In answer to the question about Páramo being worn by the Mountain Rescue Community in the UK - I spoke to Alex Beaumont, in Páramo Direct & Contract Sales. He confirmed that Páramo is the choice of some 30+ Mountain Rescue/ Search & Rescue Teams of the 100 Teams in the country. It is worn in all parts of the UK - including SW, Lakes, Peaks, Scotland etc.
It can be adapted for them in terms of colours and design, badged for them, is well-rated as being robust and indefinitely renewable - out-lasting other outdoor gear.
Interestingly, many of the Team Members who wear it also choose to wear Páramo for personal use.
I'm in Páramo's marketing team - just wanted to asnswer this question which had arisen. It's great to see the discussion on-line!

Wow, quite a lot of information to take in really. Cheers for all that. I shall be remaining in my gore-tex all the same, but at least now I feel I can recommend it to people who ask me about gear with a little more of an idea how it works anyway.

Sounds like a lot of you own far too many jackets though, how do you decide what to take with you??

This is not strictly Páramo but for those who enjoy the Outdoors this site is written by a Greek Mountain guide called Alex -- great guy. And he realy should be wearing Páramo ...

http://www.pindostrek.net

The Pindos Range is stunning and really empty ...

Hi

Okay you smooth talking b*stids, this is Ship here - the man who started this rather large thread!

I just spent a week on Skye and on the way I popped in to Inverness (where WD Macphersons have a huge range of Paramo kit), and I blew about £400 on Paramo gear!

Sadly no discounts of any sort were available. He had me over a barrel and he knew it. (Oh yea he threw in a small bottle of Nikwax for my boots... great! :[ )

- So after all the dialog in this thread, what did I buy and how well did it work?!


JACKET

Well I *think* I bought a "Viento" jacket. It has arm vents but
a) it had no model nametag! And
b) It was a yellowy green colour - a colour which doesnt appear to be on the www.paramo.co.uk website (yet?)
[ Nick if you're still listening, both the above points might be worth fixing!! ]

The jacket worked well much lighter than my old (Alta - sorry no model nametag in it either??) jacket. In heavy persistent rain (force 8+) it wetted out completely. But didnt let rain in. Arm vents let the fug out quite well, though for perfection I'd have them quite a lot larger. Main zip not the easiest to use. Vents at the front in the place you'd expect pockets took much getting used to!

Issues:
* Colour - slightly too yellow for birding. (It's a kind of *olive* green.)

Overall, very pleased with it. (Though would have been better if it hadnt wetted out!)


TROUSERS

I also bought some "Mens Viento Zip-off Trousers". These I was fairly unhappy with.
The main problem was the the zip area slightly rubs against the inner thigh. I climbed a Cullin in them and the rubbing wasnt as bad as I thought it would be, but
on level ground with exactly repeating action it might be a more serious issue.

The side zips also let water in. Okay it was a serious storm (force 8+)... It wasnt a disaster, I suppose as being paramo it dries reasonably quickly, but it was certainly quite irritating at the time.

- Any one know if the zips on the Cascada Trousers leak as badly?

I'm afraid I also ripped a hole in the bum which was largely my fault by getting my lowering myself off a rather spikey rock (these things happen!).

- Any suggestions on the best way to repair holes? Is there any special paramo thread we're supposed to use? What about special paches we could stick/iron on to protect one's rear end??


<end>

Hello Ship

Suggest that you reveal your e-mail to me and I will put you in touch with our customer services, who will either volunteer a repair, or send you the fabric for you to do it.

My e-mail: nick.brown@paramo.co.uk

Regarding leaking zips -- that is not normal for Cascada trousers -- I guess Viento's a gale force 8 are more vulnerable if the water is effectively being pushed upwards because of the zip-off legs.

I've always been a bit puzzled by the Viento jacket, but glad that you thought it good. What does the Viento have that the Velez doesn't?

As for the trousers, my new Cascada trousers are very comfortable. and from the design I imagine that they are pretty waterproof - since I've had them we've been in permanent heatwave!

I have just completed a week of walking in Scotland. First time I've really walked in Scotland. It rained all day every day.

At the start of the week I was issued with a set of Paramo - some trousers (blue) and a jacket (sort of orange colour). I was very sceptical at first, but the rain made me wear them. I loved them. They kept me warm (not too warm whislt walking up a couple of munros) and dry. The trousers were worn over my shorts, the jacket a tee shirt.

I especially liked the trousers. They had padding in the bum and knees that were very effective. So good I intend to buy some for my next walk.

And I'm glad I found this thread - the info from everyone has confirmed my original assessment that this stuff works and is very hardwearing.

Andy - I have now worn my Viento jacket several times in various conditions. The difference between it and the Velez is that the Velez is a smock (or am I missing something?!)

[ See paramos site http://www.paramo.co.uk/UK/acatalog/Warmth,Windproofing&Waterproofing-16.html ]

A more direct comparison that I can vouch for is the difference between my new Viento and my old Alta (original v1).

