Mont Supersonic Jacket and Pants

New to the outerwear phenomenon, with just one set of thermal underwear on and temperatures hovering between 2 and 4 degrees Celsius, I was impressed by how well the jacket and pants felt on my body. I had to do lots of scrambling up and down snowy hills, chasing after my daughter and sliding down (literally) on my butt. I stayed warm and dry underneath with no tears on twigs and rocks sticking out (sliding down the back of Guthega), and I’ve had pants material snag for much less.

Shell Outerwear

A quick discussion about shell outerwear first …I was not a fan of shell outerwear prior to this particular jacket and pants. Shells to me ‘looked’ inadequate, and I couldn’t imagine why people liked them, truth be told. I had worn shells before, but hadn’t worn an excellent quality one before. My experience wearing a shell previously was that I would get wet easily, which made me feel cold for the rest of the day. This is where quality really matters, and it comes down to the waterproofing tech specs.

The Technical Details

The waterproofing for the Women’s Supersonic Overpants and the Women’s Supersonic Jacket is 35,000mm. You do not get cold and wet in the Supersonic set. Here’s a rough guide:

• 5,000 mm is okay for light rain and snow.
• 10,000  to 20,000 mm is fairly solid for heavy rain and backcountry use.
• 30,000 mm +  this is top-tier protection, used in expedition-level gear and pro shells.

So at 35,000 mm, this Mont jacket and pants are about as waterproof as you can get. They’re built for heavy rain and wet snow conditions, and all stitching is reinforced, completely waterproof, and covered (taped over) with 14mm micro-tape. 

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Flex

I’m accustomed to heavier snow gear, so this outfit felt incredibly light and had plenty of room for movement. Nothing was restricted, and the sizing (ladies’ size 12) was a good fit. This is the perfect outfit for backcountry days with lots of uphill walking, and I can take my jacket off and tuck it into my backpack. There’s underarm ventilation for keeping the coat on, too.

Features of the Mont Supersonic jacket and pants

There are several notable features on the pants, including scuff patches on the inside ankles for protection against boot rubbing and scuffing (made from 500 denier Cordura nylon). The fit was good, albeit it on the baggier side, but to be fair, I was happy for them to be roomy as I snowshoed up a hill and bent down a lot to get things out of my bag and I dislike the feeling of physical restriction from clothing. 

An active and athletic fit with reinforced articulated knees, stretch waist band, and clever pockets combine for a streamlined overpant providing comfortable climbing, uninhibited traversing, and streamlined descents. The new Supersonic Pants are ideal for resort and backcountry skiing, mountaineering, and more.

What could be improved

Two things not to my initial liking: the belt opening/closing mechanism on the pants took some getting used to. Once I snapped the sides together, it was secure, and it felt stable, as if it wouldn’t pop off.

I am used to sticking my hands in my pockets in the belly area, so this also took some time to get used to having pockets elsewhere. However, there were plenty of pockets elsewhere.

Want to learn about a cool Aussie brand, quietly making outdoorsy stuff and the founder Monty…? Watch the little video here.