It’s the adventure equipment company fiercely committed to better gear for the wild.
Trusted by thousands since 1981, Mont is the place to go if there’s something you need for an off-grid, exploring or wild camping adventure.
The brand’s jackets are even trusted by the Aussie Antarctic Division, and have accompanied climbers to the summit of Mount Everest. No mean feat.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today 
So when I was offered the opportunity to test-drive the brand’s latest creation — the Helios jacket — I was all ears.
With no mountaineering adventures on the horizon, for me, the Helios would have to make do with Sydney and the Southern Highlands at the end of winter.
So how did I find it?
The science of the Helios jacket
Billed as Mont’s most “technically advanced insulated jacket to date”, the Helios marks a new pinnacle in high-performance Alpine apparel.
At $899.95, the jacket is not a cheap investment.
But it comes after years of research, refinement and testing, the result of which is the purpose-built jacket that’s perfect for climbing, mountaineering and even remote high-altitude camps — environments where every gram, stitch and detail really matter.
Retailing in Black, Aurora Blue and Firecracker Orange, the Helios features 900+ loft white goose down in a box-walled construction, delivering uncompromising warmth and eliminating those annoying cold spots you feel when in some other jackets.
Mont’s PFAS-free Hydronaute XT shell fabric offers exceptional breathability and weather resistance, while the recycled nylon ripstop lining is treated with the brand’s clever XReflex radiant barrier technology to reflect body heat and enhance thermal retention.
All of this is to say that the Helios is where functionality meets precision meets style.
The jacket also has a four-piece helmet-compatible hood, shaped through extensive prototyping to provide full mobility and vision in exposed conditions.
From wind-blasted ridgelines to technical summit pushes, the Helios is built to endure the hardest conditions without sacrificing any comfort or agility.
The brand have even thought about the little things like hidden tuck-stitched seams to improve the durability and prevent moisture penetration.
“The Helios Jacket is the result of years of meticulous design and field testing,” Mont’s founder Andrew Montgomery tells Best Picks.
“Every element has been engineered for mountaineers who operate in the world’s most demanding environments.
“It’s the culmination of everything we’ve learned from decades of outfitting adventurers for Australia’s toughest conditions.”
Best Picks tests
Okay, so we’ve heard the (very impressive) technical spiel.
But how did the jacket live up in IRL?
I can whole-heartedly attest that it possibly is the best jacket ever made.
Not only is it impossibly light when you first get your hands on it (525 grams to be precise), but it’s also outrageously soft.
It’s hard to describe it, but it feels like the softest goose-feather pillow you’ve ever held.
How Mont have managed to pack so much technical punch into something that feels (and looks) this good is seriously impressive.
Next, we need to talk about the fit. I opted for the Aurora Blue colourway in a size AU8 (my regular size).
The jacket fits like a glove, but still has room for a small sweater and T-shirt underneath — perfect if hiking or mountaineering in cold conditions.
I found the jacket supremely comfortable on a winter walk and out in Bowral in the Southern Highlands in the depths of winter at an early morning run startline.
I can imagine the jacket would also be fabulous at an Alpine resort, it really is that cosy.
I can’t wait to really put it through its paces at the Slopes in Europe later this year.
I also loved all of the hidden extra features, from the handwarmer pockets to hidden tuck-stitched seams to improve durability and prevent moisture penetration.
Having copped a particularly wet winter, its function did not let me down — proving it doesn’t just look good, but does the job too.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a perfect technical jacket this winter.
It’s the sort of buy that will last a lifetime.
For more information and to shop the Helios jacket, head to Mont’s website here now.