Basically the Viento is much less of a winter garment. It has venting on the upper arms which do work fairly well ( Though I would have prefered longer zips myself). The Viento is MUCH lighter and shorter. The front pockets are very high which which stops your legs bashing into your pockets.

Also on the Viento there are two extra vents in the front where you'd expect to find your front pockets. This lets you find your trouser pockets and serves to add yet more venting. All this venting is really good and infact critical for a technology suffers from being slightly heavy and running warm!

Rather alarmingly the zip at the front does not have a storm flap. This means that in a really severe gale wind (and potentially water (??)) could be driven through the front zip more than would happen on the Alta. Having said that, the Viento did keep the water out pretty well in both a storm force 6/7 and a storm force 7/8 day. But the wind does slightly cut through the front zip.

Overall after my deliberation I pretty pleased with the Viento. The hood is very effective though I have to tell you that for perfection it isnt as comfortable as it could be when you do it up. Various things seem to bite slightly into the cheeks/mouth - but that's just me a bit being soft & perfectionist.

All in all the Viento is a *much* better/lighter jacket than the old Alta (I gather the new Alta (II) is lighter so I can't comment on that. The Viento I find much more convenient - for general purpose use in the summer/spring/autumn in the UK, though I shall definitely revert to the Alta for severe winter weather!

Obvious I know, but one thing you do have to remember with the Viento is to completely close all your flaps when it start raining!

Oh yes and one final thing that may not be obvious, because Paramo's website is out of date on colours - The Viento comes in a green - similar to the Velez smock's green.

Now let me tell you about that green, for any birders reading this. It's good because it's quite a pale-ish green, but it IS quite a yellow, OLIVE green. This olivish green is somewhat insipid and may not be to everyone's tastes - but I think the main complaint for any birders is that the liner including the inside of the hood etc is a very dark blue. This is a shame because it makes you much more visible and less "camouflagued" (if there is such a word!).

One final thought is I just wonder if this gear wouldnt be quite useful for the Army. In which case Paramo would *definitely* have to take tha camouflagued thing more seriously. ...And us birders would rejoice!


Ship

Since this thread has bubbled up again, I thought I'd add a comment on my musings on page 6 that proofing a microfibre/microfleece garment with wash-in Nikwax or similiar might result in something like a Paramo.

Having examined my ME Microtherm closely (i.e. dismantling it for repair), I have discovered that the CoolMax Alta Microtherm microfleece lining is fluffy on the inner face, but smooth on the outer face. So, if you were to use a wash-in proofing, you'd end up with something like Paramo's directional liner, ONLY WORKING THE WRONG WAY! Definitely not what you want.

So, ignore my musings on p6, and don't think of using a wash-in treatment to proof a microfibre/microfleece garment such as the Microtherm...

NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

<wanders off muttering "i do not want a viento jacket. i must not buy a viento jacket. well i could just take a look at one">

Just to say that further to my questions and wonderment @ wether to get a paramo jacket. i've gone and got an Alta II and it's quality! a great jacket i can wear allday.

New to this forum, byt just found this Paramo thread. I've had an Alta jacket since 1998 which I bought from MacPhersons in Inverness. I had gone in looking to replace my old Goretex jacket but the lady there talked me into the Alta. I'm really glad she did. My Alta is just as waterproof as ever and it's seen an awful lot of Scottish mountains and wild weather.

For warmer weather I just bought a Berghaus Paclite Alpne Pro and first wore it last weekend in Glen Etive hills. It rained most of the day and I got cold and wet! Not that the jacket leaked, the inside was dripping with condensation. My Alta has never done that, nor ever will. The Paclite is fine and light, but I am really disappointed by its poor breathability.

The most comfortable piece of Paramo clothing I now own was bought in Stirling at CnDo. It's a pair of Paramo underpants! They are really comfortable!!! Highly recommended.

OLD THREAD ALERT!!!!

Hi Colin and welcome to the forum! One thing to watch is the dates on the threads. :-)

hehe the old thread raises it's head again.




Oh for the record i have a pair of cascada trousers too now, and i think they are really good as well.

I have been out in some nasty conditions and still been dry and toasty!


Absolutly amazing!!!!

Has anybody tried one of the new smocks yet?
Just wondered how they compared with such as buffalo's windshirts.

i have a new smock but as i haven't a buffalo windshirt i can't comment.

Oh God Paramo again. I'ts no good I'm going to have to buy something now!

Can anyone confirm a friends comments that there is a Paramo factory outlet type shop in the Lake District (Windermere I think).

there is a paramo outlet shop in wadhurst.
take the london to hastings train. get off at wadhurst (beware - not all trains stop at wadhurst). turn right out of station and walk up the hill for about mile and half or so. on the left, a little way past a shell garage, you should notice some sheds down a concrete drive - paramo/nikwax.

Juzzy.
Tried the new winshirt, good fabric, good hood, rubbish pocket. Quite light too, doesn't quite fit me or I would have got one.

oh I can't resist knocking off the 200th post...