I've been following this site for ages but this is my first post and I'm looking for advice. I recently bought a pair of Cascadas, but unfortunately (or fortunately) haven't been able to try them out in long periods of continuous rain. Does rain run down the leg and into your boot like it does with waterproof ones? If so, does wearing gaiters help: and inside or outside the trousers? Thought the gaiters might help avoid ripping the fabric when heather bashing as I've managed to trash my expensive goretex paclites over a few Scottish visits.

Hi Jenny, and welcome to the forum. Basically yes, water will run off / down the Cascadas much like any waterproof and if the bottom of the legs don't safely cover your boots then it could end up in your boots / socks. But gaiters work fine with Cascadas - on the outside will help protect the trouser legs against heather etc. (although Paramo is more durable than paclite anyway), but when it gets really wet gaiters on the inside is the best way to make sure that water is funnelled past rather than into your boots.

Hope that helps.

Gaitors work well with Cascadas both ways. It is worth investing in paramo gaitors - you wouldn't believe how much more comfortable they are.

Jenny - if you use the Search facility and enter "Cascadas Gaiters" you may find that your question has already been answered.:-)

Hi Jenny,

I always put my gaiters inside my trousers when it's raining, to avoid channelling water into my boots.

The Cascadas should be much more robust than Paclites when heather bashing etc, so I don't think it's likely that you'd need to use your gaiters for protection in anything other than fairly horrendous ground cover conditions.

Good luck :)

Thanks for the help,and for pointing out the search facility - I've never noticed it before! Might try taking a pair of short gaiters,though I don't often see them around in the gear shops. Paramo gaiters are a bit heavy to be carrying around on a two week backpacking trip.Just want to keep the Cascadas reasonably respectable for the odd foray into pubs. and cafes.