GOREWEAR

C5 GORE-TEX Shakedry 1985 Viz Jacket - Men's

In 1985 Gore Bike Wear's released the Giro rain jacket. It was revolutionary and completely changed what we knew about wet-weather riding gear. Prior to that jacket, staying dry from outside weather often meant a sweaty steamy mess inside as materials were not permeable in either direction. Other manufacturers have since released jackets often using Gore membranes to balance protection from rain and breathability. In the 30+ years that have passed since the first Gore cycling jacket, it has quietly gone along making refinements and the C5 Gore-Tex Shakedry 1985 Viz Jacket is its most sophisticated rain jacket to date. This jacket works wonderfully well in wet conditions and it's so convenient that you won't mind that you brought it along even if things stay dry.

Gore realizes that you have to get out there and train regardless of the conditions so it crafts this jacket out of the lightest weight and most breathable material available known as Shakedry fabric technology. Most weather-proof fabrics have a porous face fabric for breathability and a weather-blocking inner membrane sandwiched between an inner liner and DWR-treated outer material. This design works well but it isn't as lightweight or packable as it could be. Plus, DWR treatment eventually wears off and the outer layer will begin to soak up water rather than in beading up and roll off.

Shakedry is super lightweight, and a paper-thin single-layer fabric that breathes better than any other wet-weather membrane. You can literally shake the jacket dry. This jacket will continually shield you from the wet throughput your ride and keep you dry so you won't miss an important training ride and the additional high visibility panels and reflective logos will keep you safe in low light.

Shakedry's lightweight feel and the material itself is very thin and because of that Gore cautions using it for anything except road use applications only. Abrasion from hydration packs, sharp branches, and the increased likelihood of not always keeping the rubber side down has us reserving this jacket for pavement use only.

Available in Lava/Grey with Red highlight panels and cuffs or Black with Neon Yellow panels, the Shakedry jacket provides much-needed visibility in the low light conditions that this jacket is designed to excel. We've found that this jacket encouraged us to continue to ride even in the heaviest downpours so it's nice to know that motorist will see us a little better while we're out battling the elements.

The single-layer construction is the showstopper on this jacket. It allows it to remain both light and easy to fit into a jersey pocket. Traditional three-layer membrane jackets are pretty bulky and prove to be a burden to carry if the weather takes a swing for the better. The Shakedry is hardly noticeable if you never use it. The jacket easily stows in the zippered front pocket keeping it compact and doesn't interfere with the rest of the contents in your pockets.

The Shakedry 1985 Jacket's fit is honed by Gore's work with elite athletes. It features a slim fit that prevents it feeling like a sail in the wind. On the bike, the coverage is plenty ample and we never felt limited in our range of motion. One of our favorite features is the fully customizable collar. It allowed us to dial in an optimum fit for comfort and protection.

The last detail that takes this jacket over the top is the two-way front zipper and reinforced hem that allows quick access to jersey pockets without having to fully unzip or take the jacket off. It seems like a small detail, but when it's raining buckets out, every little thing helps. Unzipping from the bottom is also a good way to dump heat while keeping your shoulders, chest, and back protected from the cold and rain.