That’s what I’m not getting right now.
Lying in my sleeping bag with the sound of the flame filling the tent from it’s spot in the porch, the merest hiss from the water joining it as it starts on it’s way towards boiling.
I lke to lie and wait for the boiling water, it’s the first thing I do when I get camped. I’ll have my beanie hat on, my feet will most likely be in fresh dry socks and I’ll be flexing my warming toes distractedly as I watch the flame reflect off of my mug which is sitting there ready with some sachet or other having been emptied into it and the spoon is sticking out.
My headtorch is off, this is winding down time. I’ll be lying on my face probably with the sleeping bag done right up, squinting at the flame as the bubbling inside the pot becomes audible. It doesn’t matter what the weather is doing out there, I’m at home, I’m comfy, warm and quite happy right there. I’ll have my cuppa in a minute and then I’ll see what’s next.
Sounds great – what kit are you testing?
Having a break! Writing up some updates and there’s some new stuff on the way.
The big shocker is that I’m talking to P****o about some kit…
You’re testing Pistachio? Nice.
I have been fiddling with P****o related things myself. Not sure what P****o themselves would make of it though…
Too light, they wouldn’t understand…
You should be talking to Cioch Direct about getting one of their Glamaig jackets – a great piece of kit and significantly lighter than equivalent Paramo jackets.
I have done just that :o)
Folks, click on RedYetis link above to see what he’s been up to.
Your slide into The Dark Side continues apace. You do realise the day you appear in Paramo, I’ll point at you and go “Ha!”?
:o)
…er, that day will be next week. Wait ’til you see what they’re sending me, oh, the colours…the colours… :o)
Looking forward to it, new is good!
You are talking to Cioch? Good man!
If you are looking at the Glamaig, go for the ‘only lined to the elbow’ option – it saves on weight with no obvious loss of performance (based on wearing it over a merino base), even in winter. I would also tell them not to bother with the lower pockets, as the zips can get trapped under a hip belt (I often walk with the pockets open, depending on the pack). The hood draw chord is also unattached. I thought this might be a problem, but I’ve never been whipped yet. And make sure you get the proper wired hood, I’ve heard tales of a stiffened-only imposter.
We’re going to sort out a Glamaig in a wee while, they’re behind on orders and I’d have to kill a customer to get one right now :o)
I’ll remember the options when we’re sorting it out.
Next week will be the Paramo baptism of breathability. I’ve got a baselayer, a reversible something and a Velez with a fixed hood due on Monday.
I have no idea what to expect at all.
Spelndid – I think it is certainly worth arranging for a Cioch customer to have a serious, but non life threatening, accident, especially to get a made-to-measure jacket.
Saying that, my mate’s got a fixed-hood Velez. He loves it and its certainly a cracking looking jacket.
The Glamaig is a good bit lighter though, and I reckon the hood is better (but then I like proper big, ‘peaky’ old fashioned hoods)
I have a Velez, I know, I know but before you start I got it a while ago and before I knew of the Glamaig or was even aware of Cioch.
I have to agree with the general consensus that Paramo is heavy and too warm when the weather turns mild and they could do with a better slimmer cut in the body (although in this respect the cut of the Velez is probably the best and least sack like of all the Paramo jackets and it’s one of their lightest too).
But despite all that when I’m wearing it on a cold wet winter day I actually really, really like it. Love it even. It doesn’t need much of anything underneath it, a wicking t shirt or a super thin merino base will do and it can stay on all day and feel really comfy, in fact it’s probably easily the comfiest jacket I’ve worn when doing battle with the elements. So although I don’t look like a glorious neon ninja ready to dispatch mountains with ease as I do when in my Haglofs gear it does outperform my featherweight friends .
Then though, then the sun comes and spring starts again and the love affair is over. My Velez is the enemy again, too bulky and heavy to carry and too warm to wear. Oh Paramo why do I hate you so? All in the Velez becomes like an old girlfriend you know you should move on from but you keep picking them back up when the nights draw in. I’ll die before my Velez does.
I keep hoping for the day that Paramo will stop playing it safe and steal some of the Haglofs LIM design team or license fabric to Haglofs. Imagine Paramo technology with Haglofs innovative design, cut and weight and in neon Tron styling? Heaven….
It’s nice to dream.
Benjamin, wise words.
My meeting with Velez will be more along the lines of a mail order bride affair. We’ll meet at the airport, all sweaty palms and expectation, will I know if it’s to be at first site? Will it be that we’ll grow on each other, become friends but no more? Will the chilli colour break this blog…?
We’ll see :o)