Am going climbing in Feb in Scotland and was thinking about buying either ME Kongur DLE salopettes or Patagonia Mixmaster pant and wondered if anyone had an idea which of would be best for this.
Beers,

Gaz

Naaa Paramo Alta Salopettes mutts nuts mate

I use a pair of Kongurs for winter stuff. I wear either long johns or powerstretch tights or both if it's very cold. They keep you dry, they're close fitting (on me anyway) and they have built in gaiters. The DLE fabric appeared to breathe quite well but when the sun comes out you can undo the full length zips to let some air in. One feature/flaw was a disappointment however, the side zips don’t fully undo so you have to thread your boot through a smallish opening. This isn’t really a problem for me as I wear them all day anyway.

I have gone over to the other side for this year and orderered a pair of Paramo Aspira Salopettes to see if they’re as good as people say.

Paramo Cascada are superb and a little cheaper than the Salopetters.

Cheers lads,

Wayne...i take it you have a pair of those bad boys!!?...Do they have internal gaiters?

What's all the fuss about Paramo? I've just ordered a catalogue of their site because you lot keep lording them up ;o)

I take it they are pretty good then?

Oh no, here we go again.......


<looks guilty as received invite to an event day on Saturday - will have a look>

<Bites tongue - walks away>

"What's all the fuss about Paramo?" you ask?

It's fab, that's all. But extremely controversial around here.

Brilliant for winter and any other time of the year if you happen to feel the cold.

However, the second you buy some, you officially cross over to The Dark Side. By Sunday, Darren will be more evil than before.

Have a nice day.

KD

Good bet john ,the paramo Aspira salopettes have never let me down,just a bit on the heavy side but great even on ski trips.i noted that rock + run are doing a good deal on patagonia mixmaster pants Gary.

Come on then Darren spill the beans. I wouldn't want to be crossing to the dark side and having you drive me off a cliff in Aviemore ;o)

Or not letting paramo items in hire car.

Or setting alight to them in a fit of evilness after ten Glenmorangies.

Oh, just typed in a search.

You get a wet arse in them.

Darren, the catalogue will be used to get this years bonfire starting!

I just said I'll look. After having a personalised(ish) invite, it would be rude not too.

Jules....when you've had 10 Glenmoranges and end up on yer arse you'll not know whether it's wet or not ;-)
Seriously though, tried a pair of those puppys on today and they were extremely comfy and a perfect fit...2 of the guys in the shop said that is all they use when doing Scottish winter and alpine climbing....but not at RRP of £190!! Will do some shopping around to see if i can get them cheaper.

Never had a wet anything wearing Paramo

Even out in torrential rain, warm, dry, comfy

Except once when the zip bust on the fly so i got a wet..well do we need to go any further.

Trust your feelings Gary..use the force

And try CCC Outdoors. normally got cracking deals on Paramo

Is that not the wet bum syndrome whilst sitting in the snow Jules was referring to though..................

I have a pair of RAB Vapour Trail Pants, they are great, very warm not waterproof, but they don't say they are and they keep out the snow & light flurry showers.


<none paramo believer, but not getting involved with that discussion again!!>

I use a pair of Lowe Alpine Apex Pants when the weather is really cr$p with a pair of thermals underneath. They don't make this particular model anymore but their new Ice Light Pants are almost identical in design all be it in Goretex.

When the weather is better I wear a pair of ME Ultimate Mountain Pants. They're soft shell so ok in brief showers but great for climbing in the Alps and better days in Scottish Winter. In a full on Scottish Storm I'd rather be in my Apex Pants!

I was talking to a couple of members of the Mountain Rescue Team here in Northern Ireland last week and they all use Paramo and absolutely raved about it. They basically concluded that Gortex etc was no contest.

See, thats the "problem" with Paramo.

And I'm not having a go at anyone (except the long departed baga maybe....) here, but sometimes Paramo fans can become a tad evangelical about the stuff and refuse to accept that it may not suit everyone.

I like the idea of Paramo trousers for winter - and will probably end up getting some when my current overtrousers die.

I like the Velez smock for spring / autumn use (got one on loan from paramo and really liked it - just not enough to spend £180 !)

But for the rest of the year I feel that I'd find a lot of their stuff too warm - and I'm not the only one thats feels this way. But you try telling that to some die hard Paramo fans, you're likely to get stoned! And not in a good way.

To be honest, I would tend to believe the views of a group of experienced mountaineers than some individuals who had never tried it and said it was no good.

These Mountain Rescue Team memers have used outdoor kit nearly every day of their life for the past 10 -15 years and if they claim Paramo to be much better than gortex etc then who else is more eperiened to say.