Gear

bought a aspira jacket wore it today for a walk in the glyders
thing is as i got to 2000ft and got into the wind i was quite cold, it was the wind blowing
against the jacket.
so cold in fact i had to put another layer on
.
now when i took the jacket off my arms were really wet with persperation as was the jacket.
i started out with a thin long sleeved base layer
and a fleece top not that heavy really.
so i am assuming this was to muchand it was the sweat making me feel cold.
any input from paramo owners or anyone really

On saturday i was walking over 2,000ft and felt warm dry and snug in my Aspria,i was wearing Smartwool baselayer and Paramo trail shirt (that's a lot of protection)this combination allows you to open the arm vents in cold windy condition without feeling the cold.

You may benefit from a change of mid and baselayer.

I'm surprised at what you describe.

I've recently returned from a week in Norway. Daytime temperatures were in the -15 to -20C range, several days with severe winds too. I did the whole lot in just a smartwool baselayer and Aspira smock and salopettes. I've been using this system for about 6 years (well ok, not the smartwool) with great success, so I'd expect it to handle what you describe in the Glyders no problem.

Hadn't really thought about it much, but maybe it is down to the perspiration and it's better to wear less rather than more underneath...

I'm surprised too, Mav. I'm not surprised to hear that you got cold in just a baselayer with your jacket, as some of us do in Paramo (me, for instance), but I'm surprised by the experience you had with the perspiration.

Were the baselayer and fleece made from wicking materials?

I have a Aspria smock. Only use it in winter, never had a problem with it. I wear a paramo midlayer under it with pit zips. Like the rest have already stated, could be whats under the outerlayer thats the problem. It took me years to take the plunge into Paramo, but i wont be going back to membrane in the foreseable.

When you say 'cold', what exactly do you mean? I don't know if you checked but it's possible that your baselayer was already wet or damp with sweat (you'd been going uphill?)and the wind acting upon it was moving the moisture away, along with your heat. In this case, no matter how much insulation you then add you are going to lose more moisture as your temperature increases and you will then become colder; ultimately leaving you more prone to chilling and hypothermia.

Having spent a lot of time going uphill in Paramo's in Snowdonia over the last 13 years, it is not uncommon to overheat even wearing a thin baselayer and jacket in Winter. I now try to keep as cool as I can bear on the uphill so that I'm not sweating. Personally, dry and cool beats wet and cold because I can add layers without suffering.

Cool in the wind isn't a problem - overheating and becoming hypothermic is. Baselayer + Fleece + Aspira jkt? Way too much insulation. I can only wear a baselayer + jkt when I'm moving. Moving, especially uphill, will keep you warm; perhaps try a windshirt (Marmot Diclime or Rab Vapourise) and save the Paramo for the higher sections?

Most folk when they first switch to Paramo wear too much clothing with it because they're used to the minimal insulation of membranes and coatings. Equally, they don't pay sufficient attention to staying cool in the Paramo ('cos you don't have to pay quite as much attention to membranes and coatings) but focus instead on staying warm (easily done, believe me!) - at which point their bodies have reached 37 degrees and they're now sweating valuable moisture away....and getting cooler as the wind acts to evaporate the moisture passing through the fabrics.

i think i may have had to much on i had just had a steep walk uphill and i do sweat alot
when talking base layer i mean a thin wicking layer next to the skin this seems to work well
so maybe it was the fleece that was to much
i really like the paramo and want to persevere with it.
any reccomendations for a mid or base layer to wear with it
thanks for all the input

Smartwool seems to be the fabric of choice for a number of people; Depending on temperatures, I've used a number of different baselayers from Sub-Zero Factor 2 ziptops, to Marmot Driclime through to Coolmax (I wouldn't particularly recommend Coolmax in foul weather, I've got very wet and cold wearing it in storm conditions). Friends swear by Marmot baselayers, even Helly Hansons. I've not tried the Paramo Cambia baselayers.

I stay warm enough whilst moving with a baselayer + jkt, so I carry a synthetic belay-style insulated jacket with hood (in Scotland) or a lighter synthetic jacket without a hood (in Wales - it depends on the forecast and whether I am climbing or walking too) to wear over in Winter for stops.

I find I don't lose heat adding or removing internal layers and the Paramo jacket does dry out too as moisture moves into the synthetic insulation of the belay jacket. If it's really cold the belay jacket can be worn over the top anyway and worn to walk off in...

I tried windproof fleece over the top - when Duofold first released it - that was okay but heavy for the limited warmth; then a Rab Kinder down jacket, which couldn't handle the moisture very well, before settling on synthetic insulation.

Should also mention that I've found a very very light Polartec 100 fleece top, which lives in the rucksack as an emergency layer, and this is a worthwhile backup layer if I saturate the baselayer or need additional insulation. It's not as warm as the Paramo reversible tops (Explorer and Mountain) which I've tried and found too warm.

just been looking at the paramo cambia reversable base layer
this might do the job
anyone got one

Mav, Paramo long sleeved base layer in winter and short sleeved the rest of the year.

Last Sat at Drumochter started out with base layer and the new Tiempo windproof fleece. Up high the windchill was pretty serious and I put on an Alta II jacket over the Tiempo and was comfortable.

I'm sure wearing the fleece between your 2 layers was your problem.

Colin, is there much of a warmth difference between the Tiempo and the Alta II when moving uphill? I'm thinking about heat-retention and insulation.

Perhaps we're getting at the same point:- the Nikwax Analogy jackets are warm to wear for ascending and sometimes it's better to have a windproof for working hard ascending, then put the Analogy jacket over the top when conditions cool sufficiently.