Paramo - The People's Verdict

Last month, on his own intitiative, Simon Cardwell contacted clothing Paramo and arranged for a bulk delivery of Paramo kit for testing during the OUTDOORSmagic Meet-Up in Wasdale. The idea was that members could try the kit in real world conditions and real world conditions was what we got...

A mix of blustery squalls, biting winds and occasionally heavy rain made for pretty typical British mountain conditions. The impressions below are mainly culled from the forum and are the users' own.

High above Wasdale in Paramo test action. Pic www.the-lightbox.com

If you're not familiar with Paramo's unconventional 'Directional Clothing' you can find out more from their web site. In a nutshell though, it's waterproof and windproof clothing which uses an unusual approach based on an animal's fur and devised by Nikwax founder Nick Brown.

The idea is that a windproof outer layer keeps the wind off while moisture is pushed and pulled away from the body. There are no coatings or membranes, so the clothing in undoubtedly highly breathable and extensive venting options are designed to keep the wearer cool under acceleration... The lack of membrane / coating means that tears can easily be repaired using a good old needle and thread.

There are some disadvantages though, the kit is heavier than most and the extra bulk of the Analogy layer means it's too warm for some users - including the OM editor - except in very cold winter conditions. There's also some leakage when the fabric comes under pressure in wet conditions, for example, kneeling on a rock, and occasionally it does seem to wet out under pack straps.

But enough blathering, this is the people's verdict:

Simon Kirwan

Fuera Windproof Overtrousers - £70 - full spec

I test drove the Fuera windproof overtrousers, which stood up to Saturday's torrential downpours pretty well, finally giving up the unequal struggle at about 5.00 pm, when I started to feel a tad damp, by which time it had been raining on and off quite heavily at times, for about three hours. They were much lighter than my own el cheapo Michelin Man-style zeppelins, packed down small, and were easy to get on over boots thanks to a fiendishly cunning full-length zip and popper arrangement. They kept me dry inside and out most of the day, breathability was good, and were comfortable to wear even when the rain eased off. I tried to hide from Si on Sunday morning in the hope he'd forget I had them, but I had to give them back, otherwise I'd gladly have kept them. I might even invest in a pair if the price is right!

Simon Cardwell

Velez Waterproof Smock - £160 - full spec

I used the Velez smock all day saturday, during which we had intermittent very heavy rain. I was quite impressed. It kept me dry all day (apart from when I took the hood off during a rainy bit - doh!), was breathable enough that I didn't get clammy and had adequate venting which meant I could leave it on for the whole walk, which meant no faff stops to constantly add / remove layers. The other major plus is the soft feel and overall comfort of the top. I found the cut to be more or less spot on, not restrictive, however its close fitting enough that it didn't flap around in the wind and cause discomfort. I also liked the reflective piping, which would be an advantage when using it for biking. Any problems? Well, the hood draw strings don't have captive ends, so although it wasn't a problem this time round, if it was very windy then that may be annoying. Only other misgivings are the weight and cost of the garment compared to say a light fleece and a pertex top. I have worn it a couple of times since the Wasdale outing, and found it a little too warm for the weather we've got at the moment, but I still think it will be a great top for the cooler months, especially with the drizzly weather we tend to get in late autumn/early winter. I would consider buying one, but not at full price.

Dave Olney

Aspira Waterproof Smock - £275 - full spec

I tested the Aspira smock and I liked it. BUT: The hood draw cords were not restrained and the jacket seemed to leak around the shoulders straps of my daysack! Also my back was wet but that was probably from sweat from my daysack's back system! But all in all quite a nice jacket! Alex Ford I didn't wear any Paramo, but I did have to pick up the jacket that Dave had been wearing when he'd dropped it in the boot of my car. It was sodden through and was incredibly heavy. That said, my own waterproof (a MHW Conduit) was soaked and weighed a ton too.

