Gore Winter Jacket Review – Decent, But Could Try Harder

Gore Bike Wear have deservedly been one of the leaders in the cycle clothing marketplace for many years.

They’ve consistently made high-quality wind and rainproof garments for riders prepared to pay premium prices.

But after testing a recent addition to their range, I’m wondering if this success hasn’t bred a degree of complacency.  Or is it a case of their competitors being quicker to embrace new technologies and fabrics to produce better value items?

Gore – as its name implies – relies heavily on Gore-Tex as the key membrane for keeping out the cold and rain.  But Gore-Tex is just one in a growing number of membranes that have been developed for this increasingly competitive market, and if Gore Bike Wear isnt’ careful, it could be left behind by its rivals(at least in the mid-price range).

I base this conclusion on the couple of hundred miles I have cycled in raw, Scottish winter conditions wearing their Contest SO Windstopper jacket.

Now don’t get me wrong, it’s a decent bit of kit, but there are a few infuriating little details which I probably wouldn’t even have noticed but for the fact they are conspicuous by their absence on rival, similarly-priced jackets.

The jacket is softshell and is pleasant to feel on the outside.   The inside, however, is a different story.  It’s cold and clammy.  Worn over a short-sleeve baselayer, it’s as if the icy finger of doom is caressing your skin.   A long-sleeve baselayer is essential.

Pearl Izumi’s Select Thermal Barrier jacket, which I reviewed here and which uses WxB membrane instead of Gore-Tex, is much more comfortable, and £30 cheaper than Gore’s RRP.

Then there’s the sizing.  All my jackets, in a variety of brands, are XL, providing sufficient sleeve length for when I’m stretched out on the hoods.  The problem with the XL Contest SO jacket is that while it is certainly capacious and lengthy elsewhere, the sleeves are on the stingy side.  With my arms at full stretch on the bars, there was always a tiny gap between the cuffs and my gloves.  Not what you want on a winter ride.

I have an old Sprayway jacket (also made from Gore-Tex) which, though clammy on the inside, at least has generously cut sleeves and, unlike the Contest jacket, can be stowed away in a back pocket.

Ah yes, the pockets.  The good news is that there’s a handy “Napoleon” zip pocket on the front which is handy for keys, change or phone.  The bad news is that the traditional three rear pockets have been replaced with one, wide pocket, which means you cannot compartmentalise your spare innertube, levers, pump or packed lunch for easy access.  (The aforementioned Pearl Izumi jacket also features only one rear pocket, but this is a bit more spacious and also has a zip)

Finally, did the jacket keep me warm?  Well, we’ve had a particularly cold winter up here in Scotland, with a wind chill factor down to -3 on a couple of days I wore the jacket.   Let’s just say there was no chance of me overheating.  The Windstopper material was as effective as Pearl Izumi’s Barrier technology at diluting the full Arctic effect of the headwinds I regularly rode into, but neither was as effective as my regular winter jacket, though that did cost twice as much as either.

Conclusion

So on the whole, this jacket is a bit of disappointment, though that’s largely a reflection on the quality of rival products available in the same price range rather than any major oversights on the part of Gore.

They simply need to up their game a bit, that’s all!

Gore Bike Wear Contest SO Windstopper jacket, RRP  £110.  Value for money:  3/5