 Chris, yep, that's the one. I don't know why, but it has something special that takes the puff out of whatever is your engine going up the hill. It's a nice run down to the brothals, I mean foreign language schools, of Torquay after that though. Ah, the memories...
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 In the 5 winter months, a pair of Spec' Bib tights with Goretex socks works a treat with the Spec' shoes. Don't "get" the Baggies gear at all. Topped off with a HH or Tog base layer (thicker and has a zip) and a Montane Lite-speed jacket which is pretty sweaty on hot rides. Vélo in the summer. Black & Blue is my signature gear on both the bikes and the hill, not by design - it seems to panned out that way, however, I couldn't bear to look like a lollypop lady out in the hills! Apart from the listed MBR gear (2x Meridas a'coming up) , my hill and Mountain walking gear has never seen Paramo , so I'm listening in. Maybe I've got too many jackets and base layers and 2 fleeces to be spending yet more £$£ on even more "must have" kit. But I'm keeping an open mind as to what works best in a typical walking climate (3-8 degrees in the valley and 3,000 ft up, well, that's somewhat colder!) Tim
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 It's news to me that the 3rd Element was withdrawn? There have been two versions. the first one was a bit of a pickle to use (well the arms were) and the Gilet wasn't our finest hour but the latest version which has been out about 3 years now is still going strong. It's also now available in colours other than black and that are more suitable on a bike i.e. bright red. There is a fairly big pocket on the back to either put the arms in when not being used, or a windproof jacket/smock or a tube and pump, or a guide book or the Lee Filters pouch. It does look a little wacky but if you get your head around the how and why the arms and shoulders are so important then in works very well. It does need some lateral thinking to get the best from it but it's well worth it.
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 Thank you Skippy, it must have been the 1st one that I tried on in the shop, it did give my partner a laugh though, with me getting in a right state with arms and poppers. I must give it another look. Of course one still has to take the rucksack off to remove/put on the top, nothing we can do about that. I was thinking more of it's use as a hill walking jacket than on a bike. Thanks for getting back to me.
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 visited the shop today (in passing) to take a look at the new stuff. (the dutch? guy who works there is really friendly) the parameta/cotton shirt looks good apart from the velcro cuffs. a normal cuff and i would have bought one. the parameta light a shirts (apart from the colour) felt very good. however, once again, the finish is very poor and unacceptable for a shirt at this price. there are rouches on the pocket seams which makes it look cheap. it looks as though the thread tension is too high. it can't be the fabric as i have a number of thin/light fabrics where this does not occur. poor show.
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 I posted here earlier and the post has vanished. It happens a lot on here... Anyways, my new Cioch jacket has now arrived in B.L.A.C.K. "Perfect fit"? I should co-co. It's lovely mmmm
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 Did you say BLACK? I'll swap you a Velez Adventure that Noel Edmunds personal cardigan designer made for it.
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B.L.A.C.K! Poor sad Puss! 
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Ah, a ninja after my own own heart! I've also looked at getting a Cioch windshirt a while back (in black naturally). The problem is I've short arms and a long body, so I thought a made to measure type of thing would be perfect. But then I went and found a damn near perfect fitting cheap, light windproof in TK Maxx. It was in black, so I ignored the Nike label. It's been just fine. Absolute business on the cycle too. Chris, that jacket picture still looks suspiciously dark to me..... Mike, you mean you haven't got an all black Velez Adventure. No self respecting Hill Ninja would be seen without one. 
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Paul. Bottle green mate, or even lighter! I must find another photo, can't have anyone seeing me in BLACK  Except for the shades that is
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You're in denial 
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 "Mike, you mean you haven't got an all black Velez Adventure. No self respecting Hill Ninja would be seen without one" Still waiting on mine. They must be making me an extra nice one  NPC, I'm envious.
