Gear

Now, now gents.

I'm pretty convinced by Parky's theory. I mean what else would the pump liner be? It's not like it is a nanotech exoskeleton in there or something. It's a fabric and it's not stretching incredulity to suggest that it could be one of the fabrics we know they have already developed. And I believe that somebody from Paramo admitted as much on one of those very long threads where they used to appear in the past.

Anyway I'm not about to do anything about it. I am very happy with my Paramo jacket and Mountain Pull-on (working as intended!) for the colder months and have other gear for the warmer months. But that doesn't stop me thinking that this homemade Trekker Hoodie/windproof combination would work. And it may be that threads like this contribute to the Paramo designers thoughts about what they are bringing out.

Urban myth develops so easily

For legs, not upper, there was a catalogue which said on page 3

"We have interesting new
fabrics to explore. We have some
really good ideas in process at the
moment – I am particularly excited
by a potential solution for summer
legwear, how to stay cool but not 
get wet legs..."

I'm also fairly happy with my upper garments, they aren't perfect (so I'll complain), but not happy (partly due to short-cut jackets) with the lower half.  Cool but not wet, is that a Summit Hoodie for the legs???  I have Pertex, Kamleika and Cascada for lower. The Cascada is perfect for cold or cold/wet situations, Pertex for cool or cool/damp, but I'd like something better than Kamkeika. 

Nigel Healy wrote (see

Parky, the experiment would likely involve someone going out walking with a typical pack weight, wearing a proofed liner and a proofed outer and either be in a safe environment they can give up if soaked, or be carrying waterproofs.

I don't have an opinion in this, just an interest.

What are we trying to do with the ideas - cheaper, lighter, flexible, wider range of temperature (cooler) ?

So I've not wasted any $ Nikwax proofing my TH, but I just stood in my bedroom and tried wearing my TH under my Litespeed and tried my Quito and then just let heat build and in an unscientific way feel the insulation. I'd say the Quito was slightly warmer due to a more head-encompassing hood than the TH+Litespeed, so when I unzipped a little they became comparable.

The TH (not proofed) +Litespeed (proofed in stuffsac) weighs  630g, my Quito (proofed) weighs 500g. Also the TH+Litespeed roles up larger than the Quito, I'd say comparable to ratio in weight.

The flexibility you may gain on wearing insulation & windproof independently is offset by only one form of venting - the front zip, but a TH+FA has the lined up zips (at even more weight). 

It's also made me realise I can see the inside of the liner, there's some used in the small hand-warmer on the Quito, it feels like soft smooth velvet (soft version of a snooker table covering?) but its not fluffy, there aren't spikes of fabric which move like the fluffy side of the TH.Similarly the smooth sides very different, the liner is slippy smooth the TH rougher. The liner is thiner. They're both bobbling Holding to lips andblowing through, the liner is slightly less wind-resistant, say comparable to the differnce in fabric 

I suspect what someone may do is very specific to what they already own and what they add to it, rather than blank-sheet make a specific decision. e.g if someone had got Pull-on in a sale stretching it into a waterproof direction.

The TH+Litespeed is more urban-friendly I'd say.

"What are we trying to do with the ideas " - curiosity and knowledge for their own sake. it may come in useful in making future decisions and for how things work.

i'm not the slightest bit concerned about weight (too busy trying to stay warm and dryish) but there may be a possibility of extending the function of something for effectively nil cost. which can only be done by experiment and observation. (just like ignoring all washing instructions and just wash stuff properly - it works, and much better than the instructions)