The Gore Explore Shorts Mens offer strong performance for gravel riding, and in reality they’re just as good for commuting as they are for adventures. You’re really paying for the privilege, though.
The Explore is a do-all pair of shorts that can be used for gravel riding, bike packing, or just for commuting. They have several features that make them particularly useful for multiple situations.
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One of the keys to them being so multi-disciplinary is the amount of stretch they give, whilst still being water and wind resistant, and maintaining a good level of breathability too.
Despite being relatively form fitting, they should be comfortable to wear regardless of your size or shape – they do not restrict movement at all. It’s almost like wearing a baggier version of lycra bib shorts.
This makes them good for anything from intense gravel riding right through to sitting in pubs on a hot day, and practically anything in between. The freedom of movement is unlike I’ve generally found in any other commuter/gravel/adventure shorts so far.
Their multi-functional qualities are further helped by the straps on the hips, which adjust the waistband elastic running across the back. It’s easy tweak them for bib shorts beneath during a commute, then readjust them for casual wear for the rest of the day.
It also means that sizing is not the critical step it can be – as long as you’re in the right ball park, you’ll be fine.
Another benefit of so much stretch is that the closure doesn’t need to be more than a single popper and fly zip. When I initially saw these I thought they would just continually pop open, given how easy they are to open and close, but this was not the case at all. The minimal hardware means less stuff to stick into you as you ride, too.
Water repellency is good too. I stayed comfortable in rain and found them really useful over the top of regular shorts as protection. They’re not water resistant all the way round, but instead have ‘spray protection’ – the back central panels are inherently water resistant to protect against wheel spray, but the other panels are just treated with a water repellent.
I didn’t really have the opportunity to test these in extended heavy rain, but during the heavy showers and spray I experienced, I was impressed by the protection.
The Explore shorts are designed for hot weather, and this is helped by the material being quick drying and breathable. I wore these over the top of bib shorts in 32 degrees without finding I really needed to strip off midway home.
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Gore includes some nice features, such as the rubberised gripper to keep the back in place either against skin or fabric, two regular pockets and a small ‘keys’ pocket, a mid-calf pocket and a single rear pocket.
I found it a practical combination both off and on the bike. There are also a number of high-vis areas to help with being seen.
Value
At £119.99, this is an expensive pair of shorts. You could compare them to the Endura GV500 Foyle Shorts which come in a full £40 cheaper, but those do not have the same kind of water resistance and stretch.
The closest I have used are the Rapha Randonnee shorts, and while those are cheaper at £90, they also lack the neat, close fit and excellent stretch.
Overall
The Gore Explore Shorts Mens are a very good pair of shorts. The material has a huge amount of stretch, they’re very comfortable, they offer good protection and have an impressive amount of pockets too. There’s no getting around the fact they are very expensive, but if you’re happy with the price, you’ll be very happy with the performance.
Verdict
Impressive, comfortable and versatile shorts – worth it if you’re okay with the high price
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road.cc test report
Make and model: Gore Explore Shorts Mens
Size tested: Large
Tell us what the product is for
Gore says: ‘The ideal combination of protection, style and versatility for gravel riding, adventure and bike packing. Wear alone or over padded inner shorts.’
Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?
PFC-free, DWR treated material
Water resistant center back wheel spray protection panel
Rugged, abrasion resistant fabric
4-way stretch fabric
Lightweight, breathable material
Adjustable waistband with lateral buckles and rip tab
Zipper closure and snap button
Silicone coating at the inner back waistband
Two front pockets
Security pocket inside right front pocket
Zip pocket on right thigh
Back pocket
Inseam length 30.5 cm / 12 inches
Reflective details
Very well made; strong stitching combines with an impressive amount of stretch in the fabric.
The fit, the stretch, the protection and breathability are all excellent.
Abrasion resistant and feel likely to last.
With the amount of stretch and adjustability, a good fit is easy to achieve.
There is so much adjustability and stretch that sizing is almost irrelevant.
There is no getting around the fact they’re very expensive, but their quality and versatility goes some way to justifying it.
How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?
No problems.
Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose
Very well: they are versatile, comfortable, and durable.
Tell us what you particularly liked about the product
The fabric, the amount of stretch, and the water resistance.
Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product
They are expensive.
How does the price compare to that of similar products in the market, including ones recently tested on road.cc?
At £119.99, this is an expensive pair of shorts. You could compare them to the Endura GV500 Foyle Shorts which come in a full £40 cheaper, but those do not have the same kind of water resistance and stretch.
The closest I have used are the Rapha Randonnee shorts, and while those are cheaper at £90, they also lack the neat, close fit and excellent stretch.
Did you enjoy using the product? Yes
Would you consider buying the product? Yes – on sale
Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes – when on sale
Use this box to explain your overall score
These are very good, versatile shorts that can be used for a huge number of activities. They’re really well made and should last, too. With a lower price they could score higher still.
About the tester
Age: 33 Height: 6 ft Weight:
I usually ride: CAAD13 My best bike is: Cannondale Supersix Evo
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: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding, fixed/singlespeed,
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