Is it a gilet? Is it a jacket? Is it some sort of weird, perverted bolero? Or is it all those things? We take a look at Paramo's second take on a modular shell jacket. Interesting stuff...
Paramo Third Element - First Look
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Price:
£200
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Weight: 740 grammes
(medium)
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Features: Modular
Directional Waterproof jacket with removable
sleeve/yoke/hood section held in place with zips and
poppers, articulated shoulders and sleeves, loc-bulk,
multi-adjustable cuff, drop tail with drip skirt, twin
map-sized storage / hand-warming products, two way reverse
main zip, wired peak hood with adjuster, rear storage pocket
for stowage of arms on the move.
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Strangely versatile and effective garment.
An acquired taste.
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What's It For? This is the second incarnation of the Paramo
Third Element jacket; it's a multi-activity waterproof top using
Paramo's directional waterproofing fabrics aimed at bikers, climbers,
runners, adventure racers as well as general hillwalking and
trekking.
What makes it different from anything else on the market is that
the sleeves, yoke and hood are removable to leave you with a Paramo
gilet. Or perhaps it's a gilet which you can add hood and sleeves to.
The idea is that you can pick and choose which bits to use - maybe
just the gilet for blowy summer walking, or the full jacket, or maybe
just the hood and sleeves for stops or, well, you get the idea.
The Techy Bits Like other Paramo waterproof garments, the
Third Element uses what they call Directional waterproofing. It's a
soft feeling fabric that deals brilliantly with excess moisture, is
easy to care for and puncture proof. The only issue for some users is
that it's warmer than more conventional fabrics.
How It Works The new Third Element is, in fact, the second
incarnation of the garment. The earlier version looked like a jacket
that had been hacked up then reconstructed using poppers and elastic
cord mainly because that's pretty much what it was. We liked it a
lot, particularly for fast-moving winter use when you could wear the
gilet while moving then add the arms and hood for stops. Returning it
was a major error on our part...
The new version is an altogether slicker beast with the sleeves
now held on with a zip plus press studs and a more integrated look
all round. The good news is that it still works pretty much as
before. The zippers are easy to undo while you're wearing the top,
but more fiddly to do up again - fortunately you can get away without
for short periods, though it can get drafty in the armpit area.
What you're really wondering though is why? OK, suppose
it's mild and you're working hard. The most effective way of cooling
down is exposing your arms and the most effective way of doing that
is simply removing your sleeves, though you can also roll them up, as
with other Paramo garments.
Then, if you stop for a snack or a rest, rather than messing
around with additional layers, you simply pull on the sleeves and
hood for instant protection. We've found it works really well as a
cold weather, fast-moving technique in conditions where say, a full
Paramo Velez Smock, would be too warm.
You can also wear the sleeve / hood / yoke unit on its own if you
want to, but you will look very silly in the process.
When the jacket's in one piece, it works just like a Velez Smock
which is to say a bit on the warm side for anyone who runs hot, but
with a surprisingly effective hood, a neat droptail, rollable sleeves
and a very effective way with user-generated moisture. For us it's
too warm for summer use, but being able to remove the sleeves ups the
versatility.
We do think Paramo has missed one big trick though. If the hood
had been detachable so it could be fitted either to the shoulder unit
or the gilet, it would have given even more versatility to the
jacket, a fourth element maybe.
You'd then be able to use the hooded gilet as a standalone summer
waterproof. Okay, your arms would get wet, but you'd stay
significantly cooler when moving fast, but with a dry head. Maybe
next time eh?
It's weird but it works. Wear the gilet bit for moving fast
and benefit from cooling arms, chuck the sleeves on when you stop or
simply have a short-cut fast-mover's jacket as a single unit.
The attachment zips are a little fiddly and hard to reattach when
you're wearing the jacket, but you can mostly manage without anyway.
Some users may find the Paramo Directional clothing a little warm for
mild weather use, but being able to strip the top down to a gilet
goes a long way to counter this. It's just a shame that the hood
isn't detachable, that would make it even more versatile.
Even so, we like the Third Element a lot.
Know more or want to?
If you'd like to add your own experiences of this
product check out our user review system and post your opinions to
the world. If you have questions you can mail
us direct, ask
Richard Gear or try a posting to our
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