The Paramo Alta III boasts a longer and more pear-shaped cut than their smocks, plus a two way zip and arm vents to help with ventilation.
Paramo jackets have an almost cult-like following amongst their wearers, with people drawn to the highly waterproof, breathable and durable nature of the garments. The downside is that they are significantly heavier and bulkier than most shell waterproofs, meaning they are more suited as a jacket you will wear all day rather than one you pack in your bag in case of a shower.
Stepth Wetherell highly recommends
At the price point, this isn’t a cheap jacket, but it’s one that will last for years without compromising on its performance.- very waterproof
- excellent fit
- breathable
- heavy
| Quick Specs | |
|---|---|
| Price: £340 Weight: 1005g (size XXL Materials: Nikwax Analogy Waterproof fabric Hood: Wire peaked, volume adjustable Front Closure: Two way locking zip Underarm/Side Zips: Upper arm vents Pockets: 6 (2 zipped waist, 1 zipped 1 velcro chest, 2 zipped internal) Hem: Drawcord Cuffs: Adjustable – can be pushed up, velcro fastening Sizes: XS – 3XL Women/Mens version: Yes (S – XXL) paramo-clothing.com |
The Alta III is a versatile jacket from their range, perfectly suited for hill and mountain walking and with a longer (and more pear shaped) cut than their smocks, and a two way zip and arm vents to help with ventilation.
They have recently extended their sizing in the Alta III (and the Velez Adventure Smock) to include an XXL and 3XL (approximately a size UK 20-22 and 24-26). Rather than just grading up the jackets from the smaller sizes, they have redesigned the cut and fit to make sure they work for and properly fit plus size bodies, taking several years and lots of in-field testing to get it right.
They’ve done an excellent job on the design of the extended sizing. Wearing the XXL (I’m a UK 20), I found it a comfortable and spacious fit, and in proportion in all aspects of the garments – unusual for me as I’m pear shaped and used to finding things tight across the hips. I asked several other people I know of a similar size try it on, and it seemed a good fit across the board, apart for people who are very short who struggled with the length of the cut and the arms being too long. The other jacket that is available in the extended sizing though is the Velez Adventure Smock, and this would likely be a better choice due to its shorter fit.
The jacket is made from Nikwax Analogy Fabric and is designed to be ‘directional’, meaning the two layers of material work together – the outer repels water while the inside pushes moisture away from your body – while air trapped between the two provides insulation. I am a fairly sweaty walker, especially when hills are involved, but definitely found this was much less of an issue in this jacket.
As someone who runs fairly warm, this is not a summer jacket for me, but I’ve worn it extensively in the autumn and winter months and it has quickly become a jacket I reach for, especially in poor or cold weather. I was concerned about overheating when walking uphill, but found on opening the upper arm vents, rolling up the sleeves and unzipping the bottom of the main zip, I was able to stop myself overheating.
I have had to tweak my layering system as find I need less layers underneath than with other jackets, but it only took a few walks for me to adjust to this. One of the biggest things was how comfortable it is and how different it feels in comparison to other waterproofs. The way the directionality of the fabric works means it doesn’t have a hard shell like most waterproofs, so is much softer (and quieter) to wear.
Where this jacket comes into its own is in the rain. Even in some long and torrentially wet walks (including a particularly damp adventure on the Kinder Plateau), this jacket kept me warm and dry and didn’t wet through. It’s less windproof than some hard-shells I’ve worn, but the extra warmth that the jacket itself brings means I haven’t struggled with this. I’m also a fan of the reinforced panels on the shoulders to provide additional protection when carrying a pack as this is an area where I’ve found other jackets have let in water.
Functionality wise, there are two good sized waist pockets, located high to allow accessibility with a hip belt or harness, two chest pockets (one big enough for an OS map) and two internal pockets, which are perfectly placed to tuck in a phone. There is a sturdy two way zip that I found easy to operate, even with thick gloves on, and a spacious but adjustable hood that cinched down well in heavy rain.
The jacket can be reproofed at home with Nikwax products, and one of the other benefits of the fabric choice is that it’s easy to repair as you don’t have to worry about piercing the shell. That means simple repairs can be carried out at home, and Paramo offer a repair service for bigger repairs. The commitment to sustainability goes further and you can return unwanted jackets for repurposing or recycling in exchange for credit against a new jacket. The new extended sizing opens up these jackets to a new audience. At the price point, this isn’t a cheap jacket, but it’s one that will last for years without compromising on its performance.
Testing conditions
Steph tested this jacket on long walks throughout the winter of 2024/25 in weathers varying from wind and torrential rain to milder conditions. This review was first published in the April 2025 issue of The Great Outdoors.
