Mountain Equipment

You can't talk about Mountain Equipment's technical prowess without talking about their long-standing relationship with GORE-TEX. This is a story of two companies with a shared obsession for performance. While Pete Hutchinson was tinkering in his Manchester shop, Bill and Vieve Gore were doing the same in their Delaware basement. In 1969, their son Robert discovered ePTFE, a polymer that would completely change the game for outdoor gear.​

Mountain Equipment saw the potential immediately. They understood that this new waterproof, breathable material was the key to unlocking a new level of performance. In 1977, this collaboration gave birth to the Original Cascade jacket, the first-ever Mountain Equipment GORE-TEX piece. It was a landmark moment, setting a new standard for protective outerwear.

This wasn't a one-time thing. They were early adopters of GORE-TEX Active, WINDSTOPPER®, and the legendary GORE-TEX Pro technology. Their partnership is so deep that Mountain Equipment was the lead global development partner for the "Most Breathable" GORE-TEX Pro category. Think about that. They weren't just a customer; they were in the lab, testing, providing feedback, and helping to shape the next generation of the world's best-known performance fabric.

This close work led to some of the most respected waterproof shells on the market, like the Lhotse, Manaslu, and Tupilak jackets. These aren't just jackets; they are the result of years of refinement and a shared belief that good gear should just work, no questions asked. As one of their product engineers, Matt Fuller, puts it, the message is simple: "Guaranteed to keep you dry". When the fabric is that reliable, you don't need gimmicks. You just need a great fit and solid construction.

Mountain Equipment organises its gear into specific collections, each honed for a particular discipline. This goes far beyond different colours; these are purpose-built systems where every feature, fabric, and fit is dialled in for the task at hand. 

This is where the GORE-TEX partnership shines. Their shell collections are tiered to match the intensity of your objective.

Tupilak & Lhotse Collections:  Representing their most technically advanced waterproof outerwear, this collection is built for serious alpinism, winter climbing, and ski mountaineering. Jackets in this range, like the Tupilak and Lhotse, are constructed from different weights of GORE-TEX Pro. They use burly 80-denier fabric across the shoulders and high-wear areas, with lighter 40-denier panels elsewhere to maximise breathability and reduce bulk. The fit is their precise 'Alpine Fit', and features like the Super Alpine HC helmet-compatible hood and seamless 'reverse camber' front seam show an obsessive attention to detail for climbers.

Makalu Collection: Think of the Makalu Jacket as the ultimate mountain workhorse. It's built for four-season mountain walking and trekking. It utilises GORE-TEX Performance fabric, which provides bombproof waterproofing and solid breathability for extended days of carrying a pack. It has a slightly more generous 'Alpine Fit' than the Tupilak, providing great layering capacity while still being trim enough for technical ground.​

Saltoro Collections: For those who prioritise moving fast and light, these collections are key. They utilise lighter GORE-TEX constructions like PACLITE® Plus and GORE-TEX 75D. A jacket like the Saltoro is a brilliant all-rounder—light enough for long treks but with enough substance to handle proper mountain weather. They pack down small, making them an ideal emergency shell or a primary jacket for less severe conditions.

Mountain Equipment's reputation was built on down, but their synthetic insulation is just as impressive.

Lightline & Senja Collections: The Lightline is an icon. For decades, it has been the standard for accessible, high-performance down insulation. These jackets use a DRILITE® Loft outer fabric, which is highly water-resistant and windproof, protecting the high-quality down inside. The Senja offers a women's specific fit with the same principles. They use a stitched-through baffle construction that keeps weight down while providing reliable insulation. And every bit of down is traceable through the Down Codex® program.​

Superflux & Switch Collections: This is the synthetic insulation powerhouse. The Superflux is a go-to for UK mountain conditions, using sheets of POLARLOFT® insulation that maintain their loft and insulating properties even when damp. The Switch Pro is a hybrid piece, mapping different insulation weights to different body zones, making it an amazing active layer for ski touring or climbing, where you're generating a lot of heat but still need protection.​

These are the layers that do the hard work of moving moisture and providing breathable protection.

