Hello everyone!

Hi everyone,

I recently had a knee operation from a football injury. I am slowing recovering. I am now 4 month post op and have a long 12 months total before i am fully recovered.

Speaking to my physio I can progess to walking/hiking (with my two best friends smudge(beagle) and yogi bear(working cocker) and in a month or so if all goes well start mountain biking. Then progress onto running later.

Obvoiusly british weather is unpredictable! (RAIN) haha!

So I am lookng into a multi-activilty all year round waterpoof jacket. 

My 3 main contenders are

1) Men's Paramo Velez Adventure Light Smock

2) Men's Paramo Quito

3) Men's Vista Jacket

Just wondered if anyone had any thoughts on them and if any were better than other?

Can these be used in the summer and winter?

Thanks to everyone in advance for you comments and replies.

littlepaws

Welcome to OM, good luck with your recovery Can't say much about Paramo, other than I find it a bit too warm for me. There are some fans on here, though, so hopefully they'll be along soon.

Have you tried searching the site for the gear you mention?

Hi Littlepaws,

Welcome to OM

I suppose, when you're walking with your dogs, that you'll have a short rest occasionally, a little pause....

Sorry, ah, thanks, someone just handed me my coat

Hello,

Hope you have a speedy recovery.

None is better than any other. They will alll be as effective as each other just different designs.

You can use them all year round but I would say it depends upon what you are doing and how hot you run. The pump liner adds about a microfleece amount of warmth - great in colder weather, possibly not so great when warmer.

Lots of people (including me) find them too hot in the summer just for walking in never mind running or cycling so I use other garements once it gets above about 13 degrees - but thats just me. Some use them when warmer than that others find them too warm in winter.

If you can, try all of them on to see which fits you best for the main activities you will be doing. However - if you are wanting to use it most of the year I would look at the quito in particular as it has more venting (huge pit vents) and longer arms which will be useful on the bike.

Turning to the jackets....

I have the Paramo Alta II which is a brilliant jacket for colder days. But above about 10°C I find it too warm and it is a little heavy to carry.

The VAL, Quito and Vista however are made of Paramo's lightweight fabric so in theory they should be useable in a wider range of temps and are also lighter in weight so should be OK to carry and be contenders for a "multi-activilty all year round waterpoof jacket".

There is probably no waterproof jacket which you are going to find comfortable to wear for extended periods in warmer temperatures though (as being discussed currently on the thread Paramo Heat! on this very board). So even though I am a big fan of Paramo I probably wouldn't spend the extra money to get another (lighter) Paramo jacket just to sit in my pack during the summer.

If you do not have a Paramo jacket already though then my advice would be to get one! Regarding the three I think it really depends on your exact preferences rather than them being radically different in performance.  E.g. VAL is overhead smock. Vista is jacket. Quito has very big pit zips but some have questioned the waterproof performance of the front zip.

Excellant responses, I am not worried about being to warm as I feel the cold easily. So they would be perfect in that respect. I am however now leaning towards either the Quito or VAL based on the ventilation features. Sounds like those two seem to have better features than the Vista.

I hopefully going for a fitting next week, reading online someone said the VAL is thinker than the Quito and better in the winter? 

Other benefits of the Quito being a jacket is that you can unzip it if its not raining to cool down.

shame they dont make a quito-val combo.

They're all basically the same warmth.

The big side vents on the VAL are probably as useful cf warmth control as a front zip.

Do check the protection on the front zip of the Quito vs the others. Not convinced - and we've had the odd complaint on here - but maybe they've improved it recently or some such.

 Tell us how you get on!

I must say I'm pretty tempted by one of the three myself...

Had my fitting today and tried on the Quito and VAL.

Definatley going to get the Quito. Preferred the jacket to a smock plus loads of ventilation and zipped inside pockets plus hand warmnig pockets. Also arms are slightly longer for mountan biking.

Asked about the zip problem and they said that was in the early model and has been rectified.

Was going to go for the black but it was to shinny, looked a little bit like a shell suit.

Butternut and fir green looked really nice, but swayed toward the fir as it less understated, although both colours are really nice.

Did not think I was going to like these colours, but they look better when I tried them on.

Also paramo give lifetime garantee.

You have to wash in a waterproof solution every now and then to maintain the waterproofness. But this is done in you washing machine so really easy to do.

Can't wait till i get it, will let you know how it fairs in the outdoors!

The VAL, Quito and Vista however are made of Paramo's lightweight fabric so in theory they should be useable in a wider range of temps

The lightweight fabric is the outer windproof layer, the pump liner is the same IIRC.  And it's the pump liner that gives it the warmth.

Preferred the jacket to a smock plus loads of ventilation

Ventilation is good, but it's not going to turn a moderately warm jacket in to something for a nice day.  And of course the case that if it's raining then the vents let the rain in, something of a partial success for a waterproof.

In other words, though it's good stuff you might find you want to swap it out for something thinner in summer.

Pete.

Littlepaws,

Peter is right about the lightweight being obtained by a lighter outer windproof layer. The pump liner is the same in all garments.

Glad you found one suitable for your use.

Just to let you know that maintaining the waterprofness is easy in a washing machine,  though always make sure you clean the detergent drawer and also run an empty boil wash through the washer first of all to remove washing powder residue.

Then wash in Tech Wash to clean the garment and then wash in the proffer (TX Direct).

You only probably need to proof a couple of times a year - depending on use - but wash as ofter as necessary but never use normal washing detergents.

Loads of variatiions on the best way to clean the washer - doing a search in the forums will provoide several discussions.

Well not having much luck with paramo, they dont seem to have any stock in a large for the quito?

I have rang them several times and they dont know when they will be getting new stock or if they are going to continue with the Quito? strange....

Are there any other suggestons for a multi-activilty all year round waterpoof jacket?

Thanks again for all your comments

I wouldn't think even the lightweight Paramo ideal for summer stuff apart form high up hills (i.e. cooler)- too warm when active  in most summer temps? If set on one, I probably get a VAL if it fit me.

If it's only one jacket for all year round rain jacket use, personally I'd go for something in eVent (it doesn't  get as warm as the goretex I had previously)

Rab or Montane maybe - try em on - some are cut for climbers so shorter in the body than others

I haven't found an all year round jacket myself.

 I use an event Montane Superfly (last 3 years) most, in cooler times a Cioch Glamaig (like Paramo), and a Rab Slipstream (light but less breathable) for summer or 'just in case'  situations  

All other waterproofs I've previously had were heavier or less comfortable cos of lesser breathabilty/overheating. But I lived...

Cheep and totally authentic prada clothes not suitably technical enough for you then?

Gear Snob