Skip to main content

Gore Power Trail Gore-Tex Active jacket


In a field of not just good but very good jackets, the Power Trail nudges ahead because, having worn everything else, we found ourselves coming back to it. Simply put, it just feels right. The cut is immaculate. Underarm fit seems to be the hardest thing to get right on a bike jacket, but this is perfect – raise your arms and the body of the jacket stays put. The shape of the arms means they articulate with yours in the riding position. With a semi-fitted cut, there’s enough room to add layers but it doesn’t feel baggy if you don’t.

Gore’s construction quality is always high, but the detailing here is also impressive. The hood is designed to go under rather than over a helmet, with a stretch inner band and narrow turn-back on the outer that channels water down and away from your face. Once we tried it, we were converted to the under-lid design, which felt better than even the best-cut over-helmet alternatives. The zip pulls have been improved and made longer and the one chest pocket is generously sized, making both easy to use.

The three-layer Gore-Tex Active Shell fabric feels durable and robust but is still highly breathable – so much so that we’ve found ourselves using this jacket on rain-free days to take off windchill, rather than turning to our usual choice of a softshell or windproof shell. All in all, the Power Trail offers the perfect combination of fit, fabric and waterproof on-thebike performance.

Weight 311g

Price $345
Labels

Popular posts from this blog

Cannondale Trail SL 29 SS

The fat aluminium tubes are a constrast to the skinny items seen elsewhere in the test, but this rigid Cannondale uses them to create one of the most old-school - and lightest - rides here.

READ MORE >>

Merida Big Nine 100

Wit the bikes swapped over, we head out on the same loop again, this time on the 29in Big Nine 100. Whereas the Big Seven was snappy off the line, the 29er takes a couple more pedal strokes to get up to speed. That said, once it's up there, it's easy to keep the big wheels rolling, allowing us to cover ground with ease. The fire road is at times a little rough, and the bigger wheels roll over the imperfections so we barely notice them.

READ MORE >>

CANYON NERVE AL 8.0

  S ince their entry into the UK market a few years ago, Canyon have made a name for themselves as purveyors of well-made bikes that exhibit often extraordinary value. The secret (or catch, depending on your point of view) is that the brand don’t have dealers – they ship bikes directly to your door.

READ MORE >>

SKS Airbuster CO2 inflator

The alloy Airbuster has a large knob so you can regulate the flow of gas, a mechanical stop to prevent the cartridge being pierced in transit and a dust cap to keep the valve free of debris. While it works with Presta and Schrader valves, switching between them requires a fiddly change of the valve head. The thin rubber sleeve doesn’t provide much protection from cold spent canisters. You can’t insert much of the valve into the inflator head, so you have to be careful to avoid leaks. Price $33 w/16g cartridge

READ MORE >>

KONA SHRED

With a reputation for no-nonsense ruggedness and a background in the always progressive and punishing riding of Canada, Kona have been building hardcore hardtails for longer than almost anyone else. The Shred is the most expensive bike on test but it’s a proper trail tank.

READ MORE >>