Paramo - checked them out and can't decide if good or not.

[MikeLA]

Was in Keswick on Wednesday and was going to find out about the jackets to try and help but Sod’s law it was shut.

You need to try one on, looking at the pictures only it doesn’t look long enough, the chest zip length to the rest of the coat below the zip end, if you know what I mean.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Actually I did contact them and asked about length and fit. Not very helpful because they just suggested I look at Alta III jackets and sent a link to fit guide on their website. That's after me putting in my email that Alta jackets do not fit and that the website doesn't indicate jacket length. TBH it looked like either a generic reply or an answer to someone else's questions.

I've contacted Paramo twice in the last two years. The previous time I got the answer to a different question I thought. It put me off them until more recently with a few things I've read about their newer products. Enduro looks good if heavy and made more for winter only.

I am very sorry that didn't work. That sort of response is off-putting.
Come to think of it...the good response I had from them was a very long time ago. Now that I read your experience, I remember the last time I emailed them, ironically it was complaining about the athletic fit. The response was generic, didn't cover everything I asked and wasn't helpful. Sorry I forgot. It was more than 2 years ago, whereas the good response was more than five years back.

 

[C_Claycomb]

Could you order one on a credit card, try it, and if it doesn't fit, send it back before the bill comes due? I have bought and returned several items of Paramo from various shops, some mail order, some direct. Generally using Debit Card and I suppose refund speed can vary.

 

[Billy-o]

Before buying last year, I emailed them telling them my vital statistics and asking for a recommendation. A very nice man there said he was about my size and tried on the various jackets I was interested in. I ordered on the basis of that. I got an XL Velez and an L Bentu. Perfect fit first time.

Other route would be to get the smaller of the two if you can't decide sizes. It may fit, but if it doesn't you know where you are.

Also, look at Foothills.

 

[Paul_B]

I've conned the family into a short detour to visit a Paramo shop in a shopon our way to visit family (I hope that's ok with the covid rules). The detour is tebay to Penrith then to Brough and scotch corner instead of Tebay to scotch corner. They've not got everything I want to look at but the guy I spoke to was very helpful. I think he'll give me good advice. He's even bringing in his Paramo jacket because it's the size i would need and they've got none in stock in my size.

The reason I am taking the effort to go to a shop in a shop because they can log into Paramo stock system just like paramo brand shops can. Unfortunately I can't visit the keswick brand shop which probably has everything in stock. Right now the paramo retailers I have checked out normally have a wide range but don't have much at all. Even the shop I'm visiting tomorrow is low in stock and planning to get autumn/ winter stock in sometime in October!!!

 

[Paul_B]

Too far from Foothills. Nearer Keswick brand shop. Formerly one of the two Rathbones shops which stocked Paramo but closed one shop and I believe Paramo took it over I guess because it's closure took paramo kit from one more retailer. It seems to me paramo is being stocked in fewer retailers than maybe 10 years ago.

My trouble is time. I can't get out to go gear shopping even though I'm an hour from Keswick or less than an hour from ambleside. We've accepted an offer on our house and need to find a new home in a time when houses are selling very quickly round where we want to move to. We're looking for or viewing houses every weekend. Plus I'm returning to full time work after furlough is ending for me.

 

[Paul_B]

Well looked at the Penrith shop and got a velez adventure light. A bit short but the sleeve design fitted me better than the standard Velez and velez jacket. Standard and jacket was short sleeves or tight around the shoulder on the back. The light version has different shoulder design which isn't noticeable until someone awkward like me tries then on one after the other. The shop keeper identified the reason. Basecamp in Penrith I can totally recommend if you like Paramo and fjellraven.

Unfortunately I couldn't try on the enduro and evolution Velez. They're a different fit again. The guy reckons the enduro is between the Velez jacket and the Velez standard in fit. The evolution similar IIRC. None in stock and Paramo had none neither i think he said. Still the Velez adventure light felt a decent fit for me so I got the bright orange one!! Not my sort of colour but that or grey I thought orange is better.

