Reviews You Can Rely On

Marmot Montreaux Review

Serious warmth is packed into this lightweight, flattering, and reasonably priced parka
gearlab tested logo
Marmot Montreaux Review
Credit: Marmot
Price:  $325 List
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Manufacturer:   Marmot
By Clark Tate ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Feb 23, 2022
74
OVERALL
SCORE
  • Warmth - 30% 9.0
  • Weather Resistance - 25% 4.0
  • Comfort - 25% 9.0
  • Style - 10% 9.0
  • Durability - 10% 5.0

Our Verdict

The Marmot Montreaux is stuffed with lofty 700-fill-power down and partially lined with plush fleece. With the hood on and the coat fully zipped, it's like walking around in a chic sleeping bag. This surprisingly flattering winter jacket kept us comfy and content even when temperatures hovered in the mid-teens. Its water-resistant down and treated face fabric brush off light rain and dry snow. The Marmot isn't waterproof, so it cannot be an all-around replacement for other jackets. Still, for colder, dryer snowstorms or frigid, clear weather, the Montreaux is an excellent, reasonably-priced option. Whether walking the dog or standing around to watch the parade of lights, we stayed cozy in this down cloud. See it rated next to the rest of our test fleet in our write-up on the best women's winter jackets.
REASONS TO BUY
Warm
Flattering
Cozy
Double-sided zipper
Functional pockets
REASONS TO AVOID
No front snaps
Not as warm when compressed
Not waterproof

Our Analysis and Test Results

Insulated with around 221 grams of high-quality, water-resistant down, the Montreaux doesn't waste much of your hard-earned body heat. Weighing 2.2 lbs, it also feels light, unless it's soaking wet, so avoid that. The evenly distributed down makes for a cute and cozy jacket that is one of our favorites in the group.

Performance Comparison


marmot montreaux - with 700-fill power down reaching to our knees, an insulated hood...
With 700-fill power down reaching to our knees, an insulated hood, and a fur ruff, the Montreaux kept us cozy in some seriously cold weather.
Credit: Austin Trigg

Warmth


This jacket is among the warmest options we tested. The baffle construction gives the 700 fill-power down plenty of room to expand and capitalizes on its light and lofty nature to capture air and insulate you from the cold. Its approximately 221-gram fill-weight (which varies for each size) means you've got a lot of high-quality feathers wrapping you up from the top of your head to your knees. It earned a 9 out of 10 for warmth.

A light but plush fleece liner wraps around your core, cutting wind and holding in even more warmth. All this makes the Montreaux so warm and cozy that we wanted to head outside on frigid nights. We love excuses to look at the stars or stroll around downtown.

The hood is also insulated, keeping your head and ears toasty. The synthetic fur ruff hovers at a great distance from your face, effectively blocking wind without killing your peripheral vision. The fur is removable for warmer weather or those who don't like the style. We love its function. In whipping winds and snowy weather, it keeps our faces noticeably better protected. There isn't much extra room for a beanie underneath, though.

marmot montreaux - the montreaux has soft fleece lining the torso. this warms the...
The Montreaux has soft fleece lining the torso. This warms the jacket instantly, feels great in a t-shirt, and helps stop wind in its tracks.
Credit: Clark Tate

The fleece-lined torso offers instant warmth while your body works to warm up the air pockets in the down. It also keeps your back warm when the down is compressed, like when you're leaning back on a bench. Unfortunately, there's no fleece around your bum. When you sit on the jacket and compress the down, you lose warmth. On the plus side, while our bum and hamstrings got chilly, our quads were happy as could be.

Microfleece also lines the exterior pockets, the collar, and the cuffs. The pockets tuck behind the down insulation, so your hands stay as toasty as the rest of you in this winter jacket, but you still might want a good pair of gloves if you don't plan to have your hands in your pocket 24/7.

marmot montreaux - a dwr coating and water-resistant down help this jacket take on dry...
A DWR coating and water-resistant down help this jacket take on dry snow storms with ease. It even lasted four minutes in the shower, letting water through to our thighs in the end but keeping our core dry.
Credit: Austin Trigg

Weather Resistance


The Montreaux is water-resistant but not waterproof, and it earned 5 out of 10, which is on the low side for the group. It has two defenses against rain, sleet, or wet snow. The first is a durable water repellent (DWR) treatment on its polyester face fabric. The second is a Down Defender treatment that helps its feathers resist losing loft and their insulating properties when wet.

Water initially beads on the DWR treated exterior and rolls off. In our shower test, water seeps into the fabric after extended exposure to moisture. Here, the treated down resists it for a time. Eventually, the jacket gets pretty soggy.

marmot montreaux - most down jackets have a dwr (durable water repellent) coating on...
Most down jackets have a DWR (durable water repellent) coating on the exterior nylon or polyester fabric, which makes water bead up and roll off initially, but is not fully waterproof. Many of these jackets are not intended to be used in super wet conditions.
Credit: Liz Williamson

It still did surprisingly well in our shower test. After standing under the driving water for 2.5 minutes, only our thighs were noticeably wet. Water also splashed through the zipper a bit, despite the storm flap behind it. This jacket does not excel in truly wet weather, but it does buy you some time in a sudden downpour.

marmot montreaux - with a light and flexible feel and soft fleece lining, this winter...
With a light and flexible feel and soft fleece lining, this winter jacket is built to keep you comfortable.
Credit: Austin Trigg

Comfort


If you can imagine wearing a stylish, cute sleeping bag around town, that pretty much sums up the Montreaux. Keeping us warm goes a long way to keep us comfortable, but so does a jacket's cut, weight, and soft little details. It's light and airy and has high-quality down that compresses easily, so the coat never feels bulky. It moves well and rarely feels restrictive despite its knee-length. It was near the top of the group for comfort, earning a 9 out of 10.

