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Montbell EX Light Thermawrap Jacket Review | About 200 g, and Hard to Beat for the Money

2025.04.11

Insulation for hiking is confusing, and the mid layer is the most confusing part of all. The first thing I'd point anyone new towards is the EX Light Thermawrap Jacket from Montbell, the Japanese outdoor brand. It weighs about 200 g — roughly an apple — and yet it's properly warm and easy to move in. That combination makes it right for a day hike and for ordinary use. Here's what I liked about it, and what gave me pause, both honestly.

Prices are as of when the video went out. Stock and prices change, so check the official site before you buy.

What it is: about 200 g of synthetic insulation

The EX Light Thermawrap Jacket uses a synthetic fill Montbell calls Stretch Exceloft. Being synthetic, it handles damp far better than down, and it stays warm without getting clammy. The slight stretch in it means nothing pulls when you swing your arms while walking.

And it really is light. About 200 g — the weight of an apple, more or less. Whether you pick it up or put it on, the lack of weight is the first thing you notice.

What I liked: the weight, how small it packs, comfort on the move

After using it in the mountains, these are the things that stayed with me.

• It's just light: 200 g settles a lot of arguments. In the pack or on your back, you don't feel it.
• It packs down small: it stuffs into its own pocket and tucks into a corner of the pack. That makes "bring it just in case" an easy decision, which is its own kind of reassurance.
• Enough on its own for a cold morning: at around 5°C in the early hours, this one layer takes the edge off.
• No heat build-up once you start walking: heat doesn't get trapped inside as you start climbing, so you can keep going without stopping to strip off.
• Plain design: it's restrained enough that it just about works in town as well as on the trail.

When the wind got up, layering a wind shell over the top was the right adjustment. It's better used as one part of a layering system than as a single-jacket answer.

What gave me pause: wind and rain need a different layer

There are weaknesses worth stating plainly.

• It isn't fully windproof: in strong wind there are moments where you feel the cold. If you want wind genuinely blocked, a shell over the top is the assumption.
• It won't hold up to prolonged rain: light rain beads off, but rain that keeps coming will soak through. It's no substitute for a rain jacket.
• It reads a little sporty in town: the design is plain, but worn around the city it still looks like outdoor kit.

None of that bothers me once you accept what it is — a lightweight mid layer. Leave wind and rain to the garments built for them, and let this one handle warmth and weight.

Who it's for

The EX Light Thermawrap Jacket suits:

• Anyone new to hiking who doesn't know what mid layer to buy: as a first insulating layer it's a safe choice.
• Anyone trying to carry less: about 200 g, packing down small, it costs your pack almost nothing.
• Anyone hiking or camping in spring and autumn, or dealing with a chilly day in town: the range of situations it covers is genuinely wide.

What I like most is how briskly you can move in it. If what you want is one light insulating layer to start with, I can recommend this without reservation. Have a look at the official site or your nearest outdoor shop if it sounds like the right thing.

🛒 See the gear from the video as a list → Montbell staples: light and dependable

※As an Amazon Associate, Yoshimi Iwasaki earns from qualifying purchases.

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This post contains affiliate links. Prices and specifications are as of the video's publication date. Most items are sold in Japan.

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