GOREWEAR Concurve GTX Jacket Review

I have to admit GOREWEAR has never been a brand on my radar until I was introduced to the Concurve GTX Jacket this past spring.  It turns out this subsidiary of GORE-TEX has been designing products meant exclusively for bike and running for 30+ years now!

How Does GOREWEAR Compare to Patagonia?

In the past I never had seek out purchasing a dedicated rain shell living in Western Wyoming as rainy days are far and few between plus I have always found my trusty Patagonia Refugitive GORE-TEX ski touring shell has been up to the task of of pulling double duty in the past.  My trusty Refugitive shell weighing in at 15 oz. has always seemed sufficiently lightweight however the GOREWEAR Concurve shell at a scant 8.6 oz. weight pleaded for a use case for a lighter weight shell to carry along “just in case it rained”.

Typically, when heading out for an all-day adventure ride or on a mountain biking vacation/road trip I’ll just throw my trusty old shell in a my Camelbak M.U.L.E. or Osprey Savu 5 hip pack and call it good.  This past spring I traveled to Molini, IT to mountain bike and I ended up wearing and riding in the GOREWEAR Concurve GTX jacket almost the entire time I was there!

The weather was wet, very wet! In fact it rained and/or snowed 8 out of 10 days of riding while we were there and our guide Albi with Molini MTB said the snowline was as low as its been in the past 5 years!  So much for that sunny trip to Ligurian Alps!  What I am trying to get at is I practically lived in this jacket for a week.

Mountain Performance

It’s light, stretchy and keeps you dry what else could you ask for?  Well, I am glad you asked as GOREWEAR included a lot of well thought out features I never knew existed like a magnet to keep your hood from flapping around or tight fitting low bulk cuffs that seal out the elements which comes handy when your descending on a mountain bike 10000 feet a day in the rain or snow.  Not to mention the body mapped design that makes it feel like the shell isn’t even there thanks to its pre-curved arms.

What is GOREWEAR Made For?

Sounds like the perfect cycling jacket, right?  Well, guess what? The Concurve GTX was designed and sold as a running shell!  Turns out there are people who like to run in the rain and GOREWEAR has delivered a product that makes that experience just a little more enjoyable by keeping you dry while not inhibiting the body’s movement.

GORE-TEX ePE Membrane

This ISPO Award winning jacket features the new GORE-TEX ePE membrane which is said to be thinner, lighter and PFC free all while being “Guaranteed to keep you dry”.  Based on my experience the ePE lives up to those claims as it definitely kept me dry and I was able to stow it away in my Osprey Savu 5 with a little extra room to spare.  Another feature that makes this shell stand out is how it was body mapped to be shaped like the body in motion.  This design philosophy employed by GOREWEAR resulted in a product with less seams but also a more durable product that effortlessly moves with you.

Style

Other detailing that I like are the reflective accents because when your in Europe riding your bike you will inevitably end each trail on a narrow road and it’s a nice piece of mind knowing that the reflective accents may catch a drivers eye especially in the rain.

As an added bonus the Utility Green color didn’t make me feel like I stuck out like a sore thumb off the bike like my orange ski shell does. This jacket is pretty minimalist and just the way I like it: two zipped hand pockets, no pit zips, no internal pockets and no external zipper flap just clean, simple and functional design (with a couple of bonus features like a great fit and the hood magnet).

This is a slim fitting shell and doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for layering underneath but I found I was able to wear an insulated vest on long descents to keep my core warm.  While pedaling I found that this 8.6 oz lightweight waterproof shell paired paired extremely well with a lightweight shirt like the GOREWEAR Contest 2 LS Tee that I got a chance to test out on this trip as well.  When zipped up I was able to seal out the elements but when it came to dumping heat on uphills I was able to unzip the shell and be comfortable during high exertion efforts.

GOREWEAR Concurve GTX Jacket Pros & Cons

Pros:

• Lightweight, stretchy, and keeps you dry.
• Body mapped design for comfort and movement.
• EPE membrane for thin, light, and waterproof.

Cons:

• Not much room for layering underneath
• No pit zips for ventilation
• Slim fitting design may not accommodate all body types

Overall Impression

In summary I am a big fan of the GOREWEAR Concurve GTX ($250.00), it is now my go to shell for everything but skiing (however I think it could find it’s way in my pack for spring tours)!  It’s fully waterproof while being ultralight, breathable and highly packable which leaves me with little reason not to have it stashed away for any adventure.  Whether its living in the bottom of my frame bag on my gravel bike or shoved into my Patagonia MLC while traveling, its good to know I have a dependable versatile shell with me at all times.

Related GORE-TEX Products

1. Salomon Outpulse GTX Shoes
2. La Sportiva TX Mid GTX Hiking Boots
3. Velocio Alpha GTX Cycling Clothes