Gore Bike Wear is currently selling the Gore-Tex C5 Infinium Hybrid for £139.99, which makes it excellent value for money for a jacket using a Gore-Tex. Tested by Alice Burwell with words by Alice and Paul Burwell.
Gore Bike Wear Gore-Tex C5 Infinium Hybrid womens jacket review
The shoulders and upper arms of the Gore-Tex C5 Infinium Hybrid feature Active fabric, with Infinium everywhere else, hence the Hybrid tag, but the overall wet-weather performance is good. We did notice a little bit of wetting out on the sleeves – which is when water tends to spread out in a thin layer – but we had no issues keeping dry, and with breathability sky-high, the jacket never felt sticky or clammy.
Read more: The best waterproof mountain bike jackets for getting through winter
The adjustable, under-helmet hood provides great protection from wind and rain, but if you have long hair, it can get a little cramped, especially at the neck as room is tight. The adjustable hem and waist cord stopper allow for a range of hip shapes, but this jacket only comes in three sizes and is relatively tight-fitting, so would better suit smaller body types.
The zip on the C5 Infinium Hybrid was smooth to open but, like most of the other jackets here, it had a very small pull-tag. The only one in the test that had a decent-size tag was the Endura Women’s Singletrack.
When you’re bombing down a trail, the partial elastic and Velcro cuff stops wind getting in, but they slope down where the elastic is, which some testers didn’t like.
We like the external hanger hook, cut-back styling and high-performance fabric, but most of all the price. As a super- lightweight shower jacket we can’t fault the Gore-Tex C5 Infinium Hybrid. Ride performance is very good but it loses a point due to the lack of sizes and limited neck space.
Tested by Alice Burwell with words by Alice and Paul Burwell.