UKC

I have recently purchased a Paramo Pasco analogy waterproof jacket directly from Paramo and although doing lots 'googling' i'm unable to find an answer to my issue.
The jacket forearms/sleeves appears to be 'wetting out', I am not getting wet but the top layer of fabric has changed colour so is obviously wet! Oh and have even more recently TX Direct'd the jacket- has anyone else noticed this and is it normal ?
Cheers for any help in advance.

In reply to adamholden:

Sounds normal to me: the outer layer will wet-out (and change colour) but so long as you keep re-proofing the garment, water won't get in (unless you put your elbow in a puddle, for example). After proofing or when the garment is new, rain-water will bead up, but this effect wears off and eventually the water-proofness will fail, which means it's time for another wash or re-proof. I re-proof mine 2-3 times a year and wash it more frequently, but it all depends on how much use the garment gets.

In reply to adamholden:

I'd speak to Paramo about this. My jacket went about six months, before it wetted out the first time.

In reply to IPPurewater:

I have heard of brand new Paramo garments failing but I think it's pretty rare, and if the OP is not getting wet, then it's not clear what's happening. But as you say, no harm in giving Paramo a ring.

In reply to adamholden:

Paramo fabrics have a really low hydro-static head (the amount of pressure it takes to force water through) because they way they keep you 'dry' isn't by eliminating water from getting in, its by managing the climate inside the jacket through a combination of hydro-phylic and hydro-phobic fabrics that create kind of a pump system that's constantly moving moisture away from your core. Essentially, Paramo isn't waterproof, however, it works incredibly well at managing your temp even when wet.
So the wetting out isn't unusual but isn't a problem either.

In reply to T_Mac:

Slighty off the OP's question, but I'd disagree about the temperature management bit. Paramo essentially relies on being able to wick quicker than rain gets in to keep you dry. Even if water does get through, if the rain eases off it will begin to wick you dry, unlike membrane waterproofs.

However, it's nowhere as good as a buffalo or similar at keeping you warm when wet. If it does fail, and it can do in some circumstances, you can get very cold, very quickly.


Pretty much agree.

In reply to Ridge:

'but I'd disagree about the temperature management bit' I only meant in comparison to membrane fabrics that rely on appropriate layering, buffalo or similar 'pile and pertex' offerings are definitely better....

Too many people who are getting in to the outdoors these days completely over look the older tech of Buffalo but maybe that's just be getting old....;P