summer waterproof shell

Like you Im a massive Paramo fan but I have been using the Karrimor Alpiniste Event for a few weeks now...£90 and its amazing (in my opinion). Usual EVENT exceptional breathability, very robust yet very light, completely waterproof and excellent cut. Its my best buy in a few years.

Check out sports direct...its honestly excellent.

No its not a noisy shell at all.

It packs nice and small.

Its nice and light yet feels very robust.

For wearing with a pack it beats the Montane hands down.

Being EVENT no pit zips are required which makes it instantly more comfortable to wear.

I find the sizing excellent....the arms are a good length, the cut is short (which I prefer) but the drop down back works well. Its an athletic cut but not restrictively so. I am 5'7, 31/32in waist, 37 chest & am wearing the small size...I can comfortably fit a midlayer underneath. Its a nice summer cut...no excess material to flap in the wind. The zips are spot on (YKK) and do not leak at all, its a simple yet effective hood, the wired peak is just right, the pockets are perfectly sized and well positioned and the hem is not 'too snug.'

I have wore it so far in strong cold winds, glorious sunshine and miserable contstant rain...its kept me dry and comfortable in them all.

For a summer jacket I thinks its got to be this years best buy...its much better than some of my more expensive shells.

Try in on in one of the local stores then buy online...its a tenner cheaper with free delivery and you get a free mug (every little helps).

Of course nothing compares to the comfort of Paramo but autumn will be here again soon enough!

Good luck!

Hi Dave looks a pretty good deal that do you know what weight it is as i can't find any info on it

Ta

Well for me that'd be more than enough to rule it out as a candidate for summer use complimenting Paramo.

Thats because I don't wear my shells an awful lot - Windshirts etc instead a lot of the time - so do prioritise weight a lot.  Of course behaving like that does also let me get away with good lifetimes out of lighter jackets.

Think this is how you basically have to behave to make the minimus - and RABs pulse/kinetic, Marmot's very light ones etc - work sensibly.

There is also of course a fair bit of room to compromise between 200 and ~400g in weight. Plenty of three layer jackets around 300g or so - Montane's Air, RABs momentum/demand smock, Rohans elite etc, Haglofs Endo etc. Or for a little bit less money, still light and fairly tough - those heavier Mammut/RAB 2.5 jackets featured on the main pages here.

Those will all cost at least a little more too of course, so another decision cf priorities Impossible to decide these things for you.

Everyone will have their own opinions. All I know is that I have owned an awful lot of Shell jackets and the Karrimor is the best hard shell I have bought. Im a Paramo guy first and foremost but like most others find it too warm for late spring/summer temperatures. But as UK summers are pretty hit and miss and prolonged spells of rain are common enough...I like something that will do the job regardless of the variable weather.

The Karrimor is tough...you can wear a pack all day long in the rain without seepage. It is light, simple, squashes very small, full mountain hood with wired peak, excellent fit, EVENT is excellent and looks very good indeed...and its only £90 flippin quid!

I own a few lighter shells including the Minimus & Kinetic...I find them good for running, fair weather, emergency garment for day hikes etc...but they do wet out quickly and they are simply not great for pack use...even light packs.

So Steve...I do reckon you should go try the Karrimor on in the store...you can then wear it and forget it until autumn arrives and the Paramo comes back out to play!

Oh sure, its unarguably (very) good value

Just pointing out that there are plausible and non trivially lighter options, because some of us do count that as rather important. The demand smock say is only ~150 in practice so not runious.

That'd take a pack entirely comfortably as would say the Volt.

Paramo non ideal next to skin really. Fine on legs mind, less so on the main body. Anyway a thin synthetic base layer makes more sense and adds basically no warmth anyway

I'm tempted by the Karrimor jacket, but I am 6'1" with a long torso: it looks pretty short in the body from the photos.  Anyone who's used one got any views about length/fit?

And I have a Minimus.  Never used it with a pack, but for fast moving in lousy weather, I've rarely come across anything better.  The first one I had came with a defective [leaking] main zip, but that was replaced without a problem.  No delaminating or other defects so far, but I share the reservations about just how robust it would prove with a pack.

wanderingdave wrote (see)

My size small weighs 398 grams weighed on pretty accurate scales. Thats light enough for a tough jacket!

Thanks for that mate i will try to see if they have them in my local store to try as i will probably be a small as well. If not may just order a couple online and send back what doesn't fit. 

http://happyhiker.co.uk

happyhiker wrote (see)

I cannot recommend a goog one - if you find one that works, please let us know. However I would warn against Paclite. I wasted precious pounds on one of these jackets and have found it leaks and does not breath very well. Maybe I was expecting too much from a lightweight but I have been the wettest I have ever been when relying on one of these jackets.

Yes, I feel paclite has kind of had its day.

The Karrimor is cut short but I find it a 'comfortable' short with a nice drop at the back which I found adequate enough even when out for a blast in the bike.

For me its proving to be an exceptionally breathable, well cut, very light yet very tough summer jacket that copes really well in warmer temps & doesnt give up when Im running very hot. I was up Donard today and the rain and wind were atrocious...and I stayed dry and comfortable all afternoon.

As Ashley says...the Sports Direct stores have them so it will be easy to try one...Im sure not everyone will like them and Im sure many will still be hesitant due to the brands reputation in recent years (As I was) but anything I has said about the jacket is based on recent experience & I'm so quick to reccomend it as I am very surprised at just how good it is...I dont care who makes it...its an out and out BARGAIN!!!