OL-Q&A: Nick Simmonds gives us the full Monty

Though relatively new to these shores, over on the other side of the world Mont is a highly respected and well loved name that’s widely regarded as being Australia’s best outdoor adventure brand. With Mont now starting to appear in amazing stores over here such as Outside in Hathersage, Outdoor Licence sat down with general manager Nick Simmonds to get the lowdown on this amazing Antipodean adventure-friendly institution.

Mont was founded in 1981 by Andrew ‘Monty’ Montgomery, who is still involved in the business and features in the incredible ‘Softly Spoken’ film released last year. Where he comes across as an incredibly wise, humble and enigmatic character with a profound attachment to the outdoors, what’s he like to work with?

Andrew (“Monty”) Montgomery has built more than just a brand — he’s built a culture grounded in authenticity, craftsmanship, and a deep respect for the outdoors. Working with him is both inspiring and humbling. He brings an incredible depth of experience and wisdom, but what stands out most is his humility and curiosity.

Monty has a unique ability to balance big-picture vision with genuine care for people and product detail. He’s thoughtful, quietly driven, and deeply values doing things properly rather than simply following trends. There’s also a strong sense of purpose behind everything he does, which creates an environment where passion for the outdoors and quality equipment really matters.

While he can be enigmatic at times, that’s part of what makes him such a compelling person to work with — he listens carefully, shares insights when it counts, and continually challenges those around him to think more deeply about what they’re creating and why.

What’s your own background and how and when did you start working with Mont?

My love of the outdoors started at a young age. Growing up with parents who had a passion for bushwalking and camping, I was introduced to the outdoors from an early age. Every weekend was spent exploring national parks, camping, or discovering new places, which gave me a deep appreciation for adventure and the natural environment. The natural progression for my 14-year-old self was to work in a climbing shop, combining my growing passion for climbing with my first experience in the outdoor industry.

By the age of 16, my Saturdays had evolved into years spent in the industry, both on and off the shop floor. One thing led to another and, after a year or so, I was managing one of Australia’s leading outdoor specialty stores in the late ’90s. Those early experiences taught me not only the importance of quality equipment and customer service, but also the value of community within the outdoor industry.

From the age of 16 to today, I have worked across a broad range of roles within the outdoor industry — from retail management and marketing to wholesale, product development, and operations — with some of the world’s leading brands. The diversity of these roles has given me valuable insight into all aspects of the industry and provided me with the understanding and experience needed to take on my current position as General Manager.

My move to Mont three years ago, and my recent appointment as General Manager, is the culmination of more than 40 years of outdoor experience, driven by a lifelong passion for the outdoors and a commitment to the industry that has shaped so much of my life.

From talking to my Aussie mates, Mont has a rep over there as being THE Australian outdoor brand, is that a fair assumption? Where would we be most likely to see Mont gear being used over there and by what type of customer?

Mont has built a very strong reputation in Australia over the past 40+ years as a trusted, authentic outdoor brand, particularly within the bushwalking, backcountry, climbing, and expedition communities. While we’ve remained relatively niche compared to some larger global brands, that has also helped strengthen our credibility among serious outdoor users who value performance, durability, and locally developed products designed specifically for Australian and New Zealand conditions.

Our tagline of “trusted in the wild” sums up the consumer that knows that owning a Mont product ensures the ultimate in quality and reliability for the most trying of conditions. Our products are also widely used by outdoor professionals, guides, search and rescue teams, schools, expedition groups, and defence-related applications where reliability is critical.

One of the things that has always differentiated Mont is that the brand was founded by outdoor users designing gear for outdoor users. That authenticity still resonates strongly with our customer base today.

From this side of the world, it feels that the ‘outdoor world’ has overlooked Australia, which seems pretty insane given the diversity and scale of the landscape there. Why do you think this is and for the uninitiated what does Australia have to offer the outdoor enthusiast?

This is a great question, and one I can directly relate to. I had numerous conversations at our launch at OTS25, many of which led people to ask how does an Australian outdoor business make highly technical product that would feel just as at home in the Cairngorms or the French Alps, believing that Australia was more hot and dry, than requiring high levels of durability and waterproof performance. Don’t get me wrong, Australia has its fair share of desert-like environments, but it is this diversity that enables us to make the world’s best gear for ever changing conditions.

Australia offers a huge amount of diversity, from high alpine environments to the wilds of South West Tasmania, where dense bush and year-round “Roaring Forties” weather systems bring cold, wet conditions directly from Antarctica. Average annual rainfall in some areas exceeds 5 metres, making prolonged exposure to extreme weather not uncommon.

