Online purchasing of clothing implies choosing the correct size first time which is not always possible. We aim to have accurate size charts and a simple exchange policy and offer telephone advice and encourage customers to try more than one size and only keep the best fit. In the case of gifts we will extend the return period and do this automatically during the Christmas season.

To see if we could further improve size information for online consumers, we recently embarked on a study to see what - if anything - could be improved; especially since many people are new to the Montane brand and may be wanting to compare sizing of to an existing garment... 

We have had some detailed conversations about sizing with Montane and other clothing brands in the hope of making a more comprehensive sizing guide for our online customers but it’s a much more complex subject than we first imagined and multilayered considerations give rise to variations of fit within the range of each brand which make it almost impossible to be 100% accurate even if we had the original patterns to work from.

For example,

• designer (style) ,
• intended function (tight base layer or looser shell & sport specific requirements),
• fabric thickness and stretch,
• wear characteristics (shrink / stretch v time),
• cut tollerances,
• factory assembly accuracy,
• manufacturing batch (season)

each of which influence the exact dimensions of a garment.

There is therefore inevitably even within one garment of one size and colour some variation of sizing - in extreme cases a size small at the upper end of the tollerance range could be very close to a medium at the lower end of its tollerance range and to some degree this is why sizes are given a range of waist/chest dimensions. Its also virtually impossible to compare the fit of a nicely worn-in garment to a new off-the-peg one as washing and wear with have had an effect on the fit and comfort of a garment, much as happens with shoes.

Montane specifically cut garments for an 'athletic' fit but even that doesn't quite cover all the bases - for example an event shell jacket is generally cut fairly loose fitting to allow for insulation layers underneath whereas a runners windshirt designed as an outer layer will have a much smaller cut as its intended use is in less severe weather and higher exertion levels so thermal layers are unlikely to be needed. In an all-in-one piece like the Montane Extreme which is intended to be worn direct to the skin (or over a thin base layer only) will be cut closer still, more like a base layer.

For individuals, body shape and personal 'acceptable' fit are also a consideration and may require some subjective size adjustments to achieve the desired comfort.

In summary, there are so many variables that we decided not to attempt to change our size information but we remain very happy to provide specific sizing advice and for customers to buy more than one size and return any unwanted sizes after trying on.