Gore C5 Gore-Tex Trail Hooded Jacket review

The Gore C5 Trail Hooded Jacket has been designed as a packable jacket that still delivers full waterproof protection with the durability mountain biking requires.

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Gore C5 Gore-Tex Trail Hooded Jacket details

The specification of a Gore jacket is always founded on the technology of the material, and in the C5 Trail you will be spoilt with not one but two Gore-Tex materials.

It combines Gore-Tex Paclite Plus, with its enhanced abrasion resistant qualities, and Gore-tex Active, for maximum breathability.

The cut is both long and relaxed with enough room to layer up underneath in colder temperatures and there are good-sized pockets, even the chest one, as well as a two-way zip with an under-flap and a fully adjustable under-helmet hood.

Gore C5 Gore-Tex Trail Hooded Jacket performance

The Paclite Plus material is unusual in that it is a two-layer fabric that has a durable finish applied to the inside, giving the improved wear of a heavier material at a lighter weight.

That’s the theory, and in practice it works. Paired with my test standard of a long-sleeve Merino baselayer, this jacket has stayed comfortable across a range of temperatures from the 6-degree chill of early starts through the relative warmth of 17-degree autumn rain that would usually have me opening up vents.

In fact, the breathability is such that I happily wear this as a windproof when there’s no rain forecast.

But trail comfort is not determined by material alone, and it is the combination of the performance membrane and the mountain-bike specific cut that makes this such a good jacket.

The body is precisely shaped for mountain biking and there’s room for a mid-layer for chillier days.

The sleeves sit perfectly in the riding position and the cuff is well shaped, stepping down protectively over the back of the hands and integrating well with gloves.

The longer back gives good coverage and, even when the under-helmet hood is up, the body of the jacket doesn’t shift around and good peripheral vision is maintained.

Attention to detail in the form of good size pockets and a double front zip – which is always my preferred option – round out the reasons why this jacket gets a perfect score.

Gore C5 Gore-Tex Trail Hooded Jacket bottom line

The killer combination of the fabric’s spec and precise bike-specific cut make it difficult to fault the Gore C5 Trail. It is one of the best all-round mountain bike jackets I’ve tested.