Blog

High Street - Lake District Eastern Fells and my Border Collie Gaston

The newest addition to the Phase range from Montane, the Phase Nano is the lightest and most breathable Gore-Tex Jacket from  Montane. Aimed at trail runners and anyone looking to move fast and light, the Phase Nano has a lot of features to offer, for such a lightweight jacket, two hand pockets, adjustable hood and hem, helping to make it a versatile option for trail runners and fast hikers alike.

Having got my hands on the Jacket, I thought what better way to put the Phase Nano through its paces than on a 100k Ultra Race over the Lake District Mountains from St Bees to Shap. Leading up to the event, the Nano, myself and my Border Collie (Gaston), had a few training runs during some cold, wet and windy conditions. Great for testing the jacket, although I’ve seen the dog happier.

As to be expected from the GTX membrane the waterproof performance was great, taking some battering from driving rain and misty conditions on top of the fells, there were no issues with water ingress. The big question for runners and anyone active in the fells, is how breathability performs… I can happily say this is what impressed me the most after the first few uses, definitely getting a sweat on pushing up the fells, at no point did I feel I was overheating or experiencing any perspiration condensing. This is thanks to the impressive RET <3.5 (anything less than RET 6, is considered extremely breathable) created by the 3 layer Gore-tex Active fabric construction and the Gore C-Knit backer material, which is also softer than previous backers used by Gore, and therefore vastly improved for next to skin comfort whilst providing high moisture wicking capabilities. Both of these team up well with the waterproof membrane to allow water vapour to pass through.

The outer fabrics, that can be utilised with GTX Active, can be between 13-30 Denier.  Montane’s Phase Nano uses a 13 Denier Nylon ripstop woven fabric. Not only does this mean it's the lightest option for face fabrics, but also increases the vapour transmission furthering the jacket’s capabilities as a highly breathable garment.

Come race day I was already confident in the waterproof ability of the jacket and its breathability on a 2-4 hour run, however, now came the true test on what I planned to be a 18+ hour affair. The forecast throughout the day (and night) was mixed and in the morning windchill was definitely a factor, although the sun was shining. Trusting in the breathability of the jacket I wore it from the off. The weather stayed fair with the odd short shower and after 15 miles I decided to slip the jacket away as the wind dropped, the sleek design and packability of the jacket made it easy to slip away into my pack. For the next 6 miles I did not require a shell, however as we started to climb the first mountain pass, I soon reached for the Phase Nano, again mainly to stave off the wind chill. The full range of movement through the shoulders and torso comes into effect through the mountains, using poles to assist the more vertical sections. Here the ergonomic and close-fitting design of the Phase Nano worked really well. No restriction in the range of motion was noticed and I had no issues with the hem rising above my running pack hip belt, which can often be a drawback of some garments.

During the next two stages through the mountains, passing out of Roswaith through to Grasmere and then onto Patterdale the jacket continued to perform fantastically well; climate control, great; waterproofness; flawless, fit and feel...Perfect. Now readying myself for the last long leg out of Patterdale to the finish line in Shap, the remainder of my run would be in the dark. Heading up the last fell the mist had descended and the hood got pulled over. This I found easy to adjust, even on the move, and the comfortable hood system allowed me to keep my head on a swivel to pick my way through the technical terrain without impeding my vision. By this time the head torch was definitely on and I wore this under the hood with the peak at no point obscuring the torch beam. Heading off the fell, feeling rather tired (and a bit beaten up), I dragged myself across the finish line over 20 hours after starting the previous day.

The Montane Phase Nano was worn 90% of the time of this epic Ultra race and performed amazingly, with not one complaint. I found no signs of wear from the filled to the brim running pack and the DWR remained intact around the shoulder strap area and although only 13 Denier, the feel and the performance with regards to durability are great. Ticked all the boxes, my top pick for the year so far!

Full Kit List and Muddy Lone Peak 7's

Chris Futers
About the author: Chris fully immerses himself in many outdoor sports and challenges. Whether it's Multi-day hikes, Rock Climbing, Kayaking, Trail Running or Bikepacking, the allure of the outdoors is his true passion. Chris likes to test himself against the wilds, taking on multiple challenges/events such as the Lakes Travers Trail Race, TGO Challenge and Cycling the Coast to Cost (C2C) to name a few. Having worked and volunteered as a coach/instructor for multiple outdoor sports and pursuits, Chris likes to help others achieve and connect with the outdoors, always eager to pass on his knowledge and experience. Chris is our Customer Service Team Leader, joining the UOG team in 2020. Read more from Chis Futers