I’m a big fan of the Gore Passion Pants because they’re technically great, lightweight, good value, and don’t feel the need to dress you up in logos like a Formula 1 car. They are, however, very strangely named. I typed Passion Pants into Google and nearly lost my job.

The Passion Pants are slim fitting, but there’s still space underneath for kneepads

I’m still here though, as are the Passion Pants, which have proved themselves robust and well made enough to survive four seasons worth of riding. Like plenty of the best mountain bike trousers out there, The Passion Pant is lightweight, but still looks like a trendy DH pant, and manages to pack in features I really value on the bike.

Fabric and construction

First up the Passion is made from 89% recycled nylon and 11% elastane, Gore says its water repellent which means it must have a DWR coating on top, although it’s not listed on the site. The fabric is almost identical to the Rapha Trail Lightweight Pants then, which are our favourite trail troos right now, thanks to their robust build and airy feel.

Sure enough, the Gore Passion Pants feel really similar to the Raphas, they’re stretchy enough without feeling baggy or loose, and do breathe well enough in warm weather for e-biking. They’re actually slightly more breathable than the Raphas thanks to a small patch of laser cut holes on your inner thigh, but there’s not much in it really.

Tighten the waistband with a basic nylon belt, and Gore’s own plastic buckle closure

A simple popper closes the waist, it’s really robust but perhaps too secure because you have to tug quite hard to open it back up again. Then there’s a nylon retention belt and plastic buckle to tighten the Passion Pant up. No fancy ratchets, no Boa dials, just tried and tested tech.

At the other end the hem is tight when thrusting your foot through, but there’s a stretchy panel that yields, so it’s not like pulling on a pair of tights like the famously snug Specialized pants.

You get two proper size pockets for your hands on the Passion Pants, they feel soft and comfy and ideal when you’re standing around waiting for friends to turn up on a cold day, or pocketing your valuables post ride. There’s also a zippy pocket on your right thigh that’s ideal for your phone, but sadly no matching one on the left for a car key – I ended up cramming both into the phone pocket, which isn’t ideal if you value your screen.

Turnups… just for style. The Passion Pant is long in the leg though, and ideal for lanky riders

Fit and style

Gore is probably best known for its roadie gear, so while the fitting guide on the Passion Pants says regular fit they’re actually pretty snug in terms of the tapered leg and thigh width. That makes it ideal for me as I’m pretty tall and skinny (185cm, 82kg) and I like a skinny riding pant.

I’m either too skinny or the Passion Pants come up overly big

However they do come up a size too big, I went for a large and had to cinch up the waist strap. I also turned up the hem, which isn’t strictly necessary as the length is ideal on a lanky lad like me, but appeals to my vanity as I like the slightly shorter DH leg look. This is perfect for riders with long legs and short bodies then, who struggle to find pants that come long enough.

The Fox Ranger 3L Water Pant, Troy Lee’s Skyline Trousers … most leg gear is adorned with logos. Gore doesn’t go in for this flashiness, there’s one small Gore logo by the left hand pocket and that’s it. Well done Gore.

Subtle brand recognition makes these Passion Pants super stealthy

Performance

The Passion Pant really does feel like a lightweight pant, at 290g there aren’t many trousers that are lighter and it results in a floaty feel on the trail. The garment is super stretchy, is form fitting in all the right places and is my summer e-bike pick for its breathability and shower protection. There are better breathing pants out there though, specifically Patagonia’s Dirt Craft and the Endura MT500 Burner Lite Pant, so I’ll turn to them in hot weather.

I’ve not crashed in these thankfully, but I have ridden down plenty of overcrown trails without tearing them up. Undoubtedly though they will offer less protection than more heavyweight options, plenty of which offer reinforced sections for protection.

The zippy pocket is just the right size for a phone… leaving my car key with no place to go

The omission of a second zippy pocket is a problem for me personally, but it’s not a deal breaker. And in an ideal world the phone pocket would be slightly more supported as the fabric tends to sag under the phone’s weight, but really I’m being picky here.