Páramo Grid Technic Baselayer

£75 195g (M)

versatility, fabric performance, rapid drying

lack of vertical stretch

Fabric: Nikwax Parameta G (100% polyester) Sizes: XS-XL

Men’s version: yes paramo-clothing.com

As you’d expect from Páramo, this has several points of difference. The simple cut is quite boxy, giving a relaxed fit, with quite baggy forearms. It’s more like a lightweight mid layer than a body-hugging base layer so is kind to most body shapes. The polyester has plenty of horizontal stretch but is almost static in the vertical plane so a tighter fit wouldn’t work anyway. Páramo calls it ‘directional fabric’: it has a flat face against the skin for efficient collection of sweat, and a raised fleece-like grid pattern on the outside that spreads the moisture over a large area for faster drying. The raised grid pattern also traps air for insulation when covered with a windproof layer, but when worn alone allows air to circulate next to the skin for cooling. I tested it in tandem with Páramo’s Alize windproof and it does work very well, as neither garment is snug-fitting.

The sleeves are long enough to have thumb loops and the low-profile collar has a short zip, protected by a comfy chin guard and a smooth, non-snag inner flap. The seams are flat-locked throughout and the quality of construction is high. It’s classic polyester in terms of odour control: it gets smelly relatively quickly but is very fast-drying so even when backpacking it can be rinsed and dried in no time. This would have been Best Buy but for the lack of stretch, particularly across and over the shoulders, which is more noticeable under a mid layer and when using poles or reaching forward to scramble.