it allows ventilation into the head area and isn't as hot as a "normal" hood. my hood usually just dangles. it doesn't bother me.
nb. hood can be removed and worn as a natty piece of headgear when it's raining; weddings for example. or it can be used to supplement other jackets like the fuera whose hood is as water resistant as a tissue.
You could try cutting off the lower Velez arms to make a waterproof TShirt to use in summer. (perhaps make optional arms element by joining removed arms with elastic for wearing when colder again).
Hi all, The team here at Páramo are all different shapes and sizes and cover a pretty diverse range of activities from wildlife photography to steep rock and ice where ever and when ever. Most of us though are keen hill/fell walkers. Personally I'm late 30's, larger than I should be and have always run very very hot. I came from the traditional waterproof community having tried different Gore's and the various triple points and even Pertex pile for years (to be fair most of it provided by the MoD).The reasons that I got into Páramo (about 12 years ago) was simply comfort and function. I'm going to get too hot in most kit, it's not the kits fault its my body. I could lose some 'natural insulation' but I have to grab hill time where and when I can and I've got this body for keeps (or at least I hope so!). Even when I was a super fit, super skinny bloke doing mountain marathons and the squaddie thing I still ran hot! Having tried all the different combo's (I live on Dartmoor and like to play in North Wales & Scotland) I have currently settled on a Velez Adventure (I also prefer fixed hoods) with either a cambia short sleeved shirt or a mountain pull on if the weather is cold enough. If I know I'm going to be working very hard 15-20 kg of camera kit and wading through bogs etc etc I tend to wear a simple Fuera windproof (which I keep proofed with TX Direct) and a cambia. Invariably sleeves rolled up and a cap is in the pocket for putting on for quick stops (as the hair is disappearing fast these days). The Velez Adv is in the top of my pack and goes on when needed (temperature/ weather low activity or all). This system suits me but it won't suit others. Over all I stay dryer and more comfortable than in all the other 'systems' I've tried. So why the Velez Adventure for me? The size that I choose is quite fitted on me which stops too much warm air being trapped inside and providing more insulation. I can roll the sleeves up to let stacks of heat out (I wear short sleeved tops to help this). I have a hood that lets me see where I'm going and keeps the worst of the weather off my face, I have a pocket that will fit a compass, a hat, some energy food and a hurriedly folded laminated OS map. I have an internal pocket that the car keys get put in and left for the day. Personally I like shorter garments to allow the heat to get off my thighs but I like a longer back to keep my lumber warm and my back side dry and then we get onto the fabric!
It breathes but more importantly it deals with water. Sweat happens, it needs to happen? The fabric deals with it and gets it away from me. This includes any that may get driven it.
All garments have holes whether they are vents, neck area, cuffs and so on. If it's blowing with enough rain some will get into all garments.
My Velez gets rid of it. The pocket doesn't start filling up with water and any that may get blown in gets chucked back out by the fabric. It seems to dry pretty quickly even in a tent when being used as my pillow.
Certain colours are accepted as absorbing more heat than others - although why do the Bedouin wear black?
Fit - loose fitting may be warmer but may also allow better air circulation.
Waterproof or dry - I'm not sure with outdoor clothing that they are always the same thing? Can windproof be better for some activities?
Just to make something clearer - The Nevada jacket (smock) that Peter is referring to had the old (and much warmer) lining as did the original 3rd Element. This may have a bearing on your comfort? If it’s the newer 3rd Element then fair enough. In the end it's all about choice. Lots of folk love long jackets some like short, lots like hard shell some don’t, some have specific features they need, some like Páramo and surprise surprise some don't. I'd be amazed if anyone has one specific garment that is perfect for everything they do 24/7 - the result is we all build systems over time that we find work, just in time for our bodies or the environment to change.
Currently I love the Velez Adventure but If I'm over in Norway pulling a pulk in -30 then out comes my old lining Aspira, If I’m going for quick ride/blat across the moor then I wear a Fuera etc etc. I can't expect one bit of kit to do everything and be comfortable? It’s amazing how many people we meet have one piece of Páramo kit and describe it as too hot etc and then when you ask them would you have normally been wearing a waterproof they say no!It’s not really comparing like for like and it doesn’t fit neatly in to a pigeon hole for testers but for a huge amount of folk it seems to do the job.So to surmise I'm large build (6ft 1ins) run very hot, live in S/W England and carry far too much kit but I still choose Páramo - It works for me and yes I do wear it all year round (I don't have a sneaky pac lite) and yes I was wearing it years before I started working for Páramo. It's not everyone’s cup of tea for whole bunch of reasons and that is fair enough but over all balanced against what I used to wear (and still try from time to time to keep it fair) I'm more comfortable than I was.
