There are few items of clothing closer to your heart than a base layer. Literally. This one has a bit of a twist: the front-facing and kidney sections are lined with a Windstopper membrane, so those chilly headwinds are tackled neatly. It’s protective enough you can leave your windproof at home in borderline conditions.
Many past Windstopper garments have been stiff and unforgiving, but Gore seem to have combined an elastic fabric with intelligent stretch panelling to bring everything in close for a neat and draught-free fit. It’s easy to forget you have the windproof bonus, in fact, until you hit a descent – zip up the neck and you instantly feel the benefit of the added protection.
Even discounting this bonus (which is pretty much negated if using it under a windproof outer layer), the Gore is a cracking base layer with great moisture transmission and a cosy feel.
The only reason we’d knock points off would be the cost – that is a lot for a base layer, no matter how good it is. Unfortunately for us, a brush with an overhanging branch tore a small lump out of the arm – an expensive, but not uncommon accident like that can cost you dear with this jersey.
This article was originally published in What Mountain Bike magazine, available on Apple Newsstand and Zinio.