Mont Lifestyle Vented Shirt – Reviewed & Tested

The 90s are cool again and it got Tim wondering: is the classic hiking shirt back in vogue? Move over activewear – it’s khaki collar time.

When I first got an email about Mont’s Lifestyle Vented Shirt my first thought was ‘surely not’. On my hikes I’ve been alternating between icebreaker merino shirts – which regulate temp well but aren’t particularly tough – and an old synthetic Columbia collared shirt which I save for bush bashing off track missions.

It’s not a look I’d consider fashionable. In fact, having done Scouts and worn a similar coloured top (with short shorts and high socks) in the 90s – I’m quite confident that it is, or at least was, uncool.

Things have a way of coming around again however and the recent rise of cargo pants had me wondering if function was its own kind of flex in 2026.

I also had a more practical reason – I was preparing for three nights of kayak camping with the WAE crew and I wanted some loose fitting sun protection that would dry quickly. The fact that it was also treated with a unique Bug-Off mosquito repellant didn’t hurt either.

What about the hat? I’ve added my thoughts on the Classic Sun Hat at the end of this review!

Sunset paddling is a ‘lifestyle’ I could get used to | @jackjbrookes

Why am I the right person to do this review?

This one’s easy. I’m fair-skinned, very tasty to mosquitos, and run pretty warm – all things the Lifestyle Vented Shirt seeks to counter. I’ve also been adventuring since I was a kid and have tried out every configuration of fabric and design you can think of for a hiking shirt.

I’ve hiked in the snow and across exposed terrain as the mercury cruised past 30. I know what to look for in a good hiking shirt and whether the benefits outweigh any fashion faux pas.

Ranger Timbo is 181cm tall and wearing a large | @jackjbrookes

Quick Specifications

Weight: 273g (large size, weighed)
Material: Supplex® Nylon
Colourways: Stone, Sage, Marlin
Pockets: 2x chest cargo + zip security pocket
RRP: $159.95

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Performance

The word ‘technical’ is heavily overused in outdoor gear, but the Lifestyle Vented Shirt has a few technologies that make it worthy of the term.

The fabric itself is Supplex Nylon, designed to be breathable, tough, and most importantly – soft to the touch.

I can’t fault that last one – the fabric is genuinely nice against the skin and doesn’t have the harsh, scratchiness of some synthetics. It does this while remaining strong and I’ve had zero issues with pilling, pulled threads, or even marking despite wearing it continuously for four days on a muddy, brackish river.

I’d exclusively worn the shirt and hat for three days at this point | @jackjbrookes

I know it’s breathable because I never felt the need to rip the buttons open or even roll up the sleeves while paddling in direct sun. This is great because I wanted to rely on the 40+ UV resistance to protect my skin and avoid so much sunscreen. Big tick there, didn’t get burnt at all.

It still got wet from my sweat but this didn’t affect the UV protection and I found that it dried quickly. As for the vents – you can feel the airflow on your back if you walk around without a pack on – but I’m not convinced they’re that necessary.

The fabric also features ‘Bug Off’ insect repelling fabric, which is a Mont exclusive tech that uses a natural plant extract. Despite my scepticism, I actually reckon this worked and I continued wearing the shirt while cooking dinner as I noticed fewer mosquitoes. Mont says it remains active for ‘a considerable time’ after multiple washes but it’d be good to know how long they actually mean by this.

Overall, the fabric is definitely punching above most shirts I’ve used, and blends the practicality of a proper shirt with the feel of an activewear tee.

Soft fabric, lighting, and branding – all good things | @jackjbrookes

Comfort

I expected performance but I did not expect the Lifestyle Vented Shirt to be so comfy. The fabric is quite soft to the touch as I’ve mentioned, but importantly the fit is also generous. So generous in fact that Mont got in touch to suggest I downsize to a medium. 

Having been stitched up a lot recently with shirts that are too small, I declined and was happy with the large, but I wanted a looser fit and have broad shoulders, my Mum says so.

Looser fitting shirts and pants are in at the moment anyway, and it’s designed to go over a baselayer, but your best bet is to head into your local outdoor store to try it on. I want to give Mont a huge shoutout for their size range. From XXXS to XXXL, it’s super inclusive which is great for everyone.

A feature too often removed from functional clothing | @jackjbrookes

I’m also a big fan of the upper sleeve tabs with a button, allowing you to roll your sleeves up and keep them there. Not only does this look great, but the sleeves are long and can cover your hands. I often rolled the cuff once or twice as I was kayaking, but I preferred having the option to protect my hands from the sun if needed.