Parky - I think I may have asked before but have you tried the 3rd Element? Do you hate Red? The Red/Black 3E gillet looks ok?
Paul - we now do the 3rd Element in Black only, sorry! If you want one I can let you know how to get hold of one. We made some for a customer as a special make up and have some left over.
Having had one a couple of years now, I quickly spotted the issue of the poppers being shared for attaching the hood or closing the collar down over the rolled hood, but my solution is simple - the hood has 5 poppers available: I leave the left and right edge ones (no's 1 and 5 lets say) undone so the hood will roll away, and only fasten them if I know the hood is out for a good while. I leave the middle left and right (no's 2 and 4) poppers attaching the hood to the jacket always, and I use the middle popper at the back (no 3) to close the collar down neatly when the hood's rolled away. The collar stays neat with only the one popper closing it, and when I want the hood out it's easy to reach behind and open that one, and the hood is attached and ready to use with no chance of losing it. It functions fine without worrying about transfering popper 3 onto the hood because there's so much overlap with the collar anyway.
I think I have a 3rd Element obsession and seem to have formating issues - what an evening!
Sorry Paul - I'll try again. we do the Velez Adventure in all black, we only made a few. We did a trial run for a customer and have few left over that have gone into our London Shop. If you are interested then I can easily get one (if we have your size) up to your nearest or prefered retailer.
Parky re: your obvious love (not) of cargo's - they have a similar Knee to the merapi's. They do come in std waist sizes i.e 32" 34" now and leg lengths (short, regular and long)which may put the articulation in a different place for you. They are a complete redesign and not merapi's with extra pockets. The fabric is from the same family but a different weight.
The issue of where the articlulation sits is an intersting one. I'll get this passed onto the range and design folk.
We have added cargo's to the range because we keep getting asked for them and most of us here wear them. If I'm sat on a train/ car passenger or even worse on a plane (cattle class of course) then my rear pockets need to be empty or after a while I get a numb back side and I can't get to my hip pockets as I'm sat down so personally I choose cargo's as I can stuf all the goodies I need (MP3, phone, guide book etc etc). and still use the pockets. For UK walking then the most I'm likely to have in there may be a map and perhaps a lens cloth, lens cap.
I'f I'm out doing photography then they fit all kinds of stuff including W/A lenses, filters and a change of batteries that I can still get at when kneeling or sitting down.
It's interesting how many people hate cargo's. I seem to rememeber you wear this kit all day for work as well as out on the hill?
> Personally I'm late 30's, larger than I should be
Ah, is that why Paramo seems to be tailored for the pie-eater..?
I'm with Parky on the cargo pants; can't stand having things banging into my legs every step I take. Admittedly, I do have three pairs of cargos, but I never put anything in the pockets. Fortunately, these pockets are fairly unobtrusive.
i tried the thirs element in the shop. more weird sizing.
the body of the medium was far too tight and the large was silly everywhere. if the third element followed the velez sizings then i'd might consider one...but then i'd definitely buy a gilet.....
sorry, no issue at all about where the knee vents go. they were just wrong. the cascada and aspira proved that. i noticed last time i was in the london shop that the waist loops on the merapi seemed different. i pulled a few things off the rack to compare leg articulation but that was inconclusive.
i still can't see the need for this bogus articulation. the fabric is absolutely fantastic and should be a winner in its own right; the articulation makes the trousers look untidy from a travel and a "smart casual" perspective.
i wear craggy kiwi's for work because i can get away with them, they are cheap and if mr palin can wear them to interview the dali lama.......and not a knee pleat in sight, so they hang properly in a travel/smart casual sort of way.
they don't have "useless outdoorsy features". could be why they are probably one of the best selling, if not the best selling, travel/casual trousers around. i guess where you see your demographic as being - trying to get the young and trendy coz it looks outdoorsy or people that just like comfortable, smart looking trousers. the sizing of the original merpai's would suggest that it wasn't the former market. there is a great product just waiting to get out. just dump the crap gimmicks and produce a pair of trousers. anyone who wears the merapis and thinks they need knee articulation needs a good slap about the head with a stout stick; or maor surgery to correct their deformity.
The Velez Adventure now comes in lots of colours in the new brochure.
Does it? The bloke's is still a muddle of reds, grey/black or a new dark green.