One thing I can say about Paramo and that is their models all fit differently. Very, very differently n IMHO. You really need to try them all on before buying. That surprised me. It's subtle differences that makes a big difference in fit.

 

[RichW]

Well looked at the Penrith shop and got a velez adventure light. A bit short but the sleeve design fitted me better than the standard Velez and velez jacket. Standard and jacket was short sleeves or tight around the shoulder on the back. The light version has different shoulder design which isn't noticeable until someone awkward like me tries then on one after the other. The shop keeper identified the reason. Basecamp in Penrith I can totally recommend if you like Paramo and fjellraven.

Unfortunately I couldn't try on the enduro and evolution Velez. They're a different fit again. The guy reckons the enduro is between the Velez jacket and the Velez standard in fit. The evolution similar IIRC. None in stock and Paramo had none neither i think he said. Still the Velez adventure light felt a decent fit for me so I got the bright orange one!! Not my sort of colour but that or grey I thought orange is better.

One thing I can say about Paramo and that is their models all fit differently. Very, very differently n IMHO. You really need to try them all on before buying. That surprised me. It's subtle differences that makes a big difference in fit.

Hi Paul
Have been reading all the Paramo bumf, quite interesting, l live in North Wales so get a lot of the weather needed for gear testing, have finished all the Munros up in Scotland and have done a lot of the Lakes and some Alps
I tried Paramo many years ago when they were very low key, got rid of most of it quite quickly ( seemed old fashioned) then moved on to Gortex EVent and tried Buffalo!!
However got a second hand Velez on EBAY and gave it a good wash and proof and really liked it, took a bit of getting used to, your right of course with the sizing never quite right, however l now have the new Puffin colour velez which is a totally different coat with zip front two pockets/ vent, tighter fit, pricey !!
I also have the velez adventure light, great bit of kit, things to watch for though, the material will tear very easily, if you wear hot like me you need to wash every few weeks and proof 2/3 times a year (if you use it a lot)
The Velez light not quite warm enough for Scotland in Winter unless you really have substantial base layer jmpv

I have Paramo trousers as well but these don't work as well, l find they tend, when really wet to let in water especially when your bending the knee a lot so am reverting to my paclite overtrousers.
Paramo generally tend to be on the short side and I'd like a couple more inches below the bum

 

[C_Claycomb]

Regarding Paramo trousers, I have the Velez light trousers and they can be great for some things and terrible for others. I find them too warm to wear all day hiking unless it is winter cold. I have used them as warm over-trousers, but they are not designed to go on/off over boots, which limits their usefulness in that role. The place that I have seen them work very well was open canoeing down a river, small rapids throw water in your lap, the trousers shed it, have to jump out and haul over shallows, they dry fast and keep you warm. Goretex type overtrousers might do the first, but if you have to wade they just keep your legs wet.

 

[Paul_B]

I got head to toe Paramo in 1994/5. A very different prospect today!

My original trousers were carried in my pack on a winter overnighter in the lakes once. I fell through the thick snow into a tarn up to my thighs. Got out and got out of the direct wind to sort myself out. I got my spare, dry gloves out, put an extra layer on over my Softshell as I was getting very cold quickly. My hands got wet and the windchill meant they were becoming claw like?

My legs were very wet and I knew I needed to do something. I couldn't really change them so I got my waterproof trousers out. They were my old pair of Paramo Alta trousers. They worked their magic and my trousers underneath dried in 15 minutes and I was again warm around the legs. My upper body warmed a little later but my hands took an hour or more before they defrosted and the pain lasted another hour. We got to the camping spot and I carried on back to my car and home. It wasn't happening for me after that and I could not stay up there. One other ended up catching me up in the pub but three stayed up there the night.

For me Paramo trousers are winter only. They aren't traditional waterproof more Softshell+++. If you think of them like that then they're actually very good option? You can easily spend the same money on outdoor hiking / softshell trousers as you do for Paramo trousers. If they fit why not replace winter trousers and hard shell trousers with Paramo. Just don't kneel in a puddle.