Paramo v Goretex

[HalfManHalfTitanium]

Those of us in the 40+ bracket have two concerns:
- looking unfashionable out on the hills (hell, I always did that when sub-40 too), and
- saving money.

On the saving money side, Paramo is great, simply because you hardly have to buy any other gear - you can forget 'layers' - and also because it lasts so long. My Paramo trousers have done about fifteen years so far: they have one little mend, that's all. Jacket's done ten years but it still seems like a "new" item to me.

The one thing Paramo isn't good for, by the way, is keeping warm when it's really cold, but you're not moving. Trying to sit out a storm in the Vallot shelter on Mont Blanc while wearing Paramo was not a good experience...

[Ltuddenham]

Paramo is great, simply because you hardly have to buy any other gear

Perhaps this is why most of the main outdoor chains either don't stock Paramo or hold a very limited selection, with the honourable exception of Go Outdoors.

The one thing Paramo isn't good for, by the way, is keeping warm when it's really cold

Anecdotally, I hear it also doesn't keep you dry in prolonged rain if you're being relatively inactive and not perspiring.

[Marty_JG]

I just want to say thanks to this thread. I hadn't heard of Paramo before. As I've already said, I got my cheap Gore Tex together already, a necessity as I'm also buying lightweight non-car camping kit simultaneously.

But in the future as & when I upgrade to specialised kit I'm definitely going to put Paramo on the consideration list.

[Iainm]

The one thing Paramo isn't good for, by the way, is keeping warm when it's really cold, but you're not moving. Trying to sit out a storm in the Vallot shelter on Mont Blanc while wearing Paramo was not a good experience...

To be fair, there aren't many jackets that you would wear on the move that would also keep you warm once you stop for any length of time.

I just want to say thanks to this thread. I hadn't heard of Paramo before. As I've already said, I got my cheap Gore Tex together already, a necessity as I'm also buying lightweight non-car camping kit simultaneously.

But in the future as & when I upgrade to specialised kit I'm definitely going to put Paramo on the consideration list.

They have a seconds store on eBay where some bargains can be had. Some items have slight defects, but I got a pair of cascada 2 trousers for £45 less than shop price simply because they had been worn for a photoshoot.

Also, sportpursuit.com have fairly regular paramo sales. I got my enduro jacket there for over £100 cheaper than anywhere else I could find online at the time.

[mrssanta]

At the point she came to a stop, in her dark clothing she was indistinguishable from the numerous rocky outcrops breaking through the snow around her. Had she not been seen falling, chances are nobody would ever notice she was there. Fortunately for her it was a clear sunny day and a few people witnessed the incident and MR were called. She was in no fit state to whip on a high vis top or do anything to attract attention to her position. You might think it over the top, but since that incident I would never consider going out into the hills dressed in a way that may reduce the chance of being spotted should anything happen.

It's a question I have asked many times; why is so much outdoor gear black? it's a terrible colour

[Msp1987]

I am under 30 and love my Paramo Aspira smock. I have been in out in the wettest and coldest conditions Scotland can throw it at and I have never been cold or wet. As other people say you don't have to wear much under it. I just wear a tshirt in winter and vent it if it gets too warm. I would love an Enduro, need to save my pennies.

[Iainm]

I would love an Enduro, need to save my pennies.

Sport pursuit sell the Enduro for £199 when they have a paramo sale, so you might not have to save as much as you think.

It's a question I have asked many times; why is so much outdoor gear black? it's a terrible colour

Apparently, some people feel that being able to see other walkers from a distance on the hills ruins their own experience of being out in the "wilderness", as they walk the eroded path up a hill climbed by thousands each year.

[teaandpies]

There's so much black outdoors clothing because thats what sells, simply that.

[basscadet]

It's a question I have asked many times; why is so much outdoor gear black? it's a terrible colour

So the toonies buy it for getting to the pub dry

[nathan79]

There's plenty brighter stuff out there, my outdoor wardrobe is a testament to that (as many on here will testify). My two bits of Paramount are yellow and hi-viz.

Judging by the discounts I've got on some more colourful stuff, it's certainly much less popular.

[TheFox]

There's so much black outdoors clothing because thats what sells, simply that.

It's not really the case with jackets any more, or fleece, or backpacks, or hats - actually, almost all outdoor stuff is pretty colourful nowadays, except for trousers (and gloves). I've been trying to get a colourful pair of waterproof overtrousers that don't break the bank for a long time, but to no avail.

Funny enough, you can get a ton of funky colours when you cough up the cash - go to an online store that sells a wide selection of hardshell trousers, change the sorting to 'From highest to lowest price' and *boom*! Behold the rainbow
Arc'teryx, Norrøna, Mammut ... all of them sell trousers in colourful combinations.

To me that shows that it's not a matter of people not wanting them, but it simply being a feature to create a further, artificial separation between cheap entry level, and pricy high-end gear.

Or maybe it's because on average people who shell out £300 and more on a piece of gear for that last extra bit of breathability, durability and weight saving, are more likely to do serious climbing/mountaineering than the average person, thus have a better appreciation of risks and want ideal visibility. Heather Morning (MCofS Safety Advisor and MRT member) actually complained about the lack of bright, colourful trousers during a winter safety lecture, because they greatly increase visibility!

[basscadet]

I think in the alps, the colourful gear is the norm, so lots of it is made, they just don't sell it in Britain for some reason..

[TheFox]

I think in the alps, the colourful gear is the norm, so lots of it is made, they just don't sell it in Britain for some reason..

Because the British and Scottish have a boring taste in clothing

I keep buying the really colourful stuff, because a) I like it, b) it looks better in pictures (I do a lot of photography, and if you peruse professional outdoor, climbing and mountaineering photography, you will find that almost all subjects are pretty brightly clad, because someone wearing dark clothes doesn't stand out against the background and makes for a boring picture), and c) it's safer in case of emergencies.

[killie]

I started off with Berghaus Gore Tex jackets but changed to Paramo Alta 2 which is now my jacket of choice. Needs looking after with regular cleaning and proofing but I'm always confident of staying warm and dry in the worst of the Scottish weather.

And I also wear Paramo Cascada 2 trousers which are dry and warm and save me having to carry waterproof over trousers.

[Robinho08]

Great in winter, but I find Paramo gear far too hot outwith the winter months.