Paramo Velez Adventure Light Smock

The women’s specific version of Paramo’s popular jacket made from the company’s lighter weight waterproof fabric, the Ladies Velez Adventure Light is a smock style pullover jacket, designed for multi-activity use, but ideal for long wet days in the saddle. As such, it’ll appeal to tourists, but is also a good option to consider for winter training rides and mountain biking.

Most waterproof jackets are based on the same principle, of an outer shell fabric with a breathable waterproof membrane to allow perspiration to escape. This pattern holds for the vast majority of waterproof fabrics available. Except Paramo. Paramo’s fabrics work by ‘pumping’ moisture (a.k.a sweat) from inside the jacket, whilst simultaneously preventing water from getting in from the outside. The resulting fabric breathes extremely effectively, and is far less prone to generating vast quantities of perspiration when you’re working hard than traditional waterproof fabrics, making a vigorous wet-weather ride much more comfortable.

The lighter weight fabric, the same as used in the Quito, is better suited to high exertion activities such as cycling than the heavier and warmer fabric used in the company’s original Velez and similar jackets. It’s also much more versatile for three season use, running significantly less warm. The soft handle of the fabric (much less ‘crispy’ than most traditional waterproofs), coupled with its superior breathability and moisture transfer make the jacket comfortable to wear for long periods of time.

The smock style may not appeal to everyone, but the reduced ventilation offered by this design is not a great problem, when you consider the level of breathability offered by the fabric. Temperature management can be fine tuned by using the two-way side zips (not underarm) for venting.

The integral peaked hood packs down out of the way, securing unobtrusively into the collar, and is sleek enough to fit happily under a helmet if you should feel the need. The sleeves are a good length, with easy and secure adjustment at the cuff. Length in the torso is ideal, and there’s a dropped tail too. There’s a generous zipped pocket at the front, and a zipped poachers style pocket inside the front that doubles as a hand warmer when off the bike. Reflective piping runs right around the front and across the back, for added visibility and safety.

In wear, the jacket was superbly comfortable for long periods, and without the usual stickiness of more traditional waterproof jackets. It’s still a jacket best suited to spring, autumn and winter, but it coped with cooler, wet summer days too without killing me through heat exhaustion.

The only real downside to the Velez Adventure Light (apart from the near £200 price tag) is its weight and lack of packability. It’s definitely one for prolonged wet weather, rather than to pack along ‘just in case’.

Available in a decent range of sizes (XS-XL) and some great colour options.

Verdict

A superbly comfortable three season waterproof jacket that'll genuinely keep you dry inside and out.