Hi all,

I've I've been using my Paramo cascada trousers for several years but can't deside if I should take thermal type pants when using them in Scotland this winter. Are they warm enough with any additional layering or should I look at the icebreaker type 3/4 lengths?

Cheers
John

Hi,

I use my Cascada trousers with Icebreaker full length long johns on cold days out on the mountains and found the combination to work really well.

In fact I was wearing them with my Cascadas on Sunday in the Peaks.

Again if you find yourself getting too warm you can easily vent them.

I'm probably not a good person to comment as I run pretty cold, but I would definately take them and wear them. As MT says, you can always vent. I hope to be up this weekend, and as well as Cascadas and thermals I will be taking salopettes and almost certainly wearing them. Did I mention that I run cold :o)

I was wearing my Cascada's whilst out on the moors around Langsett on Sunday what a day.....sleet,snow,rain,hail, squalls, the works.
I used my cascada pants next to my skin. It's gotta be fecking cold to wear a base layer under them if I do it's the Paramo stretch pants.

Depends if you tend to feel the cold and what activity you are doing: Constant motion or cold belays?

Lycra type shorts and long socks beneath the trousers is an alternative option.

I wore silk thermals (the best if you ask me!) under my Cascadas when skiing at New Years in the French Alps.

The temperature was all over the place. Roughly from +4 to -6 or 7 (+ windchill) and I was either skiing about getting warm or swinging my legs on a big lift in the breeze.

Comfortable, warm and never, ever sweaty the whole time.

I think I opened the vents a couple of times when it was sunny and windless but that was the most thought I had to put into it.

And they even (just) fitted over the top of my size 13 boots! (Odd that - usually take 12...)

I'd always judge it on the day. If you reckon you're going to be in conditions below freezing - take the Thermals every time and vent during the walk in/out.

The vents work so well I don't think you'd ever overheat too badly during the winter.

You shouldn't need thermals under Paramo Cascadas unless it is very cold.

One otion would be to get a pair of Paramo Stretch Pants. These are my favourite walking trousers but they work well as an added layer under the Cascadas. If weather is warm enough - but dryish - you can use these on their own. They're pretty light and more versitile than a simple thermal layter.

The fly on the Paramo stretch pants can be useful, especially when layered under Cascadas. Used them a lot running, too. And as one of my warmer base layers under Paramo Alta trousers, particularly when skiing. However, I do find that any base layer makes the vents on Cascada etc. less effective, so I'm more inclined just to add extra insulation to the top half of me if it's colder than expected.

In case it helps - just got back from skiing in Norway and found the Cascada's + silk thermals more than adequate for the job.

Temperatures were from -7 down to -16 with wind chill taking the perceived temp down to around -30 on some of the lifts.

It was gorgeous...

I also spent around ten to 15 mins sat on my arse in the snow trying to get my girlfriend's feet to stop cramping and never felt the cold through them.

Done a bit of winter walking in Scotland in my Paramo cascada trousers - have always wore them next to my skin and been warm enough.

just tried my new cascadas today for first time on Schiehallion. It was 1 deg at the bottom. At the top it was wild with 40+ mph wind and gusting way more than that. The wind chill would have been nearer -20. Any way I had them on with a very thin pair of North Face legging/tights. I was never to warm and never cold. On the way back down when the sun came out in sheltered areas I just opened up the zips and arrived at the car nice and cool. I run a bit hot, but I would think anything thicker than these tights would be to warm for me.

i think you hit the nail there muzza. you always ssem to be "just right" in them.
my skiing companio tried them and didn't like them as he thought they weren't warm enough, but always just right - he's used to padded trousers.