zip fleece sweater making it a 1/2 zip and providing more airflow to your lower chest. The zipper is bi-directional so you can keep it zipped up around your neck, while still venting your torso. There’s also a large mesh-backed chest pocket that can be zipped open for even more airflow and which is also handy for storing a smartphone if you use it for GPS navigation.

The Montane Volt Pull-on is also a very stylish sweater and quite wearable to parties and the pub, just make sure you don’t accidentally leave it somewhere because you’ll never get it back!

Disclosure: Montane provided the author with a Volt for this review. 

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5 comments

  1. Nice looking fleece shirt. I wonder how it rates to my Polartec, 100, 200, 300.

  2. Fleece does have wonderful properties. Have you tried 150 weight fleece like Eddie Bauer, or 200 weight that Beans sells? I suppose bulk is an issue.

    I like the full zips because I’ve gotten tired of peeling layers and exposing myself to the world …

  3. How tall are you Phillip? And what does your chest measure? Trying to get an idea on size for this shirt.

    Thank you very much.

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