Anyone use Gore clothing ?

[peanut]

Has anyone bought and used any Gore clothing recently ?
Their stuff looks the dogsbollox in the May C+ page 41.
Mind you if I had a physique like the model i reckon i'd look good in rags

i'd like to try and co-ordinate my cycle clothing a bit more and thought this stuff looked good .
Is it good value for money ? what is the fit and durability like on their stuff ?
Wheres the best place to buy for price?

 

[montage]

Noodley's gonna kneecap you for this

 

[Gerry Attrick]

I have a long-sleeved jersey and a windproof jacket from Gore. Apart from crashing in my jersey the first time out and putting a hole in it, both items are superb, the jacket in particular. They seem to have a knack of making things that actually fit me properly.

Pricey, maybe....but quality.

 

[peanut]

Noodley's gonna kneecap you for this

Noodles ?.... nah he's just a big cuddly teddybear

 

[PaulB]

I worked for Gore for four years until 2007 and consequently got loads and loads of gear free or cheap so I can say without being burdened by financial interests that it is, on the whole, a bit of a disappointment. The zips they use (they don't manufacture them, obviously) are always rubbish and you cannot get them replaced as the material they are attached to is ePTFE heat-bonded onto the garment in house. Also, you would not believe the profit they make on the material itself. All the R&D costs were paid off years ago so it's almost pure profit now. It costs buttons to produce and they will only sell it to premium-label customers (Armani make a fabulous skiing jacket for instance) who charge ridiculous prices for it. Also, all Gore "associates" (they don't have employees!) are informed that when the material was first tested out in rainy conditions , in the Highlands of Scotland (Gore still have manufacturing facilities in Livingston and Dundee because of this), it was concluded the material did not work. This is because in order for the moisture to be transferred to the outside of the material, the outside air must be drier than the inside to allow this transferance but of course, as anyone who's been to the Highlands can testify, it's very often damp for days on end so this transferance cannot happen. This renders Goretex a waste of time in the very area they claim to be strongest in! On the whole, the cheaper materials out there are just as good as any impartial test would conclude.

 

[peanut]

wow thats a good review PaulB

I have done some searching and found the pricing structure to be ridiculous. No lycra bibshorts are worth £139.00 there just isn't anything new in their lycra products that hasn't been produced by other manufacturers for the past decade.

Its just a cynical attempt to make extortionate profits by exploiting the gullibility of those who are insecure enough that they need to parade their spending power .

Nobody is going to buy Assos or Gore if their products had no labels or distinquishing marks displayed for others to see or they could be bought for the same price as Lusso are they

 

[dellzeqq]

I've got three Gore cycling tops, and the Babe has one. They wash really well on 40degC if you use a liquid 'silk and wool' detergent like Ecover Delicate. They don't shrink. The arms are really long, which is good if, like me, you have long arms. My first Gore top is now three years old, and it's done a fair few miles - the tag on the zip has come off, but, other than that it's as good as new. They're very confortable. I'd say they were better than Impsport or Pearl Izumi. They're not as expensive (about £45) as some other brands. No experience of shorts, though.

 

[peanut]

I've got three Gore cycling tops, and the Babe has one. They wash really well on 40degC if you use a liquid 'silk and wool' detergent like Ecover Delicate. They don't shrink. The arms are really long, which is good if, like me, you have long arms. My first Gore top is now three years old, and it's done a fair few miles - the tag on the zip has come off, but, other than that it's as good as new. They're very confortable. I'd say they were better than Impsport or Pearl Izumi. They're not as expensive (about £45) as some other brands. No experience of shorts, though.

All the prices I've seen for Gore are pretty high ? I'll have another search

I had a couple of items made to measure by Impsport . The jacket went back twice for alterations .(they got the hood/ neck sewn on wrong way round ?) and the bib short insert was so badly mis-placed (half way up my back?)they have never been worn. Their measuring patterns are very weird .

 

[dellzeqq]

Peanut - I bought mine in Evans or Brixton Cycles - I can't remember which - but these were bogstandard prices less CTC discount. I'm talking about the ordinary soft tops - no waterproof stuff - although they do keep showers out admirably well for soft tops.

 

[peanut]

No good old bike shops down this way unfortunately. Thats one of the few things I really do miss . My Dad worked in Hobbs as a lad before the war and I used to love trawling around the old bike shops in the city as a kid.

I quite like the idea of having one make arm warmers, overshoes, mitts, socks and shorts instead of a peculiar eclectic mishmash I've made do with for years.

Gore have some reasonable contest shorts at £40.00 and their O/Shoes £30.00 and socks £11.00 won't bankrupt me i guess.

 

[HLaB]

I have the Gore Phantom jacket. Its quite warm so I only tend to wear in the middle of winter. It comes with zip off sleeves as I wear it in winter I've never removed them

 

[Mr Pig]

My main jacket is a Gore one and it works well. I totally agree about the price, I tried to find a what I wanted cheap for ages but it's not easy finding quality cycling jackets at a good price.

The breathability performance of the material will be different on a bike as you've got the air whizzing past. I certainly find that breathes better than the cheaper tops I've used and keeps the wind out quite well.

As I say, I use this jacket most of the time, only using a heavier one when it's very cold, and it's still going strong after five years. The zip is fine and there are no tears or pulls in it. Gets chucked in the washing machine at 30 and it's fine, although not all of the oil stains come out.

One annoying thing is that water gets through where the Gore logo is stitched on the arm. Bit of a stupid oversight that.

 

[dellzeqq]

I quite like the idea of having one make arm warmers, overshoes, mitts, socks and shorts instead of a peculiar eclectic mishmash I've made do with for years.

peanut - an interest in clothing labels is a healthy thing! I'm impressed.

 

[peanut]

peanut - an interest in clothing labels is a healthy thing! I'm impressed.

ok you have me there ,I'm shallow and a label snob