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Oh, Kev, I wore it today for a walk and it's lovely. Four zipped pockets that swallow up allsorts, a personal fit on request to fit an extra layer underneath for winter, shaped to fit over my girly-shaped bits and black with black trim and black lining. With added black.
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Girly shaped bits with lots of very black clothing..... That's it, I'm off for a cold shower......
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just back from leading groups in the Arran Mountains for last 9 days so this thread was interesting! I wear virtually nothing else than Paramo in terms of top layers (unless weather permits), I agree the waterproof jackets are too warm for say, ascending in summer, instead I wear a Fuera windproof smock over a thin base layer, whether rain or wind, winter or summer, provided I am working my body hard, but I would not be without a Paramo waterproof jacket to put on if I have a stop - anyway, if you are in charge of a group and there is an accident or unscheduled long stop on the hill it is crucial, whatever the time of year, to be able to reliably maintain warmth (which is a point easily be overlooked - and the coldness on a hill even in summer under-estimated). When winter mountaineering, I often walk with a Paramo Fuera Jacket windproof over my Aspira smock with only a thin base layer underneath, so making the smock a midlayer - the windproof does the extra insulation job and keeps the Jacket reasonably dry, useful if camping or snowholeing. If you trust the Paramo gear whilst taking a minimalist approach, I find you can really reduce the total carry. Having said all that, I do not use the Paramo base layers save in high summer, preferring merino
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I know people who rate the Fuera very highly, but I'm amazed it could fit you over a baselayer and also over winter clothing, including an Aspira smock. Do you not find it a bit flappy for summer use? Or do you have two of them? I certainly agree about the merino tops. I am gradually replacing my baselayers with merino, when I can justify the cost (which usually means when I find them half price in sales).
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I tried one Merino base layer, comfortable, but shrank in the wash, didn't dry as well as Polyester, I do like the lightweight Paramo base layer, easy to wash, easy and quick to dry, I wear it as just a top in the summer and as a base layer under the Paramo coat in winter. BUT I still prefer the OLD Helly Hanson to any other base layer that I have tried, and I have tried a lot. Forget all you ever heard about 'smelly Helly' you wash them!
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I've got a couple of Craghoppers long sleeve, an Embers short sleeve and a Katmandu vest, all in merino wool. All have been washed and none has shrunk significantly (yet), but I washed them all very carefully at 30C with just soap flakes on the shortest wool cycle on my washing machine. Definitely warmer than polyester in winter. Definitely take longer to dry. Definitely smell less than anything else I've tried. I have become fed up washing out tops every night on trips to try to keep the pong down after a long day on the hill. Not tried them in summer yet. I've also just invested in a couple of Adidas sports tee-shirts. These are mega expensive tops with pressure zones supposedly to help breathing, posture and muscle performance etc. At my age, I'll take any edge I can get to keep up with the young and fit. But for £45 they should make me a marathon runner. Thanks to TK Maxx I could afford to take a punt (£12). They sure look good on; I have been asked where I go for my secret weight training since being seen wearing one. And that was by my wife. Yet to test on the hill, but the jury is still out on the tight fitting bottom equivalent, so I doubt they will be a huge step forward (except in the looks department ).
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Have you sent the wife to the opticians yet!  Polyester is SO easy to look after and SO easy to wash and dry, it is not a problem for me on long trips £45!!!!! I had a couple from Lidl for £5 each, they work fine
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Cheeky! Come closer, I have this new combined armlock and strangle I learnt recently and want to try out properly... £45 is absolutely way too much money for a tee-shirt, but for £12 I thought I'd give it a try, especially as it was in black (though with three white stripes on one shoulder). Interestingly, I hurt my shoulder at judo on Friday and the only time it seems happy is when wearing one of the tops, so I'm toying with the idea of wearing them into work (especially up on the second floor where all the young cheque processing girls are.....) You're right in that polyester is easy to look after, it's just a pain to have to. Now on a three day wild camping trip, I don't bother to take off my merino top (except for washing myself) and it doesn't stink either.
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