New Paramo Cycling jacket

[Mart]

Hi

I also have a Quito jacket (green) which has had 2 winters hard use, mostly mountainbiking for which I find it really good. I find it is quite warm, but opening up the vents plus the front zip a bit seems to work at regulating the temperature and stops overheating. What's really impressive is if I put it on over an already wet shirt it dries it out (??).

I agree it's a bit on the baggy/flappy side though - probably not a good choice for the racers.

[macspud]

Thanks for posting your review energyman. Its very useful for another's experiences to be heard. I agree with you, body shape might be a significant factor in whether the wearer gets a good fit or not. I'm around 42in chest and 12st ( and diminishing!) so not a big lad. My Quito is a large so probably the best size for me all things considered.

Heading on over to the ebay site now...

There are Vasco jackets (limited colours) available on Ebay.
 
The Vasco has smaller arm vents (rather than the full arm/torso vents of the Quito & Ciclo), the vents are more to the front of the arm and with the back/shoulder vent, you get a good through draught with the zips open. It is too warm for warm weather use really but is a good jacket for the cooler months.
The new Ciclo looks good with the same arm/torso vents as the Quito but in a lighter weight fabric so should run cooler than the Quito, without the shoulder/back vent it does look like it will billow out parachute fashion as the Quito does.
I also have a Paramo Cuzco jacket, I prefer the Cuzco's cut and pocket positioning to the Vasco's but it doesn't have any ventilation apart from the two way front zip which (as Paramo use an inner poppered storm flap) works well, but isn't enough. I prefer the removable/stowable popper attached hood of the Vasco and Cuzco to the permanent hood of the Quito and Ciclo.
If Paramo would take the best bits from all those jackets, with a wee tweek here and there, they would have an out and out winner of a cycling jacket.
The good thing about Paramo, much like Thorn, is that they are quality products which last well and hold a good resale value, if they don't quite suit your needs, then someone else will want them.

[richie thornger]

I have a non-cycling paramo jacket. I think its a velez or a quito  XXXL I think for a super cheap price if any one wants it. I bought it by accident

Didn't know they made cycling stuff, will go have a look......after I've been to the TWO!!!! Aldi's that have been built in my town since I've been away

[Danneaux]

...TWO!!!! Aldi's ...have been built in my town since I've been away

Two Aldis? Man! Do you have a Lidl as well? I've found the latter occasionally offers some remarkably suitable/high quality cycling goods.  I'm wearing a pair of Lidl socks now, and just hung my Lidl cycling rain jacket in the closet after my morning 5-mile walk.

Best,

Dan. (...who dearly loves good kit for cheap prices)

[richie thornger]

No sadly only Aldi, but they do some cycling clobber too.

[macspud]

I have a non-cycling paramo jacket. I think its a velez or a quito  XXXL I think for a super cheap price if any one wants it. I bought it by accident

I'm interested Richie, maybe you could post a photo so we can work out what it is.
Cheers,
Iain.

[richie thornger]

Re: Paramo Jacket for Sale. It came into my head whilst I was reading this post.
I will go find it and report back here and a put a link to a new thread on the For Sale items.

I'm selling most of my possessions including a lot of spare cycling kit so you'll probably see quite a bit over there in the coming weeks.

As I'm banned from the bike at the moment I'm just off out on my first ever 20 mile walk. If I survive I'll put the details up when I return

[Audax hopeful]

As I'm banned from the bike at the moment I'm just off out on my first ever 20 mile walk. If I survive I'll put the details up when I return

Oh no - what did you do wrong??!

[richie thornger]

I've ruined my sit bones. Need to stay off the bike for a minimum of two months to let them heal. Have been sitting on a 25p kids rubber ring for the last month

My Jacket is a Quito XXL Colour - butternut (orange) and grey

I'm going to wash it and reproof it with Nikwax then I can take some photos

[Kuba]

I wonder, has anyone on the forum first-hand experience of the Ciclo jacket now?

[in4]

I've been using a Quito for a couple of years. For cycling I have reservations. But:

Pros:
1. Like the long sleeves
2. Like the length
3. Like the venting options, particularly as they can be adjusted on the move.
4. Like the zipped internal pockets; just right for phone, money, keys etc.
5. Like the hood and the collar; quite adjustable according to weather.

