UKC

I was bimbling about the internet the other day, and came across a site selling lots of Buffalo clothing, some of which was evidently aimed at climbers (Big Wall shirt, Mountain Shirt, etc.)

Buffalo clothing seems to be a fibrepile layer sandwiched between two thin fabric layers. It's not waterproof as far as I know, and the system reminds me somewhat of Paramo clothing in that the outer (water resistant?)layers apparently get wet but it's not supposed to matter because you stay dry on the inside.

I don't know anyone who actually uses this stuff - is it any good in the mostly damp, often humid and sometimes downright soggy UK? Are you really supposed to wear this as a next-to-skin layer, and if so what temp range would it cope with? Spring and autumn only, perhaps?

I'd love to hear from anyone who uses Buffalo clothing (not necessarily for climbing in). Do I need it in my life

In reply to muriqui: i love buffalo gear. It doesnt keep you dry. It keeps you warm when your wet. It will only keep off light rain showers
Best worn over a baselayer like a helly hansen converter tee or something similar

In reply to muriqui:

http://www.needlesports.com/acatalog/Mail_Order_Buffalo_41.html

Needle Sports has some good info on Buffalo and explains how it works

In reply to muriqui: I use comparable products for instructing water sports on the west coast of Scotland year round and really rate it. It's not even remotely waterproof, but it's not meant to be. Quite genuinely does a superb job of keeping you roasty toast even when wet. Most of us at my centre use something similar and you'll see a lot of open canoeists and some sailors who use it as well.

Not so ideal for land stuff as I'd generally rather stay dry for most things and it's very bulky.

It does work well as a next to skin layer though I generally wear a t-shirt under it as it's being worn for work. Copes with lower (wet) temperature range than most alternatives I've tried, though there's a limit - particularly if you're wet and stood still for long periods.

In reply to muriqui:


It's not sandwiched - it's pertex on the outside and fibrepile on the inside. There is just the one layer of pertex. Read this: http://www.needlesports.com/gearreviews/buffalo.htm

In reply to TobyA: Open sandwich?

In reply to muriqui:

I've got a big face shirt and love it! I've used it throughout the last two winters on my bike compute. Regarding the seasons you use it for, I'd say late autumn, winter and spring. Unlike some of the other posters on here I think you should wear it close fitting next to your skin as recommended.

In reply to everyone:
Thanks guys! Very helpful. I think I have some idea what it would be good for and will go check out Needle Sports.
Cheers

In reply to muriqui: It's great stuff for winter, alpine stuff & lousy weather.

but if you use it in anything less than rotten conditions you are going to cook.

In reply to davidbeynon: Yeah - I was quite interested by the chap who said he uses a Big Face for his winter cycle commute. I suspect my winter cycle commute is colder than most UKCers' but I reckon I would still boil in my Buffalo at -15 when biking!

In reply to muriqui: I had a tecmax shirt for 12 years and have only retired it as the stitching has gone along the neck where I pull it to take it off. It was fantastic in the cold, but way too warm for anything else. As already stated, it's not waterproof, but it's warm even when wet and doesn't get too much heavier - I've been toasty even when it was totally sodden. I currently have a teclite shirt which is better for warmer conditions, but less durable (thinner pertex).
The good thing about a buffalo is that it breathes lots better than a waterproof shell, and you don't have to worry about trashing it - as it's not waterproof who cares if it gets holed.

In reply to muriqui:

Assuming this isn't a troll, Buffalo stuff is great, especially in deep winter. The DP stuff is great - robust and functional. Never really need to wear anything underneath or over the special 6 shirt when winter climbing. The teclite stuff is great when conditions are milder. Fantastic kit allround. Montane do an extreme smock and jacket that rival the DP stuff, and they also do (did) shelled microfleece stuff like the teclite (think Rab Vapour rise). The kit is very flexible in use.

In reply to TobyA: Yeah it can be a bit sweaty in the old buffalo especially with a rucsac. However, given the design it doesn't ever feel clammy against the skin which is why Buffalo stuff is ace! The only problem with it is its stealth cyclist colouring (blue and black), hopefully I can afford to get their cycle specific jolly yellow dp top in time for next winter.