I’ll admit, it’s not as comfy to wear as a running tee from Lululemon. But for the level of durability, and sun and bug protection, I haven’t worn something close.

Design

‘You look like a guide’ was the first thing my wife said to me when I walked out in the Lifestyle Vented Shirt. Fair enough, it’s giving park ranger, particularly in the khaki ‘Stone’ colourway. Sage or Marlin might be a better call if this is a worry for you.

The women’s shirt ditches the dark green ‘Sage’ in favour of Teal (of course) and Glacier, which is almost a lilac blue. There’s also a separate option to buy it in Hi-Vis orange, if that’s your vibe.

I could take or leave the pockets. While I love a chest pocket on a jacket or fleece, I find them dorky and floppy on a shirt. I’m sure some people love it though and the double velcro closure makes them useful for the outdoors.

I’m a bigger fan of the small zipper pocket as this is somewhere I might genuinely put a key or AirPods.

Cheeky little secure pocket | @jackjbrookes

But my favourite feature is one that’s simply not done enough. The tri-fold collar. Collars are already a great way to protect your neck from the sun and the back of this one folds up twice. I have a high fade and this collar still covers the skin.

You do have to pop your collar to use the tri-fold, which enhances the late 90s vibes, but also looks better than wearing a balaclava like the gorpcore crowd.

This feature is elite for sun-drenched missions | @jackjbrookes

Sustainability

As far as I can tell, this particular shirt isn’t trying to do anything for the environment. That being said, it’s tough and will surely last a long time, and the Bug Off tech uses natural plant extract.

More broadly, Mont prioritises working with Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production-certified factories and uses recycled fabrics where possible, but I don’t believe the Supplex Nylon in the Lifestyle Vented Shirt is one of them.

They’ve also planted 426,418 trees at last count through Eden Reforestation Projects, and are on a carbon neutral journey and working toward responsible freight and shipping. 

That being said, there aren’t any concrete goals up on their site yet and I’m looking forward to seeing them take this step to match the quality and thought they clearly put into their products.

We hold all outdoor brands to a high standard so we can enjoy the places we love with a minimal footprint | @jackjbrookes

Price

The Lifestyle Vented Shirt is $159.95 at full price, which is expensive whichever way you slice it. But a similar-looking shirt from Patagonia is $149 while Alton charge $95 for its Multi Day Shirt.

From what I’ve seen, Mont doesn’t really care about what the others are doing, they just charge what they think is right for a product that does the job. The fact they’re even selling (and promoting) this kind of shirt when it’s hard to find many other examples online says a lot about their mindset.

It’s the best collared hiking shirt I’ve ever worn, hands down. I just went and put it back on expecting it to be soft and was still wowed by how good it felt. So yeah, if you want the best, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed if you pay top dollar for this one.

Features like these vents all add to the construction cost | @jackjbrookes

Final Thoughts

But wait, is the hiking shirt actually cool again? You’re asking the wrong guy but I’d put this to you – does it matter? You’re not going to see that many people when you’re donning the Lifestyle Vented Shirt. I reckon it looks kind of nice though. Functional, sure, but also kind of legit.

The fact that it’s breathable, comfy, and has great tech that makes my hikes and paddles more enjoyable doesn’t hurt either. Which is lucky, because I think I’ll be rocking it for years to come.

But what about the Classic Sun Hat?

In many ways the Classic Sun Hat just feels like an extension of the Lifestyle Vented Shirt, which is probably why Mont sent me both at once.

There are a few things I love about this hat. Its brim is wide enough that it actually protects you from the sun and it’s dark underneath to prevent glare (particularly good when kayaking).

The front of the brim is firmer than the rest of the hat | @jackjbrookes

The brim is floppy, which means it doesn’t get in the way when you’re wearing a hiking pack or driving, but the front peak has an HDPE insert that acts like a cap, keeping it up and stable in headwinds and rain.

It’s deep and the fit can be customised at the back, or you can use the drawstring which is easily removable. There are vents too but as they’re covered, I’m not sure how much they help. There’s a sweatband which you’ll need as it’s not necessarily cool under the hat, but in an exposed environment you don’t really have a choice.

Like the Lifestyle Vented Shirt it has a range of four sizes to dial it in, and weighs only 81g. According to my wife it’s better than my khaki legionnaires hat ‘in every way’, which is valuable data.