Cons:
1. Expensive
2. The cut of the material means fabric sits on the shoulders/nape and acts like a sweat magnet;not nice
3. It does have sail like qualities in a wind; its not cut close to the torso, well not mine anyway ( more pies needed!)
4. The cuffs are awful; they collect sweat, are flimsy and should be elasticated/zipped and made of more substantial material
5. The two, lower internal pockets are not that useful without zips.

I use mine for walking in too so its a useful spring/jacket for two activities. I'd not buy it exclusively for cycling.

[Kuba]

Thanks for that, not very encouraging though... Looking for a walking/cycling jacket for my girlfriend actually, and having has mixed experiences with GoreTex and eVent I thought of giving Paramo a go. Now not so sure!

[jags]

Kuba sus out Corrine Dennis cycle ware for quality cycle specific  clothing she makes goos stuff at great prices.

[martinf]

Thanks for that, not very encouraging though... Looking for a walking/cycling jacket for my girlfriend actually, and having has mixed experiences with GoreTex and eVent I thought of giving Paramo a go. Now not so sure!

I got a Paramo Quito in 2011 for my Spain tour to use as a lightweight walking/cycling jacket. For cycling I only use it in cooler weather as I sweat a lot. The vent zips help, but I find that anything really waterproof steams up inside in warm weather cycling, although the Paramo system suits me better than Goretex or equivalent membrane-based raingear. In winter, I often wear the Quito on days when it isn't raining, which I wouldn't do with a conventional waterproof. As the Quito is lightweight, I don't expect it to last all that long, the cuffs on mine are getting shabby after 4 years of fairly light use.

A Paramo alternative to the Quito for a light waterproof system is their Bora fleece/windproof combination. This consists of a lightweight fleece treated with water-repellent, and a lightweight windproof jacket without liner. Neither is waterproof on its own, but together they seem to work very well, at least for me. I got this combination in January, and have been wearing the fleece most days since (cycle commute, at work, walking). I put the windproof on top only when it is very cold or raining "properly", the water-repellent fleece works OK for light showers. For my needs, Bora fleece/windproof is more suitable than my Quito, but as it is also a lightweight combination I don't expect it to last all that long with the heavy use it's getting at the moment.

I got a heavier and more durable set of Paramo jacket and trousers for my wife for mid-season and winter walking use. I can't remember the exact model, may have been Pajaro or Cascada. My wife also wears the jacket for cycling, so far she has used it up to temperatures of about 15°C, far too warm for me to use something similar myself. The trousers are a bit baggy, including at the ankles, so not really suitable for cycling. But comfortable enough to be worn as dry-weather walking trousers, unlike conventional overtrousers.

An advantage of Paramo stuff over ordinary lightweight raingear is that it can be reproofed just by washing in the appropriate NikWax product. Down side might be that this washing/reproofing needs doing fairly regularly, otherwise the clothing loses its waterproofing properties.

[Neil Jones]

I bought a Paramo Quito Cycling Jacket last year after my last jacket (Montane Stormrider) delaminated after 18 months of hard use. I was finding that it didn't really matter what brand or how expensive they were 2 years hard use was about all I could expect from one, which is not good enough in my book.

I also do a lot of walking and after years of using various Goretex, Sympatex and eVent fabrics I decided to go down the Paramo route. For walking in the UK I think they are the best waterproofs you can buy. I use an Adventure Light Smock 80% of the time, it's my favourite, I used it yesterday walking in the Carneddau Mountains where the temperature was changing from being very warm to a cool breeze depending on how sheltered I was from the wind. The great thing about Paramo's are the venting options, yes they do run warm but I find that I can regulate my temperature better than other fabrics. I also have an Alta II which i use for mainly for winter walking. The other reason I love Paramo is that they don't sound like a crisp packet when you are on the move.

I think the Quito is a good jacket but it could been better. I've had to restitch the flaps on the cuffs, and the cut is a bit loose. The hood is excellent. I'm hoping to get 10 years out of mine.

You would think that by now someone would have manufactured the holy grail of cycling jackets, an ultralightweight, waterproof, breathable, great fitting and long lasting jacket but until then the Quito will do for me.

Regards,
Neil