岩崎良美

Blog

3 Grown-Up Outfits with Montbell's New Wickron for Spring/Summer 2026 | Mountain Function That Doesn't Look Out of Place in Town

2026.02.27

The quality of the light shifts, and you start to catch spring in the strength of the sun and the smell of the wind. When the lighter clothes at the back of the wardrobe begin to interest you again, it's time to choose the piece you'll spend the coming season in.

From the spring/summer 2026 range by Montbell — the Japanese outdoor brand I've come to trust through both hiking and modelling work — I've picked three outfits that keep their mountain function while settling naturally into a city street. Nothing here is trying to catch the eye. These are clothes that support how you move and quietly recede into the background.

What Wickron is, Montbell's own fabric

At the centre of all three outfits is Wickron (WIC.), a fabric Montbell developed in-house.

It looks and feels like cotton — soft, natural — while the engineering underneath is anything but. It absorbs and spreads moisture unusually well, pulling sweat across the whole surface of the fabric so it dries quickly. From early spring through the humid months it stays off the skin and stays comfortable. The sheen is restrained too, which is a large part of the appeal: it never tips over into looking like sportswear, so it sits easily in an everyday setting.

Outfit 1: A composed casual look in a refined stripe

The idea: tidy casual that belongs in the city

If you've been avoiding stripes because you think they'll read as childish, this is the combination to try. Errands in the morning, a coffee somewhere in the afternoon — I wanted a look with the ease of someone who isn't trying too hard.

How it's put together

The WIC. Striped Long Sleeve T has a silhouette that is judged rather well: it doesn't trace the body, and it doesn't billow either. The Cool Pants I've paired it with are lightweight, stretchy, and breathable enough to keep moving in all day.

Add a jacket and it becomes distinctly urban. Swap the shoes for leather or a clean pair of sneakers and it will hold up somewhere more formal. It's outdoor clothing that doesn't announce that you've just come down off a mountain, and that balance is what makes it work for a grown-up wardrobe.

Montbell WIC. Striped Long Sleeve T Women's

¥4,900 (at time of filming)

View product →

Montbell Cool Pants Women's

¥8,000 (at time of filming)

View product →

Outfit 2: Clean minimalism, lifted by one accessory

The idea: beauty by subtraction, without the effort

A day off with nothing planned. You don't want to go out in what amounts to loungewear, but making a real effort feels wrong too. This is the combination you can throw on and still look considered.

How it's put together

The WIC.T is the Montbell staple, and about as resolved as a T-shirt gets. Even the logo is discreet enough to disappear. The Cliff Easy Fit Pants Light are exactly what the name says — light and easy — with nothing that starts to press on you over a long journey.

Because the combination is so plain, an accessory carries real weight. Here I've wrapped the Big Bandana around my head like a headband. It adds a small accent near the face and gives the outfit some dimension. Choosing comfort first without looking sloppy — that's the reassurance that comes from clothes backed by function.

Montbell WIC.T Women's

¥3,300 (at time of filming)

View product →

Montbell Cliff Easy Fit Pants Light Women's

¥7,300 (at time of filming)

View product →

Outfit 3: Function with air in it, a step ahead into summer

The idea: keep coverage, but wear something that looks cool

I want to enjoy shorts as summer approaches, but wearing them past a certain age takes a little nerve. So I balanced the coverage with a long-sleeved UV-blocking top. It's a relaxed look, right for a walk near water or a day somewhere green.

How it's put together

WIC. UV Tect blocks UV while keeping Wickron's quick-drying behaviour, and it's thin enough for the wind to pass through, so the long sleeves never feel stifling. The Canyon Shorts are light and easy to move in, which suits an active day. On the feet, Sock-On Sandals, comfortable barefoot or with socks.

The Big Bandana earns its place here too. This time tied sailor-style — knotted at the front of the neck with the triangle falling down the back. It shields the neck from the sun, and the fabric moves as you do, which lightens the whole outfit.

Montbell WIC. UV Tect Long Sleeve T Women's

¥4,600 (at time of filming)

View product →

Montbell Canyon Shorts Women's

¥7,500 (at time of filming)

View product →

Montbell Sock-On Sandals

¥4,290 (at time of filming)

View product →

Montbell Big Bandana

¥1,760 (at time of filming)

View product →

What I've settled on

What these three outfits have in common is that none of the clothes are trying to be the main event. They don't get in the way of how you move, and they take the stress out of sweat and shifting temperatures. It's precisely because the function is dependable that you can put your attention on the street, on the conversation, on your own time.

Clothes that make you think "yes, this is fine" every time you put them on. If you're starting a new season, spring/summer 2026 is a good moment to take that first step with Wickron.

🛒 See the gear from the video as a listMontbell staples: light and dependable

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

Related posts

4 Montbell Pieces Worth Using Off the Mountain | An Honest Review

4 Montbell Pieces Worth Using Off the Mountain | An Honest Review

4 Hidden Montbell Gems Under ¥3,000 | An Honest Review from a Hiking Model

4 Hidden Montbell Gems Under ¥3,000 | An Honest Review from a Hiking Model

Hokendake and Kisokomagatake | A Two-Day Traverse of the Central Alps from Senjojiki Cirque

Hokendake and Kisokomagatake | A Two-Day Traverse of the Central Alps from Senjojiki Cirque

4 Montbell Autumn and Winter Outfits | Outdoor Clothing That Doesn't Look Out of Place in Town

4 Montbell Autumn and Winter Outfits | Outdoor Clothing That Doesn't Look Out of Place in Town

Work with me

I produce video and wear-test content for outdoor, hiking gear and apparel brands. Enquiries in English are welcome.

Get in touch →

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

← All posts