This Long ReView of the Páramo Aspira Jacket and Fuera Windproof Smock is supported by our friends at Nikwax.
Two of my oldest garments that I still wear regularly are the Páramo Aspira Jacket and Fuera Windproof Smock. I’ve had the Aspira since 2001 and the Fuera since 1997, and both are still going strong. The Aspira is a double-layer jacket made from directional Nikwax® Analogy® waterproof fabric, and it’s my first choice for severe winter weather.
Main image: Wearing the Aspira in the Cairngorms in 2024 | Credit: Chris Townsend
I’ve worn it in snowy conditions across the Highlands many times every year. The fabric stands up to the worst weather really well and the design is practical, with features that are easy to use with gloves on. The big wired hood is very protective while still allowing you to see to the side. All four chest pockets are accessible while wearing a hipbelt and roomy enough for maps, gloves and other items. The jacket is very breathable, and pit zips allow full ventilation. All the zips on the jackets have long pullers for use with gloves. It’s a great design and a great jacket. At 890g (Medium) it’s not light, and I only use it when I’m expecting to wear it all day.
The Aspira Jacket is no longer made but the Enduro Jacket is very similar and there is an Aspira 360 Smock. The Fuera is a simpler garment, looking like a traditional anorak. It’s made from a single layer of tough windproof polyester microfibre and is suitable for year-round use when windproof rather than waterproof protection is needed.
At 292g (Medium) it’s not as light as some windproof tops but it gives far more protection than most. It is a pullover garment but it’s easy to don due to the long front zip and the roomy fit. The Fuera has better features than most lighter-weight windproofs too. The hood is superb. It’s adjustable and has a wired peak, offering better protection than many hoods on waterproof jackets. There’s a huge chest pocket with vertical zips at each end that’s accessible when wearing a hipbelt. The sleeve cuffs are wide and therefore good for ventilation.
The Fuera isn’t waterproof but it will repel light rain and it dries quickly when damp. Breathability is excellent. It’s still available, now called the Fuera Classic Smock. After 28 years it deserves the title.
Caring for the Páramo Fuera Windproof Smock
To maintain the performance of both garments I wash them in Nikwax Tech Wash and treat them with Nikwax TX.Direct. The Fuera I wash whenever it’s dirty but I only use TX.Direct when the outer starts to turn dark from absorbing water, which doesn’t happen often. The Aspira is treated with TX.Direct at least twice a year so it stays waterproof, and it’s washed in Tech Wash whenever it gets dirty to maintain the water repellency.
As I don’t wear the Aspira in summer (it’s too warm for me) I always wash and reproof it in the autumn ready for the cold weather. Then I repeat this whenever the outer starts to absorb water, which usually happens at least once before the jacket goes away in the spring.
