What I got to say about the new design of the New Velez Jacket?
Well certainly this is something that Paramo has been doing since a certain sort time with new outcomes on jackets, like the Ciclo jacket, and the Enduro. From my personal experience I have to say that the New Velez is better than any other jacket I’ve ever worn.
The innovation of the Mesh pump liner has change the functions of jackets, drastically. Paramo Directional Clothing is my favourite, and I’ve wear this pieces in Patagonia (Chile and Argentina), Cocuy National Park (Colombia) and Los Nevados National park (Colombia), but some piece on the designs were missing.
The New Velez Jacket has put all together and my perspective is very different now.
Weather condition in Los Andes, specially in Colombia (7o N Lat. Central Andes), is always a matter of variability. Be prepared to take off and on the jacket almost every time. Expect cold chilly mornings, followed by warm, windy noons, and rainy and cold afternoons; Freezing cold-wet mornings during climbs on snowy volcanoes and super warm and dry dehydrated descents. All variabilities makes you change your cloth system every time. There is not any single jacket that can do the job properly, and if you want to save time and energy you have to get a piece that can do the job.
The new Mesh Pump liner opened the possibilities for innovation.
Vent control
The New Mesh pump liner has opened the possibilities on thermal control and regulation. The Velez has came out with a new innovative feature: Pockets on the lateral sides with easy access and armpits with great air control.
The pockets are made with the Mesh pump liner, which moves the air while insulating temperature; easing the thermal exchange and regulation on the body. The lateral zippers can be opened while leaving the pockets closed; this is achieved with two zips from outside to the inside, facilitating the airflow in the jacket. The zips sliders never stuck; the pullers are small and save additional weight.
Bulkiness can trap gear and that’s very annoying.
The arm pits zippers are also a nice feature. You don’t open the vents directly to the inside, but onto the mesh, protecting the fast lost on energy, regulating gradually while walking.
The cloths are not stick and when you leave the cuffs open, you feel the air moving through the mesh, achieving cross ventilation.
Different layers (dry quickly – Protect you core of loosing temperature)
Two different layers are set on the jacket, The Nikwax Analogy waterproof (Standard weight and Light weight), with a mapping on the distribution.
The Light weight is set on the lower part of the jacket, lower sleeves and lower skirt so water can dry quicker, running down as it dries, saving extra weight when jacket is damp. On the core and shoulders is set Standard weight with double Mesh pump liner so temperature can be retained, and the jacket can stand more abrasion.
Pump liners well distributed
The pockets made with the Mesh pump liner works as a double layer, which protects the core of losing temperature, just like if you were using a vest below the jacket. On the shoulders another double pump liner that help moving transpiration across it and feels good on your shoulders with less pressure below your rucksack.
Full front zippers.
If the vents cannot regulate the temperature, and you are working very hard, the temperature arise as you walk, you don’t want to stop to take the jacket out, you can just open the jacket with a full zipper, so a huge mass of air can get inside and move the extra temp on your body.
Mobility (not breaking seams)
The New construction have put in consideration many moments of breaking seams on the jackets and Trousers, saving long night moments for reparation and leaving it for free rest. The location of the seams across the shoulders have improve the mobility considerably, so while climbing your movements are not restrict; you don’t get piss off because you can not reach a piece for the climb, or your water bottle in your pack, or that tinny hole that will save your ass from falling; so the asymmetry and curvature of the seams have put the jacket into a more sporty and better fit.
Descent from La laguna de los tres at el Chalten, Patagonia. Seams were broken on my pants after sprint down the slope.
Great fit (Hood – added bungee cords and improve visibility while protection)
Old models use to have a nice looking hoods that had little problem; while closed, the visibility were narrowed or blocked. With the adds on bungee cords on the rear and the neck, the problem is solved and you can control visibility from all vertices.
Sweet black colour!
No stains? No, is just the black colour that camouflages the dirt. This is very sweet when you want to use the dirty jacket after you’ve been on the mountain for a month or so and your mother comes to visit.
No stain no gain.
That’s when I realize the black colour is a sweet add on colours, so even though we all know that dirty is hydrophilic and your jacket works better clean; the stains are covered under the black colour and you can use it for longer days, in front of your mom, before it goes into NIKWAX treatment.
Cons:
I use to love to access to warm pockets of the old Velez from the zippers to the inside, so I could get the pack hip straps attached to my body not the jacket, leaving it clean for longer; I could also get my cold hands inside and get some of the trapped heat.
On the other side, I am over heated man and to control the temperature on my back is always a problem. Cross ventilation could solve that, adding some vents on the lateral-back side of the jacket.
Conclusion:
The New design have put in consideration many things out of the box, but is the New Mesh pump liner that has make it possible. The mapping on fabrics improves temperature control, mobility, weight savings and bulkiness, great add-on.