The women's one is still a choice of icy blue - about as practical for an outer coat as white (i.e. not) - and a slightly-different-to-last-season's-pink pinky-red colour. Which is why I went to Cioch on Skye and ordered one of their excellent unisex jackets especially made for me in a woman's fit in B.L.A.C.K. mmmmm
I'm going to second the hood issues: I hate the poppers. The collar should be permanently attached and fold into the collar, like on the Finisterre jacket. Or, conversely, make the poppers double sided on the hood, so you can attach the hood, then attach the collar to the outside of the hood.
Also a jacket version of the Velez should be done, i.e. a Vasco without the unclosable back vent (what a surprise that was...)
I love my Viento ('cept the colour - slate grey, but then it was cheap), but loads of weight saving opportunities. Arm vents are a waste of time (save zip weight). Fold away collar - why? Could easily lose the poppers & extra fabric it all folds into. Internal map pocket. Waste of a pocket - I have to open the whole jacket to get to it, so never use it. More weight saved. Great fabric though, brilliant hood, and a good length / cut generally.
The best thing is that even if I get all hot & sweaty, it soon dries & I rarely chill at rest stops. Usually don't need to add any extra layer even if stopping for a longish time. No cold wet feeling when putting the bergan back on either.
I also hate the poppers, I have an old (heavy) Paramo with poppers, I sewed the hood on! The 3rd Element ? I tried that on in a shop and got in a right mess, I hate to think what would happen trying to sort it out on the fells and mountains.
Captain Paranoia - thanks for your kind words! A very happy Christmas to you too, Mince pies and all!
Thanks for the feedback about the Velez and the poppers. I'll get this passed on. On the whole, feedback (and sales) show that in general people like the Velez so if we have a clear way to improve it then great. We tried to get double sided poppers but could not get reliable ones. It would be a custom moulding which would cost stacks.
Pete2 -The initial samples of the Velez Adventure had the hood out permanently - feedback from our retailers and testers said they wanted the design as we have it now. For people who hate the poppers, you don't need to use any on the Velez Adventure. Pull it over you head and pull up a zip - you're in, job done! You can put the hood into the collar but don't ever have to. Mine just stays out adjusted ready to use. The Jacket version of the Velez was called the Cuzco (removeable hood though) there are some still about. They were made on the same size and shape block as the Velez. To keep weight down etc it didn't have double lining accross the shoulder yolk so wasn't aimed at large ruck sack use.
NPC - Great service from Cioch. We will never please everyone which is why we have the realtionship with companies like Cioch and Hilltrek the main thing is you got exactly what you wanted?
Skippy, thanks for the note that the 3E I tried probably had the heavier lining: i'd been aware that the Velez was better than the Nevada in that respect but with all the touring of the original 3E as the "Paramo for warm weather" I'd assumed that had the changed lining too.
After our recent Norwegian ski tour I'd come to the conclusion something like a Paramo is ideal for that (my wife was using a Velez, so didn't have to carry a raincoat just in case, I used a Montane Krypton which was fine for almost, but not quite, all of it but I did have to carry a raincoat too). Velez not for me though as I don't like the cut of it much, and looking at other stuff in the range I find it a bit over-fussy for my tastes (arm vents, removable foam inserts... I'd just like it lighter). So current thinking is on my next ski tour I'll have a Finsterre Storm Track, assuming it fits. Spoke to the Finisterre folk and they'll be making them again for next year in some different colours, so I've time to save up.
But I still can't see me using it much outside of winter...
Feedback from roos about her Velez on the ski tour was it was great, though the good poppers and othe radjustment are a bit of a fiasco wearing much on your hands beyond liner gloves.
She does have some Cascada trousers too, but only ever wears them for standing around doing nothing in the cold, stating they're abit on the hot side. For skiing we use MEC Powershield salopettes and for cold walking stretchy soft-shell trousers (I use ME Liskamms, she uses Patagonia Guides). Just don't get on with non-stretchy trousers nearly so well, aside from the heat and weight issues I have with Paramos. Stretch fabrics give better freedom of movement, lower weight, pick up less wind and mud.
I have a velez, bought just before the winter, and even though I too run hot, I think it's great. On the strength of that, I bought a Fuera jacket for conditions when it isn't likely to rain. I only ever wear a thin t-shirt under the velez, and the same with the Fuera, although I usually take a mid layer along just for insurance purposes! The weather is getting a little too warm for long days hill walking in the Velez now, but it still gets a daily airing when out walking the dog. A great bit of kit - but the poppers are a pain in the arse. If I've got a pack on, it goes in there as I prefer the collar without it. Otherwise it's in the collar, to be used only in heavy rain. It's a complete nightmare to try and attach with gloves on.
