exactly what it says on the tin.

i've bought one of the cheapy Velez smocks on GoOoutdoors that turned out to be a God-awful light green colour, i've also found that you can't access the handwarmer pockets without venting the whole of the jacket (seems a bit arse about face if you ask me...) so i'm sending it back.

however, what do i do now?

i like the look of the viento - easy to vent, handwarmer pockets, fixed hood etc...

just after other peoples experience.

A few years ago i fancied the Viento but went for for the Aspria instead,i'd do the same if i were you it won't disappoint.

i'd recommend one if you can get a good discount (i got mine for £100 in a nice olive colour). if you have to go near full price then i would suggest upgrading for not that much more to an aspira.

what i like about the viento is the lower side zips that allow a pack belt to go under the front of the jacket. it also has two foam strips in the back which keep the pack from compressing the fabric which makes it a bit less sweaty back.

I bought a Viento just a few weeks ago and tried it out for the first time in heavy rain on Exmoor on Saturday. It's a great waterproof. It really does vent well, and the sleeves stay up nicely when you're feeling warm. The hood is also great. The lack of lower pockets is a bit strange, but I don't really miss them. It's also a bit shorter in the body than many walking jackets, which suits me very nicely :o) The jacket fits well, with full freedom of movement around the shoulders which is nice.

There are only a couple of 'bad' points about it - it is rather warm (as most Paramo stuff is), but I only bought it for use in the colder months so no problem there really. Also, mine's a Navy colour and it looks a bit like an 80's anorak, so not something I'll be wandering around town in if it's raining!

Might be worth trying a Viento on before buying if possible: my Velez is a medium, (I couldn't even get into the small), but my Viento is a small and fits me perfectly.

If you're looking at buying from Gooutdoors again, I'd get the Aspira jacket if it fits. £125 is a bargain.

I got my young lad a viento as the ladies in slate comes in extra small and it was the only way I could get a 8 year old a descent jacket that is good enough for doing his wainwrights.

He loves the jacket it fits well and does the job, of course I can't get into it but my only concern would be the number of zips and adjustments on it seem a bit OTT, but it certainly has performed very well indeed

I've had a Viento for a couple of years and really like it. As Parky says, the side vents allow you to put your rucksack belt inside the front. This means you can open the front entirely if you are getting hot.

Having the press studs inside the zip (others have this as well) allows you to open the zip for ventilation.

The only negative point I have is that it is a bit short compared to some other jackets.

There is a review of the jacket on OM by one of the OM editors. Might be worth reading, as I agree with a lot of it. Didn't find the vents worked very well, disliked the foamy bits, found it warm, but has good hood and good for winter. I sold mine.

If you don't like the foamy bits in the back, you can take them out easily.

Yes, I took them out.

Still think the review is good:-

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/news/article/mps/UAN/4228/v/3/sp/

I think for a winter jacket the Aspira looks good, but for other stuff I'm not a Paramo fan-snags too easily on brambles etc. Not a problem if you stick to the fells but is a problem if you crawl around woods. So depends on need.

Most under-rated piece of Paramo kit in my opinion.

I virtually live in my Viento and have used it in everything from horizontal rain to full on blizzards to seriously nasty scrambles.

It's pretty light for a full waterproof Paramo (at least compared to my old Alta) so a 100 weight fleece as well is recommended if it's brass monkeys.

Got mine from Go Outdoors / CCC in Hathersage for £90.

You won't be dissapointed.

I've been very happy with my Viento too.

Got mine 18 months ago. Now my favorite piece of kit. Well, if pushed, equal first with my Akto tent. I agree with pretty much everything above, and much of the review. It does just what it's supposed to - you put it on, forget it and it just shrugs off vile weather. You get to the stage where you adjust the zips and vents pretty much automatically.

Light weight camping - late spring to early autumn I take the Viento and don't bother with a fleece; other times of year it still lets me pack one less layer than I would otherwise. I like to keep my back-packing weight down - 8-9kg for 1-2 nights - but a Viento still fits into my load.