Dave Saunders reviews a windproof runner's top so light it's nearly not there at all, paired with leggings so well designed that he's barely worn any others for a decade. For autumn hill running or speedy backpacking they'd make a great combo, he says.

For a general outdoor clothing brand Montane offers a lot to runners, and the Featherlite Nano windproof jacket and Slipstream tights clearly fall into that category. With autumn well underway the world of shorts and vests is beginning to seem less attractive for another year, particularly if you enjoy running in the hills, so this review should be well timed.

The Featherlite Nano is a super-light, windproof jacket and Slipstream Trail Running tights are leggings intended for running but which do seem to have a hint of the 'outdoors' about them. They pair well together - in fact the jacket easily packs into one of the hip pockets of the leggings. While primarily running-oriented they'd also excel for running-adjacent pursuits like fast hillwalking and backpacking.

Featherlite Nano Windproof Jacket - £100

Weighing just 52g in size Medium, this is among the lightest full zip windproofs on the market - it's about half the weight of the already pretty light Featherlite jacket - and looks like a useful successor to Montane's Lite Speed Trail half-zip (c.60g).

Its nearly-not-there packability is the Nano's trump card for the seriously weight-limited user, be that more serious hill runners or ultralight backpackers. But even if that isn't you, it is so easy to carry that you never need to be without it. To save on weight and bulk, runners might often decide not to take both a windproof jacket and a waterproof shell; however this jacket is so light and packs away so small that for most people it would really be no disadvantage to have it along.

Throughout spring, summer and into autumn I have worn this jacket while running in a range of weather conditions. If you wear it over a lightweight running top in the wind, the sensation is really weird as the fabric moulds onto every surface of skin. One lightweight fabric over another does not feel like it adds much to thermal comfort. But worn over a thicker underlayer the addition of the windproof is immediately noticeable on cold windy days.

A word of warning: if the weather is windy DON'T put the jacket down as it is highly likely to blow away (as I found out). This is a good quality jacket and I do not think it overpriced, although psychologically it feels expensive because it is as if you are paying for 'thin air' because it's so light!

Fabric

As also used on some down jackets, the fabric is a 10D micro-ripstop, 100% recycled ultralight Pertex Quantum ECO with a PFC-free DWR coating. Though it's reasonably tough for its thinness the fabric would definitely feel vulnerable were you to use the Nano for scrambling; save it for hands-free days. It is weather resistant enough to throw off a few light showers, but not waterproof. However, as long as you are not in the high mountains, for a lot of running it does not matter too much if you arrive home a bit wet.

In terms of breathability the lighter breed of windproofs can be a bit of a mixed bag. This one is not too bad, and you don't instantly saturate on the inside when running in cooler conditions. This isn't simply an emergency layer for standing still in, it's something you can genuinely wear on the move.

Features

...What features? The design is as minimalist as the fabric; no hood, no adjustment, no vents. Of course the lack of features and substance means it is extremely light and extremely small when packed away. The only pocket is a space within the collar into which you can stuff the jacket for storage. Despite having this feature, in reality it compresses so small anyway that I tend to simply stuff it into rucksack, pockets, bumbag etc where it seems to just disappear.

Fit

Montane make the standard Featherlite Jacket in a women's version but unfortunately the Featherlite Nano only comes for now in a men's fit. This is a trim fitting jacket, which you're not going to be able to wear over multiple other layers - think fast and light. I'm 5' 11'' and 75kg and on me Medium is the ideal size.

Slipstream trail running tights - £80

This is a great design which has not really changed much over the years - why alter what already works really well? I have owned several pairs of these, or at least their predecessors. Even my oldest pair are still on the go so they do seem very robust, and that alone makes them very good value. In fact they have been the only full-length legwear I've used for cold/winter running for the last 10 years, and they're equally useful on the hills or close to home.

Fabrics

There's plenty of stretch for free movement, and the tights are quick drying too. They're mostly made of ECONYL fabric, a 4-way stretch recycled nylon fabric with flatlock seams for comfort. You also get small patches of much thinner material behind the knees. Montane say this is for breathability, and for me there are other benefits too. When your knees bend whilst running, any skin-hugging textile will tend to crease and runkle up (a technical term), so I think the thinner the better at this location makes sense. For colder conditions you could go for the thicker Slipstream Thermal tights, but the standard ones are more versatile year-round.

Features 

You get a broad stretchy waistband and a drawcord to back it. I need the drawcord pretty tight as they otherwise feel like they slide about. There's a zip pocket at the back for keys and valuables and also some open top pockets that will take food and gels. There are ankle zips and few reflective details too for night time road safety.

Fit 

Slipstream Tights are available in both men's and women's fit - and for women there's a great range of sizes from 6 to 16. This is close-fitting legwear meant to be worn next to the skin - you won't fit thermal leggings underneath; but perhaps it's worth noting that Montane's legwear sizing tends to be fairly generous in our experience. Again I went for men's Medium, which works for me.