That explains it then - earlier this year I bought my Fuera Peak Jacket at the Outdoor Show from the Paramo stand - nice discount plus in limited edition red, rather than one of their ghastly other colours. The girl at the till went very po faced when I told her the ususal colours weren't very good for this jacket, mumbling about needing to order materials a long time in advance etc. Oh dear, think she took it personally. Still gave me a free calander, bless her. Anyway, went out in a total monsoon-deluge (north face of the main shopping street in Brighton, ice axe, crampons, pitons, oxygen and roped together) - not only did the jacket wet out in a few minutes, the wired peak provided a perfect shape for a watering can effect of mega-drips all over my face - I could have drowned, I tell ya. My son and I had hysterics and it felt like I must be wetter wearing the jacket than not wearing it all! It was like peering through a waterfall, and it was only because I had my car's TomTom GPS in my pocket shouting out instructions that I managed to find my way home.
OK, some of the above might be a very slight exageration, but in reality I was convinced that the jacket was proofed beforehand because impressively, out in light drizzle previously water just beaded off. Post deluge it did dry very quickly, however, and I really like the jacket for keeping the windy stuff away from my beer belly and other vitals.
TX Direct for you, jacket. To the washing machine, and beyond!
(put's Wont Get Fooled Again on the CD.....)