Cheers,
Bob

In reply to muriqui: Read some of the testimonials on the buffalo website its brilliant gear that i'd happily use in any weather.

In reply to muriqui: Buffalo gear is top notch. It is perfect for the Scottish climate, winter or summer. Its the first thing packed for any trip

In reply to muriqui: I tried it once, sweated like a b*stard. I'll stick to my layers thanks.


-BS

In reply to muriqui: mostly for winter, a Buffalo shirt will probably be the single best outdoor garment you've ever bought. I'm possibly its biggest fan. One place I worked at, they called me Buffalo Soldier, because I wore it all the time.

In reply to muriqui: I had a the buffalo special six shirt and buffalo trousers. Plus a waterproof hat and gaiters. I wore that combination through two whole scottish summers and winters and my ML assessment. In the summer I wore a thin baselayer on top and kept the shirt in my rucksack. Hill-days and multi-day expeds.

I never carried a waterproof, except for a handful of times on particularly cold winter days when I kept one in my rucksack to throw on over the top on lunch stops. I'd just let myself get wet - it didn't matter! The whole system would dry off really quickly too when it stopped raining, particularly if it was sunny. I could go from saturated to bone dry in a couple of hours. But like I said - it didn't matter if I was wet, that's the beauty of it - you're always comfortable. Even when you're wet, you don't 'feel' wet. Don't know why, you just have to experience it. And remember, 'wet' means your sweat too.

Temperature-wise it's very versatile because of the side vents. More than most people seem to give it credit for, in my opinion. I always wore it next to the skin, except if I threw it on in summer if it was chilly, over the top of my baselayer.

Plus, if you're a paddler I always wore it under my dry-cag and used the trousers too. A shortie wetsuit under everything else.

Gorge-walking too, sailing, caving, the list goes on. The most versatile kit I've ever owned.

My shirt almost wore out after about 6 years of hard use. However, it was still going and donated it to a friend of mine as a leaving present (he was a paddler). I still have the trousers and they're a bit of a sorry sight (but still usable) and feel a touch too small for me now.

In reply to muriqui:

Buffalo is excellent, versatile kit. It is a "soft shell" that actually works rather than being a semi functional marketting concept.

It keeps you warm, dries quick. It is the idea behind more fashionable, lighter stuff (rab vr, marmot dryclimb). Those claiming it to be sweaty are using wrong, TAKE IT OFF! Walk into the corrie in shorts and T shirt, arrive comfortably cool, don warm dry buff stuff. Smile smugly on your route watching your mate shiver because he has sweated out his layers on the walk in

I use mine for everything from paddling to winter climbing, pretty hardwearing, one lasts me about 10 years.

In reply to muriqui:

have a special 6 shirt - great for cold weather climbing - wore it for some grit stuff over the winter and was super toasty (although my hands froze to the rock rendering me more hopeless than usual!)

In reply to Big Sender: were you wearing it in summer then??
i have a special 6 shirt and in the welsh winters most of the time when its cold and windy i only have a base layer t shirt and my buffalo from the start of the walk to the summit of the mountain as it is simply brillant kit!! warm when wet,very durable and so so so so comfy!! it isnt waterproof but is very warm when wet, it isnt really the thing to keep in your rucksack its more wear all day and put a waterproof on if it rains normally works for me and get a drybag for it so if you do take it off you can crush it down to a lovely small size! i could go on ranting all day about how good buffalo kit is but.... and dont worry i dont work for buffalo or something like that.

In reply to muriqui: emm, i haven't used buffalo before, but I do have a snugpak pileshirt elite, which is basically buffalo but with a bit thicker, and less soft pile. it is very warm, and as most people have said, dries very quickly, not waterproof and a very good piece of kit.
spent a week in scotland, all I really brought with me on the hills was the pileshirt and a primaloft jacket for lunch breaks (just cuz I get cold very easily). I have worn it with a very thin baselayer on and next to skin, with a baselayer if I'm on multiday trips, next to skin on weekend trips.
I wouldn't use mine during the summer, it's quite bulky to stick in a rucksack and I reckon I'd be better off with the good old waterproof during the summer. But for wintry stuff buffalo is probably as versatile as you could get.