A couple of days ago I mentioned a particularly annoying gear conversation that I had on Saturday and a number of you picked it up. So, here is the story — I did check that my brief companion does not read walking blogs!
As we walked my temporary companion was waxing lyrically about his new jacket. I won’t mention the brand (as this is irrelevant) but we were talking about a shell jacket. This was, of course, the bees knees and had been bought after a lot of research! A little while later my companion began to say that he thought his jacket might be leaking. It was snowing but not that much. At this point I should point out that we were walking through a particularly dense mist. The humidity would have ben very high.
I explained that his dampness was probably caused by condensation. Oh, no! I was told, in no uncertain terms, that this fabric was amazingly breathable. I tried to suggest tat breathability meant nothing in this kind of condition. Further, I ventured that only really paramo would have dealt with what we were walking in.
I too was wearing a shell, my Montane eVent jacket. This Quickfire jacket is now quite old and does leak a little. eVent likes to be kept clean to work well and I hadn’t washed mine in a while. I expected some dampness inside. As we continued to descend it was clear that the mounting condensation was troubling my friend.
We stopped for coffee and tea at a National Trust shop. We took of our respective jackets to find them pretty wet inside, which is what I would have expected. Beneath my jacket I was wearing merino layers. I tried again to raise the subject of Paramo.
“I think I should have worn my Paramo jacket today; I didn’t because the weather forecast was so cold but it’s really not that bad”.
“I don’t like Paramo. It’s crap. My xxxxx jacket is far superior”.
In vain I tried to explain that while Paramo might not be good for everything it was designed to deal with water and no just vapour. Nope. It was still crap.
We sat in the cafe. I was quite damp but as I was wearing merino I was snuggly warm. My companion was in wearing totally synthetic clothes. He looked increasingly cold. And miserable.
He explained to me that his jacket was technically very advanced. He was sure that he had a poor sample. He’d done a lot of research by reading magazine gear reviews.
I tried once more to explain some basic physics. Wearing jackets like this in and dry conditions would be fine but in such humidity the breathable membranes could not simply work.
He looked at me as if I was some country bumpkin who had no idea about hi-tec outdoor clothes. We parted and went our separate ways.
This whole thing reminded me of those housebound ad elderly people who only experience the world through TV and TV news. On the face of it they seem to have a wealth of information at the fingertips and yet they seem to miss out a lot of the insights that come with normal everyday interaction.
It’s what happens I suppose when you read all the publicity material throughly and then swallow everything hook line and sinker!
I wonder how many other people like this there are out there.
Over the next few days I reckon one on line retailer is going to receive through the post a return jacket that is faulty but in reality is fine!
He might have a point about paramo though….;-)
As the man in shop told you, you had probably got a wrong ‘un
I do think the conditions we had been walking through were very extreme! I was even wearing my Velez trousers on Saturday!
Those of us who remember walking in cotton t-shirts, wooly jumpers and the original Peter Storm cagoules, think that ANY modern jacket is wonderful! Having said that, more recent experience means that I would concur with you.
My paramo jacket has been used for three years or more through average dog walking to search and rescue. Apart from being too heavy for some temperatures, it’s been awsome for 99% of the time. If I had one light paramo version for the summer, I would be a happy man.
This reminds me of the strangers I’ve met out in the hills who’ve lectured me for wearing trail shoes rather than heavy leather boots
Ha! Reminds me of a very good friend of mine who seems to have a psychic ability to be judgemental about gear even though he has never used it. For example.. I was told that tent “X” was “flimsy, lightweight and therefore crap”. He didn’t reply when I asked him if he had ever seen, used or knew anyone who had seen or used said tent. Mind you, said tent turned out to be flimsy and crap!
Been there Jay
Keep up the people watching, I enjoy a good gossip!
Paramo is a stage of enlightenment that I passed into after my years of hard, wet, sweaty apprenticeship on the hills. This man will arrive there too one day …
I agree with Gary re. weight of Paramo ie. warmth. Good for mild/cold temperature range but not good for summer. So I’ve never bought one. They obviously know this – I wonder why they’ve not developed a lighter version because it would be very successful. Maybe its not possible.
James, there is a light version – the Quito jacket with huge venting zips all the way from the elbows to the waist, and made of a very lightweight material. But actually, apart from the warmest summer days I am finding it too light now and prefer my Velez Adventure all year round…
I think Paramo going too light is a bad thing. They are not robust enough in very very cool weather and they are also not quite warm enough for many Winter nights!
I continue to be amazed at just how well marketing for Outdoor gear works. These guys are geniusses They make people believe that when Outdoors, the human boday is meant to wear a jacket (and sweat accordingly). I remember one day last winter, I was walking in my merino wear and a woollen pullover (it was cold and dry). People in shell or skiing jackets looked at me as if I had just escpaed the loony bin… I am quite sure, however, that I was much more comfortabel than they were.
Paramo is ideal for the conditions you described, Andy. Nothing will beat it.
James: Paramo is considerably lighter these days, compared to when it was launched.
Just avoid going out in heavy wind driven rain, because then it is like blotting paper as the pump liner becomes overwhelmed.
You can find a good discussion about it by clicking HERE
Interesting thread on your blog Alan; It seems being soaked to the skin whilst wearing paramo isn’t as rare as some (Andy) would have me believe. It is certainly warm but I have moved away from Paramo – too much wind drven rain in Scotland to take it out. Having said that I might try it once again in the snow
Alan(s)
I have only experienced this a couple of times in ten years or so of using the material. There is definitely an issue with the lighter outer fabrics. The early stages of the Challenge had that combination of driving wind and rain that seems to overcome everything — but that was the first time I have had that problem in Scotland. Nevertheless, it was enough for me to reconsider my gear for next year.
I’ve recently received a very interesting email from a Canadian walker who wrote after reading this thread. I’ve asked permission to reproduce his email but he hasn’t come back to me yet. He has had the same experiences but on one occasion he had the jacket freezing, it was so cold that all of the water in the outer and pump liner simply froze!
I am happy wearing Paramo on very wet and cool days. If I know it is going to be very windy I won’t. And after last year I don’t think I will be wearing it on Scotland treks! But that is not to say that this is a very common problem — if you know what I mean