Buffalo Systems has made the same thing in the same Sheffield factory since the late 1970s: pile bonded to a Pertex shell, worn against the skin, doing the work of a base layer, a fleece and a waterproof at once. One garment instead of three, which is as useful in a carry-on as it is on a hill. Mountain Shirts, Belay and O3 jackets, and the Buffalo blanket.
Buffalo's Double P system. A fibre pile lining, worn against the skin, moves moisture away from the body; a windproof Pertex outer lets that moisture escape while blocking wind and shedding rain. Together they replace the base layer, mid layer and shell that most outdoor clothing splits across three garments.
Yes. Everything is made at the company's own factory on Broadfield Road in Sheffield, where it has manufactured for over forty-five years. It is one of very few outdoor clothing brands still producing garments in Britain rather than overseas.
You can, but it will not work as well. The pile is designed to sit directly against the skin and pull moisture off it — a layer in between interrupts that. Buffalo's own guidance is that the garment works most efficiently worn next to the skin.
Not in the way a membrane jacket is. Pertex sheds rain and blocks wind, but the system is designed to keep you warm while wet rather than to keep water out completely. The advantage is that there is no membrane to wet out, clog or delaminate over time.