Jon Cook

Velez Waterproof Smock - £160 - full spec

Design It was an over-the-head smock with a roll-away hood, with two two-way zips extending to mid ribcage on the sides, and a deep neck zip. It had a single chest pocket. Fit and comfort. The top I used was a large size, which fitted well in the body and across my chest but wasn't long enough in the sleeve, a common problem for me. The hood also pulled a little as the garment wasn't long enough for me, again a common problem for me. The material felt nice and comfy, not at all like 'normal' outdoors kit, more like a sweat top or similar. I liked the drop tail, the cut in general was good, although the short front might be more useful on a mountain bike. I didn't appear to get wet all day untill I fell over coming down and put my elbow down where the water quickly moved through the fabric. Features and performance The rear hem could be pulled in by bungees, unfortunately the ends of which weren't captive. It could be argued that they were positioned so it wouldn't annoy, but they were quite long when the hem was pulled in. The hood had the same arrangement. There is a lot of reflective piping which is always useful if you don't fancy getting knocked down on the way to the pub or off the hill. The fabric was very good at shifting moisture, even when it was quite wet all day and I was working reasonably hard in it at times. The definite upside was that it less chilling when I wasn't moving, although it was not a warm garment. When it was on, as I've said previously, it was comfortable, however the garment didn't pack down small and weighed quite a bit (~900g). Overall I was reasonably impressed with this piece of kit (I am a little demanding of kit!), even though the one I used didn't fit me that well. The moisture transfer capabilities were by far its greatest attribute. It's comfort and 'wearability' impressed me as well and it did feel nice on. On the downside it did not pack down well, and was heavy. In fairness this is in comparison to my MHW Paclite or my Lowe Adrenaline tops which don't shift moisture that well. To sum up, for the activities I'd want to use this for, (the KIMM and scrambling), I'd prefer to go for a nice light fleece and a windproof. It was nice, but not £140 nice.

Jeannie Conley

Fuera Windproof Overtrousers - £70 - full spec

I tried out the Fuerra windproof trousers that Si Kirwan tried (the ones that were obviously so efficient that he thought they were water proof...) Material nice drape, very tactile, light in weight. DWR finish coped with all but a torrential downpour; then they clung to my legs and felt clammily uncomfortable, however they dried back out quickly with the wind. In winter the wetting out would be more serious and perhaps hypothermia inducing. When I sat briefly on a rock they wetted through straightaway at the pressure point. Features Three good-sized pockets, two with zips, one of the zip tags was in the wrong place under my rucky hip belt and began to get annoying by afternoon. The venting system was excellent, the zips on the legs opened both ways and poppers either side of the knee mean that I could get fresh air to my thighs without revealing 'all'. Double-thickness fabric on knees. Fit these were men's trs but the elasticated waist meant that they were OK on me, but I would have preferred them one inch shorter in the leg. The cut was slimline, no saggy baggies. Comfort Saturday was extremely wet yet quite warm; if I'd worn my normal Berghaus over trousers I would have had to keep stopping to take them off because I would be too hot and sweaty; however thanks to the breatheability and the vent system I was able to keep these trs on all day. I wore them next to the skin. Summary I liked them. I checked out the price on the web and the RRP is £70. I wouldn't pay that much for a pair of walking trousers, but if they were in a sale or if I could have the worn and slightly muddy ones I wore on Saturday at a decent second-hand price I would consider it. Si also brought along a Lady's Jacket for me to try but I didn't get it out of the pack as it was far too heavy. I only wear jackets weighing that much in the depths of winter when for survival reasons I have to. On Saturday for most of the time I had on my thin base layer and lightweight jacket as I tend to run hot. I looked at the spec of the Fuera trs on the site and they were in the windproof, *not* waterproof section. Having said that, they DID bead up beautifully for most of the seven hours of Wasdale weather that I was out in. The point at which I got damp and clammy was on the flank of Lingmell in driving wind and heavy rain. As the front passed over and I was left with just wind, they dried back out quite quickly. In fact, they were MUCH MORE moisture repellent than the Regatta *waterproof* overtrs that were all I could afford when I was a poverty-stricken single mum. On the Paramo site there is a discussion about aftercare, where they specify using Nikwax tech wash and occasional reproofing with TX Direct. I use those products anyway, as I am one of OM's hippies and I prefer solvent-free treatments. As I stated clearly a few pages back, at £70 they are a bit rich for my pocket, but if the stained pair from Saturday are going veerrrrry cheap I could be interested....

Andy Wallace

Cascada Waterproof Jacket - £180 - full spec

I wore a Cascada jacket that I assume is a general-purpose garment designed for a variety of conditions. It was a drab green colour and I'd rather have something a bit more obvious on the hills. When the hail came in and it got cold and wet the jacket kept me absolutely warm and dry, as you would expect with a brand new one. At other times I had to regulate my temperature by unfastening some or all of the zips, no better than stuff that costs half as much. Apart from the easy to use cuff fastenings I couldn't tell the difference between this jacket and any other that I have worn.

So there, you go. Some loved Paramo, some didn't. There was certainly some grumbling over the price, though how much that's ot do with expectation of softer feel as opposed to membrane clothing, it's hard to say. For OM site tests of Paramo, see below.