By early 2014, I had been monitoring and photographing red squirrels in West Cumbria for about 18 months. It rains in Cumbria (sometimes heavily) and I found that my existing waterproofs did not provide the required level of protection and comfort. April 2014 saw me in Scotland and the weather forecast, unseasonably warm, suggested that my trip, carrying heavy camera equipment, was likely to be a distinctly uncomfortable experience. I bought my first Páramo jacket, a Cascada, for the trip, was delighted with the results, and soon bought my first pair of Cascada directional trousers. My comfort level immediately improved.