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review

Gore Bike Wear Oxygen 2.0 Gore-Tex Active Jacket

9
£209.99

VERDICT:

9
10
Impressively waterproof and breathable jacket packed with nice features
Weight: 
0g

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The updated Gore Bike Wear Oxygen 2.0 Gore-Tex Active jacket brings in a few changes that ensure it should be at the top of your list if you're after a completely waterproof cycling jacket packed with smart features. It's an expensive investment certainly, but one that will never let you down in the most adverse conditions, and has the durability to ensure it's an investment that pays you back in the long term.

The jacket uses their latest Active Shell fabric, with taped seams everywhere. It's completely waterproof, as you'd expect - the heaviest and most prolonged downpours are easily kept at bay. The big downside with many waterproof cycling jackets when you're exerting a reasonable level of heat is the lack of breathability.

Need for breathability of course varies hugely from person to person, and is dictated by many factors such as activity level, temperature, weather and how long you're on the bike for. Some people run hot, others run colder, I definitely fall in the latter category; I need to wrap up with quite a few layers when it's cold.

Worn in a range of temperatures and on rides ranging from short blasts to all-day Audaxes, the Active Shell provides impressive breathability. Rarely did I notice any undue buildup of heat, never enough to lead to discomfort or the dreaded 'boil in the bag' syndrome that plighted early generation waterproof cycling jackets.

Care does need to be taken when choosing your layers, but I didn't find myself having to drastically altering my layering approach to factor in the Gore jacket, as you do with some inferior waterproof jackets. There aren't any ventilation ports, but the main zipper and the long zipped cuffs do provide a useful amount of ventilation when, or if, you need it.

The jacket is more than the excellent fabric; Gore has given the updated model some lovely details. The high collar keeps drafts out and the new cuffs are a generous size and length, and the zippers pull back to reveal an articulated cuff, so no problem removing the jacket over gloves. At the back of the jacket is a dropped tail to cover over your lower back and bum. There aren't any pockets, but there is a large zipped vent that lets you access the pockets in a jersey under the jacket.

The cuffs are covered in a generous slab of reflective and there are more reflective details scattered around the jacket, on the sleeves and body, which is a boon for commuters or cyclists training in the late evening.

The fit is good, with enough space to get a couple of layers underneath but it's sufficiently shaped and well cut that it generally sits closer to the body, keeping excess material to flap in the wind to a minimum.

It's not really a packable jacket. It's not intended as an emergency shell, so rolling it up into a jersey pocket is a challenge. It's breathable enough that you can wear it even after the rain has passed without fearing overheating.

When it comes to keeping dry, there are few jackets that offer protection quite as invincible as this one. It shakes off everything that comes it way, cocooning you from the weather. It's very impressive.

It's very expensive though: there's no getting away from that price tag. Take into account the excellent fit and features and the breathability, and it stretches away from most waterproof jackets. The Gore Bike Wear Oxygen 2.0 Gore-Tex Active jacket is a good pick if you want the best jacket for the worst weather

Verdict

Impressively waterproof and breathable jacket packed with nice features

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road.cc test report

Make and model: Gore Bike Wear Oxygen 2.0 Gore-Tex Active Jacket

Size tested: medium, red/black

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?

This GORE-TEX® Active jacket offers maximum breathability for the dedicated performance oriented road cyclist who trains in all weather conditions. A slim race cycling cut provides perfect fit. Two zipped side openings allow for easy access to the jersey pockets

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

Long back

Reinforced hem for easier closure of the zipper

Reinforced collar for easier opening of the zipper

Reflective print on sleeve cuffs and collar rim

Reflective print on sleeves, sides, and back

Reflective print on shoulders

Partially elastic hem

Zip tags for easy opening

Zip-underflap and zip-port

Ergonomically shaped collar

Reflective logo on front and back

- See more at: http://www.goreapparel.co.uk/OXYGEN-2.0-GORE-TEX-Active-Jacket/JGOXYM,de...

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
9/10

Excellent combination of waterproofness and breathability, about as good as it gets at the moment.

Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the product for weight, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

Yes it's expensive, but it's not bad value for money, taking into consideration the level of performance it provides.

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

Ideal for riding in the rain and wind.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

Is breathable enough that you won't overheat the moment you start riding in it.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The dropped tail could be a more generous shape and size.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? I'd seriously consider investing in it.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Anything further to say about the product in conclusion?

A really very good waterproof jacket that is breathable enough to not compromise its use.

Overall rating: 9/10

About the tester

Age: 31  Height: 180  Weight: 67

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: 10-20 years  I ride: Every day  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: road racing, time trialling, cyclo cross, commuting, touring, mtb,

 

David worked on the road.cc tech team from 2012-2020. Previously he was editor of Bikemagic.com and before that staff writer at RCUK. He's a seasoned cyclist of all disciplines, from road to mountain biking, touring to cyclo-cross, he only wishes he had time to ride them all. He's mildly competitive, though he'll never admit it, and is a frequent road racer but is too lazy to do really well. He currently resides in the Cotswolds, and you can now find him over on his own YouTube channel David Arthur - Just Ride Bikes

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5 comments

Avatar
Richard D | 8 years ago
0 likes

Do your arms reach down to your knees? Are they twig-thin? Then this could be the jacket for you!

But for anyone with normal proportions, it's a non-starter. I'm 5'7" and 175lbs. Forget any pretensions of wearing a Medium (even though my Rapha jacket in M fits fine); it'd have to be a Large. But although the Large fits my *body* fine, it won't fit my arms at all. I could almost live with the fact that the sleeves are 6" to long (even when on the bike); but they are so tight on my forearms there's no way to wear the jacket over a LS base layer. Lord knows how tight the sleeves would be on an M.

It doesn't matter how waterproof or breathable the jacket is; it's cut for stick-thin racers, not normal folk.

Avatar
Kadenz replied to Richard D | 8 years ago
0 likes

"Do your arms reach down to your knees? Are they twig-thin? Then this could be the jacket for you!"

Yes, they do and are respectively. But it's still not the jacket for me because it's not in hiz-viz and won't be very easily seen in the rain. The ugly blobs of black on the jacket only make the poor visibility problem worse.

Avatar
shutuplegz | 9 years ago
0 likes

I have the previous version of this jacket. Amazing piece of kit. Has never let a drop of water through after wearing it almost daily (on wet days or any day with a hint of moisture!) for the past year or so often in torrential rain and yet it seems more breathable than some of my non-water proof non-wind proof jerseys! I have never experienced so much as a hint of moisture building up on the inside of the jacket, unlike other waterproofs I own.

I wear mine a bit tighter than the reviewer above, his seems a bit loose to me. The dropped tail does a really good job of keeping my backside warm and dry. I sometimes wish it just had one small pocket for a key or a phone but I guess this would add to the weight and reduce packability. When you first put it on, standing up, it feels like an odd fit but as soon as you stretch your arms out on the bike it feels great and you soon forget it is on.

I was lucky enough to get mine at a heavily discounted price from Evans in a sale (about £80 off). Had I known how good it would be I may have paid rrp but it would have been a difficult decision without that hindsight.

Avatar
Speedystevie | 9 years ago
0 likes

Needed this jacket today, cold. My old gore-tex was having trouble coping.

Avatar
sean1 | 9 years ago
0 likes

I have got one. Best lightweight cycling jacket available IMHO. Breathable, fits well and keeps out the elements. If I anticipate a long ride in poor weather this is what I take.

I can just squeeze it into my jersey pocket so it is possible to carry it with you.

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