Designing for Winter

Greg Care has been designing and field-testing outdoor gear for Páramo for over 20 years. Country Walking magazine asked Greg what guides his thinking when it comes to cold weather…

“Allowing the wearer to control their temperature is my main focus of my work, and that starts with supporting the body’s natural temperature regulation.

The challenge is to reduce the build-up of moisture, so each element in the clothing system needs to move moisture away from the skin. Páramo partners with Nikwax, whose directional technologies remove moisture really effectively from perspiration and condensation.

But effective ventilation is just as vital. The wearer needs to avoid overheating and sweat production when they are working hard. So we design clever ventilation that lines up in each clothing layer to allow fresh air to cool the skin while minimising water ingress.

Then there’s simplicity of operation for cold hands and numb brains. We need to cut down on faff; that means strong, grippable fastenings and adjusters; big pockets and sturdy securing points for equipment.

Finally, I pay a lot of attention to creating a user-friendly hood. It’s crucial to heat preservation that the hood fits well, adjusts well and doesn’t compromise vision.

And just when you’ve thought about all that – you then have to present it in a world of fashion and style. So there are no easy compromises in this game!”

Greg Care