It's 1977: Nick Brown, a 22-year-old Englishman and keen walker, is fed up with boot waterproofers that soften the leather of his walking boots. In his North London flat he mixes his own wax to make leather waterproof without softening it, and that's how Nikwax is born, a brand that would go on to change how outdoor gear is cleaned and proofed.

The passion grows with every season. Nick keeps asking himself the same question: why do waterproof jackets leave you wet from the inside? Membranes stop the rain, but they also trap sweat. In 1986 he tests his first garments high in the páramo of the Andes, the wet, wind-swept zone between the treeline and the snowline. In 1992 he founds Páramo.

Right from the beginning the choice is clear: no classic membrane. Instead, Páramo develops the Nikwax Analogysystem, inspired by the way animal fur keeps animals dry. A pump liner and a microfibre outer layer work together to actively push moisture outwards, so the clothing stays waterproof, windproof and breathable, even during hard effort in changing weather.

Most Páramo garments, including every Analogy waterproof, are made in Bogotá, Colombia, together with Miquelina, which gives women in vulnerable situations training and fair, stable work. The workshop is Fair Trade certified (WFTO). Quality and people go hand in hand.

Páramo also stands for durability. Every garment is designed to last for years: repairable in Páramo's own repair workshop, running since 1999, and re-proofable with Nikwax, which is a deliberate choice against throwaway gear. In 2022 Nick Brown handed ownership of Páramo to its employees.

Today Páramo is the reference for anyone who spends long days outdoors in unpredictable weather, from UK Mountain Rescue teams and search dog teams to hikers, trekkers and alpinists. The collection carries on Nick Brown's original idea: clothing that works with your body instead of against it.