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review

Gore Element Lady Windstopper Active Shell Zip-off Jacket

8
£149.99

VERDICT:

8
10
A well made, versatile and attractive jacket/gilet combo – good for year-round use
Weight: 
288g

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A gilet is possibly one of the most versatile pieces of kit any cyclist can have in his or her wardrobe. A gilet that also doubles up as a jacket just about trumps that, and the Gore Element Lady Windstopper Active Shell Zip-Off Jacket is a stylish jacket/gilet combo that will happily take a rider right through the year in comfort.

Made from Gore Windstopper Active Shell fabric, this jacket is designed to be the optimal balance between protection from the elements and enduring comfort no matter what level of exertion. The fabric is intended to be windproof, highly water resistant and also breathable. The zip-off arms make it even more appealing as a one-garment-does-it-all offering.

Buy Gore Element Lady Windstopper Active Shell Zip-Off Jacket 
Find your nearest Gore Bike Wear dealer 

Aside from the appeal of the zip-off sleeves effectively giving two garments in one, it's also a very well-featured jacket, with two zipped side pockets, a hem drawcord and reflective accents. There are also internal soft fabric cuffs which can be worn handwarmer style if desired or tucked away as usual. The style is very sleek with some nice striking contrast colour here and there, in all but the black option, to lift it above the norm.

 

Billed as 'comfort fit', the cut is sleek without being over tight, with a medium being roughly equivalent to a comfortable UK size 12. Length in the sleeves is good, as is the torso, although taller women might find it a touch on the short side in the body. The fabric gives just enough stretch for a comfortable fit no matter what the position on the bike, while the cut means it stays put at the bottom too.

>>Read more: Buyer's Guide to winter jackets

As a jacket it is best suited to the chillier shoulder months and even winter, where its versatility is impressive and comfort spot on. In warmer conditions, although it breathes very well and doesn't get overly sweaty inside, it is quite warm for anything other than relaxed leisure cycling, unless worn during cooler spells or mornings/evenings. As a gilet, though, it's outstanding through all but the very hottest conditions, offering guaranteed wind protection and enough water repellency to see off even fairly persistent rain.

By far the best thing about this jacket is that, obviously, you get both jacket and gilet in one, and the ability to change as you ride. One minor snag is the lack of a handy rear pocket in which to stow the sleeves once removed, but they do fit happily into the side pockets. It's also tricky to remove and replace the sleeves, since they attach via two zips each, so you'd not really want to try it on the fly, but changing them didn't take long and was a good excuse for a rest.

As somebody who rarely finds the need for a fully waterproof jacket, this sort of softshell top ticks all the boxes for me, and even more so with the zip-off sleeves increasing its versatility and therefore value for money.

Verdict

A well made, versatile and attractive jacket/gilet combo – good for year-round use

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Gore Element Lady Windstopper Active shell Zip-off Jacket

Size tested: size 38, turquoise/neon yellow

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

Aimed at all types of cyclist, from leisure rider to commuter, roadie to MTBer '' designed for year round versatility.

Definitely a jacket for all seasons.

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

Made from Gore Windstopper Active Shell Fabric.

100% Polyester shell with Windstopper membrane

2 front pockets

Reflective print on sleeves

Reflective piping on the back

Elastic sleeve cuff with thumbhole

Detachable sleeves

Hem drawcord

Stormflap on front zip

Reflectoive logo front and back

Raglan cut

Machine washable at 40

Available in sizes XS-XXL

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
10/10

Very well made from excellent quality fabric and components.

Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10

Very comfortable and effective – it's just a shame that removing and replacing the sleeves is a bit of a faff.

Rate the product for durability:
 
8/10

Should last ages. Very well made and great quality fabric.

Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
7/10

Not the lightest but it's designed to be a year-round jacket for use in changeable weather so that's not a problem.

Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
9/10

Very comfortable indeed.

Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Not cheap, but not bad value at all when you consider it can be worn all year round and is effectively two garments in one.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well indeed.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Style, versatility, cut, colour contrasts.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

Lack of rear pocket for sleeves, slightly fiddly sleeve removal.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Use this box to explain your score

A genuinely versatile and good looking piece of kit that can be worn all year round.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 43  Height: 1.65m  Weight: 73kg

I usually ride: Boardman Hybrid Fi  My best bike is: Specialized Ruby Elite

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Experienced

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, touring, sportives, general fitness riding, mtb,

 

Lara has been riding bikes for longer than she'd care to admit, and writing about them nearly as long. Since 2009 she has been working as part of the road.cc review team whilst championing women's cycling on the side, most notably via two years as editor of the, sadly now defunct, UK's first and only women's cycling mag, erm, Women's Cycling. 

Believing fervently that cycling will save the world, she wishes that more people would just ride a bike and be pleasant to each other. 

She will ride anything with two wheels, occasionally likes to go fast, definitely likes to go far and is always up for a bit of exploring somewhere new and exciting. 

Add new comment

3 comments

Avatar
herohirst | 8 years ago
0 likes

Wow. A jacket for stopping Lady Wind?
A steal for £150.

Avatar
crikey | 8 years ago
0 likes
Quote:

Looks super design

...said Helen Keller...

It looks like a fluorescent bin bag!
Why would a cycling jersey have pockets on the front?

Avatar
Yorky-M | 8 years ago
0 likes

Looks super design

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