Paramo's new baselayer tee is claimed to be reversible to cope with different temperature conditions, but does it really make a significant difference?
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Paramo Cambia Tee-Shirt - Quick
Look
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Price:
£25.00
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Weight: 133 grammes (men's
medium)
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Features:
Baselayer tee-shirt made from Parameta T fabric, erm,
flat-locked seams.
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Wicks well.
Unsophisticated tee-shirt cut.
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The
Concept The Paramo Cambia looks pretty similar to any other
baselayer top and uses the structure of the fabric to wick moisture
away from the body. What makes it stand out, in terms of claimed
performance anyway, is that Paramo say it can be used either way
round with the smooth face against the skin optimising wicking and
spreading moisture across the fabric to avoid 'pooling' and cold
spots.
Alternatively, you can wear it with the honeycomb side against the
skin to give slightly more insulation and 'comfort'. Like any
baselayer, its main function is to wick moisture away from the skin
and towards the outer clothing layers and the freedom of the open
air.
Features Not many beyond the fabric, it's a simple tee-shirt
made from Parameta T fabric with flatlock seams for comfort. It's
also available as a long-sleeved top.
In Action To be brutal, we weren't really blown away with the
whole reversible concept in the real world - we did experiment with
using the Cambia both ways round and even tried it in cooling mode on
ascents, followed by the warmer option once the terrain levelled out.
Any difference in thermal efficiency and comfort was marginal and
wicking was better smooth side in, which is how we'd leave it. That
may sound damning, but in fact, the Parameta T is a very competent
baselayer fabric, which wicks well and dries fast. We did find it
slightly more odour prone than the best of the competition as
well.
Our other gripe was with the design. We like long-sleeved,
zip-necked tops with a collar because they provide scope to ventilate
and added protection from the sun. A simple tee is just less
versatile, though we accept that it's a matter of personal taste.
Bear in mind that there's also a long-sleeved tee version of the
Cambria available, but with no collar or zip.
We thought the double-sided thing was a bit of a gimmick, but that
doesn't mean you should dismiss the Cambia out of hand, it's still a
very competent wicking baselayer, even if we'd prefer a more
sophisticated design.
If you're a fan of the Paramo clothing system and want a matching
baselayer then go for it. There are plenty of other baselayers that
work just as well however.
Know more or want to?
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