Brand Feature: Montec

Montec are a Scandinavian ski brand and they are, in my view, one of the most underrated names in the UK ski market. They don’t have the marketing spend of Helly Hansen, they don’t have Dope Snow’s visual presence, and they’re not a household name outside of ski circles. What they have is a focused product range, strong technical specs at accessible prices, and a design language that is clean enough to age well across several seasons.

I recommend Montec regularly. This is why.

Who they are

Montec operate on a direct-to-consumer model, meaning you buy from their website rather than through a network of retailers. This is relevant to the price conversation. Cutting out the retailer margin means they can offer better specs at lower prices than brands selling through the same distribution network as the rest of the market. The result is a brand that punches well above its price point on technical specs while keeping the aesthetic clean and understated — which broadens the appeal to skiers who want their kit to do the job without announcing itself.

The range is deliberately simple. They don’t make fifteen jackets with slightly different names. They make a small number of products, update them thoughtfully, and keep the options manageable.

The product range

Jackets

The Fawk is the flagship and the one most people end up with. It runs at around £200 for men’s and women’s, which is already a strong price for what you get. The specs are what make it genuinely impressive: 15,000mm waterproofing and 15,000mm breathability. Most jackets at this price offer 10,000mm waterproofing. The Fawk gives you 50% more waterproof performance for roughly the same money.

Practically, that difference matters. On a heavy snow day or a wet spring afternoon in Les Gets, a 10,000mm jacket will eventually start to feel damp. A 15,000mm jacket has considerably more headroom. If you run cold, ski in mixed conditions, or just want more confidence in your outerwear, the Fawk’s spec is worth paying attention to.

The fit is slightly boxier than Dope Snow, accommodating thicker mid-layers more comfortably, which suits skiers who prefer a heavier insulation setup. Hood is helmet-compatible and actually functions correctly. Powder skirt is well-designed. The internal organisation is sensible: pass pocket in the right place, goggles pocket that doesn’t deform.

The Fawk W is the women’s equivalent. Same technical specification, cut for women rather than adapted from the men’s pattern, available in a range of colourways that are distinct from the men’s range rather than just recoloured.

At the top of the Montec range, the Cleak jacket steps up to a 3-layer construction with higher waterproof and breathability ratings, Gore-Tex equivalent performance, and more refined construction details. It sits around £300–320 and is among the strongest technical jackets available under £350 in the UK market.

Pants

The regular pant range (check montecwear.com for current men’s and women’s options, as specific model names change season to season) follows the same value logic as the jackets: higher waterproofing ratings than the price suggests, in clean, understated cuts.

The Fawk Bib is where it gets more interesting. Around £200 for a properly specified bib pant: 20,000mm waterproofing and 20,000g breathability, well-constructed braces, good coverage across the lower back and seat. The bib cut means no gap at the waist when you lean forward into a turn, which is a bigger quality of life improvement than it sounds on day four of a trip.

I’ve skied in the Fawk Bib across two trips. The construction holds up. The braces don’t slide. The waterproofing delivers what the spec sheet says it will.

Montec vs Dope Snow

I get asked this regularly because both brands sit in the same price range and I recommend both. The honest comparison:

Choose Montec if you want clean Scandinavian design — considered colourways, functional aesthetic, gear that looks sharp without announcing itself. Strong waterproof specs at a direct price, and a look that ages well across several seasons.

Choose Dope Snow if you want more visual personality in your gear (bolder colourways, more expressive design) and the slightly slimmer fit works for your build.

The technical specs overlap significantly. Both make excellent kit. This is genuinely a style preference more than a performance decision at most price points.

Who Montec is for

Intermediate and confident beginner skiers who want proper technical outerwear that will last several seasons without either breaking the bank or looking like they bought it at the service station before a weekend in Scotland. Skiers who ski regularly but don’t need (or want to pay for) the absolute technical ceiling of the market.

Also: anyone who has been put off by the aesthetic of Dope Snow, Burton, or other brands with a more expressive visual language. Montec is the answer for people who want good gear that doesn’t announce itself.

The honest verdict

The products are genuinely good for the price and the direct model means the value proposition holds up in a way that a lot of brands can’t match at similar price points.

If you are buying your first serious ski jacket and you want the best waterproof spec available under £220, the Fawk is the pick. If you are buying pants, the Fawk Bib at around £200 for a 20,000mm bib pant is close to unbeatable value in the UK market right now.

Start there.

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Prices are approximate at time of writing.