The jacket is a little snug for our testers' shoulders, which range from broad to standard issue. The thicker the layers you're wearing underneath, the more pronounced the problem. It's only an actual issue when you're crossing your arms to point in opposite directions. As long as you can avoid that, the rest of the cut works well. The lower half of the coat forms a slight bell, but the flair never restricts your stride, even when the jacket is zipped down to your knees. If you need more range of motion, for lunges, say, you can widen the hem thanks to a two-way zipper.

marmot montreaux - yes, it is liking wearing a cute sleeping bag around. and we love it.
Yes, it is liking wearing a cute sleeping bag around. And we love it.
Credit: Clark Tate

The exterior pockets sandwich your hands in microfleece, and it's terrific. They are also a comfortable size and height for your hands, which is, sadly, not a given in every jacket we tested. You can even sit down with a phone or wallet in them without much discomfort. The torso, collar, and cuffs are also lined with microfleece and offer soft support that helps us face cold and stormy weather.

marmot montreaux - we love the easy, comfortable elegance of the montreaux.
We love the easy, comfortable elegance of the Montreaux.
Credit: Austin Trigg

Style


This warm and lofty parka somehow manages to look sleek and fitted. The knee-length cut and faux fur ruff manage elegance, and the satin finish looks clean and sophisticated. Chevron baffling draws flattering lines. The design managed to land the jacket a top spot for style, with a 9 out of 10 score.

We're still not sure how a down-stuffed, objectively shapeless parka hangs so nicely. It almost drapes… if puffy baffles can do such a thing. We think it may be the high quality down, which keeps you warm with a bit less bulk. Whatever the magic is, we like it. Whether tucked zipped down to our knees or flung open during a spring melt, we always feel a little bit of movie star spark in this subtle stunner.

Fur ruffs, faux or otherwise, aren't for everyone. We used to have mixed opinions about them. After learning how functional they are in cold and snowy weather, we forget that not everyone likes the look. You can always unzip it if it's not for you.

marmot montreaux - we did get one tiny snag in this jacket over months of testing. but...
We did get one tiny snag in this jacket over months of testing. But if you take care of it, it will take care of you.
Credit: Austin Trigg

Durability


Over the two-year period we've tested this jacket, we've never had an issue losing feathers through the face fabric, but DWR coatings wear off over time. If this feature is essential to you, you can reapply it at home, but most versions are toxic. So be sure to read about how to handle them properly.

We did inflict one tiny tear in the polyester, which is less robust than fabrics on many competing jackets. It happened when our lead tester packed the coat in a ski bag to cushion her gear. So, maybe don't do that. If you do, a piece of duck tape or a cute NOSO patch will have you fixed up in no time.

Features


The faux fur ruff around the hood is removable, as is the hood itself. Both zip off easily, though figuring out how to zip the ruff back on can be a brainteaser. We hear those are good for you. Fleece features seem to be a theme with this jacket, with microfleece exterior pockets, cuffs, and collar.


As we've discussed, the two front pockets are fleece-lined and great for hands or valuables. There are also two interior media pockets. One has a zipper, and the other is a drop pocket, with no zipper, Velcro, or snap to secure it. Both are big enough for smartphones, and the combination is excellent. Since we reach for our phones often, it's great to grab it without scrapping past rough zipper teeth. And the drop pocket is deep enough that a phone can't easily escape. We can zip credit cards into the other one and be ready to hit the town.

The jacket also has a two-way zipper for mobility. We wish it had a storm flap outside the zipper with snaps or buttons. We love snapping a few buttons instead of futzing with zippers, even if they aren't that hard.

marmot montreaux - the montreaux is our favorite winter jacket and one of the least...
The Montreaux is our favorite winter jacket and one of the least expensive options in the review. If you don't need a waterproof coat, you can't go wrong here.
Credit: Clark Tate

Should You Buy the Marmot Montreaux?


The Marmot Montreaux is one impressive parka, and we love to see it hanging in the closet next to our other favorite jackets. It's exceptionally warm and comfortable while maintaining a flattering look. Despite its lack of waterproofing, the water-resistant fabric and down still perform well in snowy weather. It's one of our favorite winter jackets to wear when bopping around town or milling around the tailgate for apres-ski beers or meteor showers. One of our staff members has been rocking this jacket for five winters now. If you don't need extreme weatherproofing, we recommend this jacket to those who are looking for good value in their winter wardrobe.

marmot montreaux - the montreaux kept us smiling all winter long.
The Montreaux kept us smiling all winter long.
Credit: Austin Trigg

What Other Winter Jackets Should You Consider?


This warm winter jacket is a good deal. It looks good, keeps you cozy, and should last for years if you take good care of it. We have very few hesitations in recommending this jacket to most people. However, one of the most significant drawbacks is its lack of weatherproofing. If you frequently find yourself in wet and windy conditions, this may not keep you as snug as you would like. Instead, we would opt for the Fjallraven Nuuk or, if you are in truly extreme conditions, you can take a look at the Canada Goose Expedition Parka.

Clark Tate