Gore Path Jacket

[Tewdric]

I need a new waterproof to replace my venerable Karrimor Vail Paclite.  This is in the lead at the moment.  Does anyone have one - what are they like?

[lastant]

I bought a Gore Path as my waterproof jacket - primarily for the fact Gore gets such good reviews around the web and it packs down really small (first bought for my solo LEJOG). It currently lives at the bottom of my commuting rucksack all the time, which is extremely useful if the heavens open up around 16:00...!

The fit is perfect and means you can cycle without having it flap around in the wind. There's a 'Napolean pocket' on the front left breast and a reasonable sized pocket on the back (although this pocket is made up of netting as opposed to 'solid' material...so things can get snagged).

Went for the yellow option for visibility, it's not neon but more of a lemon-y colour - been impressed with it and if I did see them on offer anywhere I'd be tempted to pick up a black version for off-the-bike use.

Did have an issue after the arms started to let water in along the seams after six months or so. Not sure if it was because I washed it and there was still detergent in the machine or because it was faulty...took it back to Evans in case it was the latter and got a replacement with no quibbles so was pretty happy!

Start Fitness currently have them at £99.99. Whilst I wouldn't necessarily buy from them, if you print off that page and take it into an Evans or CycleSurgery you'd get them to price match it

[SiD]

Always found Protective Jackets well worth the outlay.

Great fit, well made.  I think Edinburgh have them exclusively in the UK.

All Protective Products At Edinburghbicycle.com

[GruB]

January 2011 Cycling Plus had a review on all the major waterproof jackets.
The Gore Path II came out tops in all areas - £139.99 though.

My first Goretex was £70 worth and you could see and feel the difference when I bought my Gore Oxygen jacket years later.  I still have that jacket and will soon ( next winter maybe ) need to change it.  Gore for me are the original and the best when it comes to waterproof jackets.

[Sergeant Pluck]

What size does it pack down to? Compared to say a Montane Featherlite Velo.

[GruB]

Endura Flyte - £99.99 - Best Buy
Medium weight feature packed Flyte proved an excellent choice for cold, wet days with it's PTFE protected material combining excellent waterproofing - even under high pressure - with good breathability.  The zip is protected by a wide velcro-secured outer flap, while the front page and large rear pocket have waterproof zips.  The cut makes for very comfortable cycling, helped by the use of more stretchy material in the shoulders.  The cuffs, hem and fleece collar are adjustable for maximum snugness and dryness, and the final touch is a glasses wipe stitched into the front pocket.  Neat.

www.endura.co.uk

Gore Path II - £139.99 - Editor's Choice
The first thing we do when we get the waterproofs in for review is to inspect the quality of the internal taping: poor quality taping will let in rain straight away and deteriorate quickly with use.  The quality of the Path II's taping is - as you'd expect from waterproofing pioneer Gore - superbly executed - the best on test.  This was confirmed by testing using the hydrostatic head, with both the material and seam proving impervious to water, even at high pressure.  The jacket itself is 270g, and the polyester Paclite material - as its name suggests - means it can be folded down into a neat, stowable package.  On the bike we found it offered the best balance of comfort and windproofing, waterproofing and breathability of any of the jackets.  The full length zip has external and internal protective flaps and a large loop for easy gripping, the front Napoleon pocket and a large rear pocket are well sealed against the rain, while the rear mesh pocket can double up as a cooling vent when things heat up.  Are there any improvements we'd like to see on the Path II?  The yellow may be bright but more reflectives wouldn't go amiss.

GORE BIKE WEAR™ Products

[vorsprung]

I currently have 3 jackets that are pretty good

1) a Paramo Velez.  I got this a couple of years ago for £120.  It is absolutely waterproof and extremely breatheable, excellent in winter and it has side vents for when it is warmer.  Fairly big and bulky though.  Suffering from oil stains...  Current full retail for Paramo coats like this is approx £200.  They have an ebay shop that does ex-demo and seconds which I am watching like a hawk for a Velez Light in my size.

2) Gore Oxygen IV.  This is the tiny, skimpy option.  It is "aero" fit.  It has a nice scoop tail.  This is also genuinely water proof and breatheable but it is not as good as the Paramo.  Excellent for when it is warmer.  I think it weights about 150g in it's stuff sack.  istr it was approx £110

3) Montane Stormrider.  This is the medium option.  It currently has a crash related tear.   The 2 layer eVent fabric this is made from is fabulous but the coat suffers from lack of attention to detail
The pockets seem to also be some kind of vent, but they don't really work that well and fill with water.  The zip is prone to jamming.  I'm glad I got this as an end of line bargain for £100 and I will be fixing the tear asap.  Worth considering if you see one.

[lastant]

What size does it pack down to? Compared to say a Montane Featherlite Velo.

Right...scientific imagery below...if I fold in the arms and then roll, it's roughly the size of a pack of Rich Teas!

Reckon if you had a drawstring bag the right size you could probably stuff it to the size of a large-ish orange.



_{* Apologies if I'm not supposed to be posting images this size to the forum!}

[Biggsy]

* Apologies if I'm not supposed to be posting images this size to the forum!

Don't worry, the forum automatically limits image size to 640x640.

[Tewdric]

I currently have 3 jackets that are pretty good

1) a Paramo Velez.  I got this a couple of years ago for £120.  It is absolutely waterproof and extremely breatheable, excellent in winter and it has side vents for when it is warmer.  Fairly big and bulky though.  Suffering from oil stains...  Current full retail for Paramo coats like this is approx £200.  They have an ebay shop that does ex-demo and seconds which I am watching like a hawk for a Velez Light in my size.

2) Gore Oxygen IV.  This is the tiny, skimpy option.  It is "aero" fit.  It has a nice scoop tail.  This is also genuinely water proof and breatheable but it is not as good as the Paramo.  Excellent for when it is warmer.  I think it weights about 150g in it's stuff sack.  istr it was approx £110

3) Montane Stormrider.  This is the medium option.  It currently has a crash related tear.   The 2 layer eVent fabric this is made from is fabulous but the coat suffers from lack of attention to detail
The pockets seem to also be some kind of vent, but they don't really work that well and fill with water.  The zip is prone to jamming.  I'm glad I got this as an end of line bargain for £100 and I will be fixing the tear asap.  Worth considering if you see one.

I was looking at Paramo but I already have the superb Hilltrek Ventile cycling jacket as a heavier weight foul weather option.  This is going to be my lightweight carry-on-long-rides option.

[Tewdric]

OK I pulled the trigger on an XXL lemon...  £114 from Amazon.

[Sergeant Pluck]

What size does it pack down to? Compared to say a Montane Featherlite Velo.

Right...scientific imagery below...if I fold in the arms and then roll, it's roughly the size of a pack of Rich Teas!

Thanks! Not a viable substitute for a Montane Fetherlite Velo, then. My current "proper" jacket folds to about that size but I'm on the hunt for something a little more packable.