Gore ONE Gore-Tex Active Jacket review

The Gore One Gore-Tex Active Jacket is a light weight packable, water proof jacket specifically designed for cycling. With a retail price of £220 our expectations were high, so what makes this jacket so special?

Well according to the makers, the Gore One is made from Gore’s new Active Gore-Tex fabric, which uses a “Permanent Beading Surface” on the outside of the jacket, eliminating the need for a Durable Water Resistant (DWR) coating, which means the fabric can be reduced from three layers to two.

This results in a completely waterproof garment that still retains the breathability traditional Gore-Tex clothing is renowned for, but crucially, reducing the layers of fabric also decreases weight and increases packability. This is dramatic and our size small hit the scales at just 98g.

>>> Buyer's guide to waterproof cycling jackets

Watch: Tech of the month, featuring the Gore ONE. Skip to 3:30 to see the jacket

The Gore One is the most technologically advanced jacket we have tested and is also the best performing with regards to breathability and beading. Out on the road, waterproofing is nothing short of excellent. The performance of the Gore One really is on par with a dedicated hard shell water proof. However, (and this is the clincher) the low weight and high packability is comparable to a lightweight emergency rain cape. Something like this.  What you therefore have is (and it pains me to use this cliché) the best of both worlds.

>>> Buyer's guide to winter cycling jackets

Other features include a full-length waterproof zip, and high neck and long cuffs, and zipped valuables pocket. Over time, many other jackets loose their DWR, which diminishes beading and results in them becoming less waterproof. Having washed the Gore One multiple times at 30ºC, I can report the beading is every bit as good as when it was new. It has really impressed us in this regard and this attribute helps justify the high price somewhat.

It isn't a stretchy softshell, meaning that the fabric will flap slightly in the wind. That said, the fit is very good for a jacket of this type.

The Gore One is a superb jacket, and is hard to fault, but I can nitpick. Firstly, there is no escaping the price. At £220 this is undeniably a high-end item, although it should be pointed out there are more expensive jackets out there, such as those employing heavier eVent fabrics. Secondly, the zip on the Gore One is not rip fast, meaning that it requires two handed operation to open. Many competing jackets have zips that can be pulled open with one hand when unlocked and this is especially useful when riding.

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And another criticism is visibility. I like stealthy black, however many will argue that kit designed for bad weather could benefit from more visibility. I am aware though that printing graphics on the Gore One's high tech fabric is not straight forward.

Fore more information, head over to Gore.