hilltrek

Páramos’s lightweight Nikwax Analogy clothing was designed for use in warmer conditions  however it’s light weight is appealing for moving quickly in winter especially for cross country skiing.

I decided to put Quito jacket and Quito trousers to test on a recent trip across local hill Craiglich in sleet at temperatures around zero.  I wore a new Páramo Grid base layer under the Quito Jacket  but packed a Torres Insulator Gilet in my backpack  just in case.

In conclusion the Quito Jacket and Trousers combination kept me warm and dry despite the conditions. Standing still even for the obligatory cup of tea at the summit was cold,  however the Torres Gilet kept me warm.

I pose this question because I looked at today’s weather forecast for Deeside and Lochnagar and it was awfull both on MWIS and the Met Office websites-snow showers, white out conditions, low cloud at around 700m, winds of 60 mph with gusts up to 85 mph, windchill at -15 degrees C. 

There were promises of good visibility.

A great day for a hill walk up a small hill.

I chose Cairn Leuchan,  a 700m summit near Ballater with a track to the top, with great views to Lochnagar – but not today.

In these conditions normally there is no-one fullhardy enough to walk up there but to day I met three others – two wearing Páramo- both Hilltrek customers – the other wearing Mountain Equipment.

Therefore when I was on the hill 75% of the hillwalkers were wearing Páramo.

Now why is that? Are Páramo wearers a mad, full-hardy, decrepit old bunch with no sense or do they trust their gear to work in all conditions. Perhaps it  is just a plain love for the outdoors.

My Páramo gear certainly worked – Alta Jacket, Velez Adventure Trousers, Grid baselayer, Core Insulator – despite sleety rain lower down, snow on top all being driven by a 60 mph wind.

Apologies for the lack of a photograph from the day , although I had packed in my camera the visibility was too poor.

Here is one I prepared earlier.

What is Cotton Analogy fabric?

Cotton Analogy® combines a robust cotton Ventile® outer with a synthetic inner Nikwax Analogy® Pump Liner which pushes liquid outwards to keep you warm and dry inside. The result is a highly breathable, waterproof and tough fabric suited to cold weather mountaineering, field sports, game conservancy, bushcraft and outdoor photography.

Cotton Analogy® functions in a similar way to Nikwax Analogy®, well proven by Páramo in their highly successful range of Directional Waterproofs, by mimicking animal fur in providing both insulation and water-shedding.

All Cotton Analogy® Waterproof Clothing has been approved by Nikwax Fabrics and have also attained stringent standards – a minimum four hour resistance to 3cm of rain per hour – tested in the independent Leeds University Rain Room.

We have designed a range of technical outdoor clothing using the Cotton Analogy®  concept.

Analogy is a trade mark of Nikwax Ltd

Ventile is a trade mark of  Talbot Weaving Ltd

Hilltrek Customer Liz Culshaw compleated her final Munro recently. Liz is seen on her final Munro Sgurr A’ Chaorachain wearing Paramo shorts she bought from us.

Liz Culshaw on her last Munro

Liz suffered from ME for many years therefore her achievement is even more significant.

Well done Liz

We will be at the Scottish Outdoor Show at the SECC in Glasgow on Saturady October 15th to Sunday October 16th.

You can find us on stand 55, near the entrance, where we will have a range of our own Ventile, Cotton Analogy and Nikwax Analogy Clothing and Páramo Directional Waterproof Clothing.

We will also have Teko socks, Superfeet, Anatom boots and much more.

The Páramo Portal will be on the stand to give access to all Páramo’s stock and great deals on Páramo Clothing.

See you there.

Don’t miss our Páramo Event Week starting Saturday 8th October

We will be showing off new stock and have some great deals on Páramo.

Alan wearing a Páramo Quito Jacket in the Kullu Valley India

During the week Alan Melrose of trekking company Walk Deeside will be visiting.

Walk Deeside offer guided walks  in Scotland and treks around the world including Atlas Mountains in Morocco, Indian Himalyas, Eastern Africa,  Peruvian Andes etc.

Alan wears a range of Páramo gear and will be available to discuss his experiences and his future plans.

 See us next weekend at the 10th Galloway Country Fair in the stunning surroundings of Drumlanrig Castle near Dumfries.

Our stand will feature Naturally Paramo and Hilltrek Ventile and Cotton Analogy ranges as well as Tilley Hats, Teko socks, Anatom boots and much more.

We will have great deals over the weekend. See you there.

www.gallowaycountryfair.co.uk

We will have a stand at the Aboyne Highland Games next weekend showing our Ventile & Cotton Analogy range of garments and  Naturally Páramo

Pipe band marching

 The Aboyne Highland Games has been held on the Aboyne Green since 1867 and is located only 300 metres from our shop and workshop.

The games is a traditional highland event with heavy events,  piping, dancing, fiddling competitions and the hill race.  This is a gruelling hill race  over rough terrain on the Fungle drover track. 

For more information see their website

We will have several offers available on the day including 10% off on production of a show catalogue.

John Green of Hilltrek is seen on the left is relaxing with Robbie MacIntosh of Anatom at the Scottish Game Fair at Scone in glorious sunny weather

We had a very sucessful Scottish Gamefair last weekend where we introduced our products and services to many new customers.

There was much interest in our Dee Wading Jacket and in our made to measure service.

Field Sports users are very familiar with Goretex but not with the atttributes and benefits of Páramo, Nikwax Analogy and Cotton Analogy.

Sometimes we felt like missionaries rather than an outdoor clothing business!

We also had Superfeet, Anatom Boots and Teko Socks on the stand from Anatom.

Are our products taking off at the Game Fair?

If you see see tired looking heavily laden walkers in the Highlands in the next few weeks they are likely to be TGO Challengers.

The TGO Challenge is a long distance walk, for up to 300 participants, across the Highlands of Scotland which has taken place every May since 1980. It was the brainchild of the well-known writer and mountaineer, Hamish Brown.

Challengers, as the participants are known,  can take either high or low routes within a maximum of 15 days.

There are 12 permitted start points on the west coast and North and South limits on the East Coast.

We see many Challengers in Aboyne  and at Hilltrek  we offer a cup of tea and a seat for weary feet. 

Several customers are Challengers in fact several years ago a customer from Belgium popped in to buy a Paramo jacket before starting the challenge.

This year the TGO Challenge started on 13th May and you can actually track the rapid progress of some of the Challengers on a section of the TGO Challenge website.

 The TGO Challenge is sponsored by TGO, the walkers’ magazine, Rab, the outdoor equipment specialist, and the adventure trekking company Himalayan Kingdoms.

For more information see the TGO Challenge Website