Montane Volantis Softshell Pants Review

Overview

The Volantis is Montane’s do-it-all softshell hiking pant, built from a proprietary GRANITE Stretch Nano double-weave fabric that’s meant to split the difference between a wind pant and a full softshell. At 197.5g it’s genuinely light for a pant with a DWR finish and real abrasion resistance, which puts it in the sweet spot for fastpackers, trail runners doing multi-day efforts, and three-season backpackers who want one pant to cover shoulder-season mornings and warm afternoons without swapping layers.

Key Specs

Spec	Detail
Weight	197.5 g (~7 oz)
Fabric	GRANITE Stretch Nano double-weave softshell, 4-way stretch
DWR	Non-fluorocarbon (PFC-free)
Waistband	Low-profile, elasticated with internal drawcord
Pockets	2x zipped hand pockets, 1x zipped lateral thigh pocket
Hem	Internal adjustment for footwear/conditions
Fit	Articulated, pre-active stance, tapered leg
Zips	Recycled YKK NATULON

Performance

The fabric is the story here. GRANITE Stretch Nano is a double-weave nylon, and Montane’s own product copy describes it as “a super lightweight, double-weave softshell that’s durable and functional,” with 4-way stretch construction that “allows for unrestricted movement, making it perfect for high-intensity activities.” On trail, that translates to a pant that moves well on scrambles and high steps without the fabric bunching or restricting your stride — the kind of thing you notice more by its absence than its presence. Montane also notes the fabric has a “soft, cotton-like feel” against the skin, which tracks with how a lot of modern softshells are trending away from the stiff, papery nylon feel of older wind pants.

Weather resistance is “softshell” rather than “hardshell,” which is exactly what you’d expect at this weight. The non-fluorocarbon DWR sheds light rain and wind-driven drizzle reasonably well for the first several outings, but like all PFC-free treatments, expect the beading to fade faster than older fluorocarbon finishes and plan on reproofing after a season of regular use if you want it to keep performing. This isn’t a pant to trust in sustained rain — it’s a wind-and-light-precipitation layer, not a substitute for rain pants.

Fit-wise, Montane built these on what they call a “Regular Fit block but with a tapered leg,” with “a pre-active stance, for comfort and movement.” The gusset and articulation are aimed at reducing the pull you get across the crotch and knees when you’re climbing or scrambling, and reviewers on retailer sites echo this — a Finnish retailer’s review describes the fit as “not too tight, yet not baggy either” with “the cut is tailored with active use in mind.” That same reviewer flags the waistband as genuinely low-profile, noting “the elastic, adjustable waistband is flat, ensuring it won’t create pressure under a backpack hip belt” — a small detail, but one that matters a lot once you’re 20 miles into a big pack day.

Pocket layout is smart for a pant this light: two zipped hand pockets plus a zipped lateral thigh pocket give you secure phone/permit/snack storage without the bulk of cargo pockets. The internal hem adjustment is a nice touch for swapping between trail runners and boots, or cinching down over gaiters in wet brush.

On durability, I’d call the abrasion resistance “good for the weight class” rather than bombproof — this is not a pant built for off-trail bushwhacking through scree fields on the regular. One retail listing summed up the intended use case well, describing it as built for “running, hiking or scrambling” rather than heavy-duty mountaineering. I haven’t found extensive long-term durability reports (no torn-crotch horror stories, but also no multi-year thru-hike testimonials yet), so treat that as a known gap rather than a red flag.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Genuinely light (197.5g) for a pant with real wind and light-rain resistance
• 4-way stretch and articulated cut move well on technical terrain
• Low-profile waistband doesn’t fight with a loaded hip belt
• Smart pocket layout: two hand pockets plus a zippered thigh pocket, all recycled YKK zips
• Internal hem adjustment adds versatility across footwear and conditions
• Non-fluorocarbon DWR is a plus for those prioritizing PFC-free gear

Cons

• PFC-free DWR likely needs more frequent reproofing than older fluorocarbon finishes
• Softshell weather resistance means it’s a wind/light-drizzle layer, not a rain pant substitute
• Abrasion resistance is adequate, not heavy-duty — not built for regular bushwhacking
• Limited long-term, independent user reviews available at time of writing

Who Should Buy This

The Volantis makes sense for fastpackers, trail runners on multi-day efforts, and three-season hikers who want a single pant that handles cool mornings, wind, and light drizzle without carrying a separate rain pant for every outing. If your trips regularly involve sustained rain, heavy bushwhacking, or winter conditions, you’ll want something with more weather protection or abrasion resistance — this is a shoulder-season and warm-weather trail pant, not an all-conditions mountaineering piece.

Verdict

The Volantis hits a genuinely useful niche: a sub-200g softshell that stretches, breathes, and fits well enough to forget you’re wearing it, with just enough weather resistance to skip the rain pants on most days. It’s not going to replace a dedicated hardshell for sustained storms, and the PFC-free DWR will need upkeep, but as a do-it-all trail pant for three-season use, it’s a solid 7.5/10.