Frontier & Ibex Collections: This is your classic mountain softshell line. The Frontier Hooded Jacket and Ibex Pant are made from EXOLITE, a tough, stretchy, and highly weather-resistant double-weave fabric. They breathe exceptionally well, making them perfect for climbing, scrambling, or any high-output activity where a full hard shell would be overkill.​

Lumiko & Moreno Collections: This represents the two ends of the fleece spectrum. The Lumiko is a super-light, stretchy grid fleece that is incredible for layering during fast-paced activity; it wicks sweat like a champ and takes up no space in your pack. At the other end, the Moreno Jacket uses deep-pile POLARTEC® Thermal Pro® fleece, offering maximum heat retention for static moments in the cold or for use as a super-warm mid-layer

Ever had a jacket that just seems to disappear the moment you start moving? That’s not an accident—it’s Mountain Equipment’s secret sauce. Their designers obsess over making gear that works so seamlessly you forget it’s there. Their official philosophy is that the best gear is the one you don't notice, letting you focus solely on the mountain ahead rather than fiddling with your kit.​

This isn’t about making things flashy; it’s about precision engineering, smart materials, and a fit that moves naturally with your body. Whether it’s the ergonomic shoulder seams or the perfect stretch in their softshell fabrics, Mountain Equipment’s aim is the perfect harmony between performance and feel. Because when your kit becomes invisible, your adventure takes centre stage.

The story of Mountain Equipment isn't just about what they make; it's about why they make it. It's about a relentless drive for perfection that has taken their gear from the world's highest summits to the frozen expanse of the poles. This is a brand defined by its stories and achievements, where every product carries the weight of proven performance.

• Early waterproof jackets weighed nearly a kilogram. A modern equivalent like the Firefly Jacket weighs as little as 200g, showcasing decades of innovation.

• Their pack design ethos is to create something with "exactly what you need, and precisely nothing more," reinforcing the theme of minimalist, functional design.

•  The brand's clothing has been present on Everest for numerous key moments, including the first British ascent of the formidable South-West Face in 1975—an achievement so significant it was called "the hardest climb in the world".

•  It's not just about altitude. Mountain Equipment has equipped world-record-setting expeditions to both the North and South Poles, proving its gear can handle the most extreme cold on the planet.​

• Always pushing innovation, Mountain Equipment was the first brand to ever launch a sleeping bag with a GORE-TEX outer shell, a game-changer for staying warm and dry on multi-day trips in damp conditions.

This is where Mountain Equipment truly separates from the pack. They obsess over how their gear moves with you. It's an approach born from experience, not theory. They know that a jacket that bunches up when you're reaching for a hold or a pair of pants that restricts you on a skin track is not just annoying; it can be a liability.

You'll often see their gear described with an 'Alpine Fit' or 'Active Fit', and these aren't just marketing terms.

Active Fit: This is their versatile, all-around cut. It's got a slimmer profile so it won't snag, but there's plenty of room for movement, making it ideal for everything from hillwalking to multi-pitch climbing. You can really see this fit at work in their Approach legwear; it's made from Ascender fabric, which is both lightweight and incredibly tough.

Alpine Fit: This is where things get serious. This fit is trimmer, mapping to your body to cut down on weight and bulk. It's for high-output activities like mountaineering and skiing where every gram and every movement counts. They use articulated and pre-shaped sleeves for total freedom of movement. One of the coolest features is the 'reverse-camber' front seam. This subtle curve pulls the front of the jacket in, stopping it from bagging out when you're leaning over a harness or your poles. They’ve even re-engineered the shoulder block to perfectly distribute the fabric, giving you an amazing range of motion. You feel it the moment you put on a jacket like the Lhotse.

In today's world, how a company operates is as important as what it makes. Mountain Equipment has been a leader here for years. They were awarded 'Leader Status' by the Fair Wear Foundation (FWF) back in 2016 and have earned it every year since. The FWF works to achieve fair working conditions worldwide, and only about 10% of member brands ever reach this top tier. It means Mountain Equipment has a deep understanding of their production sites and actively works to improve conditions for the people making their gear.

So, when you choose Mountain Equipment, you're not just buying a jacket or a sleeping bag. You're buying into a legacy that started over 60 years ago with a simple idea: make gear that works for people who live and breathe the mountains. From their attention to fit and their deep, collaborative partnership with GORE-TEX to their commitment to ethical and sustainable production, they demonstrate a true understanding of what mountain people need.​