This diversity speaks directly to Mont’s philosophy of creating gear that performs reliably in all conditions.

And how does being Australian make Mont stand out from other outdoor brands would you say?

Being Australian gives Mont an authentic edge because our gear is designed and tested in some of the harshest and most varied conditions — from alpine environments to rugged bush terrain. That creates products that are practical, durable, and purpose-built rather than just style focused.

I’d say Australians tend to value reliability, simplicity, and adventure culture, and I think that really comes through in Mont’s products. To me, the brand feels durable, practical, and authentic because it’s designed for real outdoor use rather than just following marketing trends. I think that authenticity is what helps Mont stand out from bigger global outdoor brands.

Can you talk us through some of your favourite current Mont pieces?

There are several products that always form part of my packing list. The Guide Hoodie is my go-to technical mid-layer. It is often referred to as the perfect belay jacket. The versatility of a synthetic G-Loft fill with a high degree of weather protection afforded by the Hydronaute XT face fabric, makes this the garment that I never venture far without.

The Moondance 2 FN tent, which is often referred to as Australia’s best bushwalking tent, known for its poor weather performance, yet at the same time provides a very liveable comfortable space to spend time in, with good internal space, vestibule storage, and ventilation. That makes a big difference on longer trips or bad-weather days.

The Brindabella 850 sleeping bag is my bag of choice, providing best in class moisture performance and with a temperature range that allows me to venture into winter alpine environments, knowing that I will be warm and comfortable, and with a highly breathable, waterproof face fabric, protecting me from adverse conditions. When using Mont products, particularly tents and sleeping bags, you know you are not compromising a warm and dry night’s rest.

Whilst I haven’t used one yet, our new Kiandra Quilts, take the advantages of quilts, but with Mont’s approach of never maintaining the status quo, incorporating several features never seen on quilts before, including a patent pending foot box. 

Exceptional levels of waterproofing is one of the pillars that Mont appears to be built on, why is that? 

Whilst there is a trend towards ultra lightweight kit, and we as a brand are not averse to that, one of our core tenets is gear that performs in adverse conditions, whether that be the need for waterproofness, durability and/or warmth. From personal experience, I simply do not want to compromise on the ability to have a warm, comfortable and importantly dry night’s sleep.

Mont have developed their own Hydronaute Pro technology, what led to this decision rather than opting for an off-the-shelf solution like Gore-Tex? 

Mont’s Hydronaute technology was developed as a purpose-built evolution beyond traditional GORE-TEX® fabrics, reflecting the company’s long-standing commitment to creating something better for demanding alpine and outdoor environments. After years of using GORE-TEX®, Mont identified limitations in traditional microporous PTFE/ePTFE membranes—particularly around long-term durability, moisture management in high-humidity conditions, and the environmental concerns associated with PFAS “forever chemicals.” In response, Mont transitioned to Hydronaute, an advanced PFAS-free waterproof and breathable fabric technology built around a non-porous polyurethane (PU) monolithic membrane. Hydronaute delivers exceptional breathability and comfort during prolonged, high-output activity in wet and cold conditions. With breathability ratings up to 48,000g/m²/24hrs and superior resistance to contamination from dirt and body oils, Hydronaute fabrics provide reliable long-term waterproof performance while aligning with Mont’s environmental and technical innovation goals.

Mont appears to be gaining some serious pace in Europe now, what plans are there for the future of the brand on this side of the world?

Mont’s approach to doing business is to develop long term partnerships with shared goals and ethics, whether that be our wholesale partners or the factories we use to manufacture Mont products. Of fundamental importance is the ability to share a meal and a laugh and celebrate our long-term successes – many of our wholesale partners in Australia, we have been working with for over 30 years. We are not about the short term, yes, we are looking to grow, but we aren’t driven by the needs of private equity interests or shareholder returns, so common these days with publicly owned outdoor businesses. For us, success in new markets, is to align with likeminded businesses to grow Mont to the mutual benefit of all. It may sound utopian, but we aren’t chasing unrealistic growth targets, working with the right dealers, selling the right product for the long term is fundamentally what drives us. To this end, our partnership with Steve Walton from Northcol reinforces our approach to the UK market. Europe is very much a market for us to explore, but we want to ensure that our work with Steve and our UK partners is well established for success.

Describe your perfect day outdoors.

Any day outdoors is the perfect day. I am fortunate enough, despite living close to Sydney to have “bush” at my doorstep, allowing me to either hop on the local trails to run or mountain bike. My kids are now at an age where they are also being drawn to getting outside, whether it be skiing with them in Japan, or a multi-day walk planned for New Zealand later this year.

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