Gore Distance Jersey Men's

The Gore Distance jersey is made primarily from recycled material, which is something we're seeing more and more of these days. This material is soft against your skin and I found it ideal for long rides as the hours and miles racked up. The fabric's breathability and comfort are great, as is the overall quality. In fact, just about my only criticism is the lack of vibrant colours it's available in, with ultramarine blue the only even vaguely bright colour among the black, grey, green and a much more muted 'orbit' blue.

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Looking for a new jersey? Then check out our best summer cycling jerseys buyer's guide, or the best cheap cycling jerseys buyer's guide if you're on a budget.

According to Gore and as its name suggests, the Distance jersey is designed for your longest days – and I'd say the defining factor in that is the fabric used. It's made from 86% recycled polyamide and 14% elastane, which as a combination feels very soft indeed against your bare skin if you aren't a baselayer-in-all-weathers rider.

I found it impressively breathable too. In the recent hot spell where the temperature remained above 25°C for days on end the Gore Distance did a great job of wicking sweat away from my torso, with the material drying well as the air flowed over me.

Being black the jersey's material did show my sweated-out salt quite quickly, which wasn't always that good a look when taking a café stop. Other colours are available, although they are all quite dark. For a long ride taking in twilight or sunrise, I think I'd have preferred something brighter.

However, thanks to its breathability the Gore Distance does work well in a wide range of temperatures. I never felt that it was too thick in warmer weather, and it will easily work when things are closer to 10°C.

Gore calls the Distance's cut 'Form Fit, and it is close, though not as snug as its race range – but you're not going to find any material flapping around. The material has a good amount of stretch, however, so it won't feel restrictive in any way, even if you go for that second flapjack at the café. Not that any of us would, of course...

It comes with a decent tail drop for good coverage when you're stretched out on the hoods or riding in the drops, and there's a silicone gripper to keep it in place.

The arms rely on the stretch of the fabric to keep them in place, and it works well without any unwanted pressure, although the long sleeves finish just above the elbow, which might play havoc with your tan lines if you're used to wearing jerseys with shorter sleeves.

The low neck means there's no need for a zip garage and the multi-panel design used for the shoulders means it maintains its shape whatever position you are in on the bike.

The jersey comes with the usual three rear pockets with a fourth, zipped security pocket on the right-hand side.

This is big enough for cards, cash and keys while the other three are deep enough to carry anything else you need. They are taut enough so that heavier items don't pull the jersey down or cause the pocket to sag.

Value

At £119.99 you can't exactly call the Gore Distance jersey a bargain – it's certainly a fair chunk dearer than the Altura equivalent, the £80 Endurance that Steve reviewed recently. The Altura is also made from recycled materials, although it has a slightly more relaxed fit than the Gore, and I'm not so sure about the look of the Altura's two-tone pockets.

The Velocio Signature jersey is also made from recycled fabric and is a similar shape and design to the Gore. It matches the high quality of the Gore Distance too, Ben really rated it, though at £149 it's a fair bit more expensive.

Conclusion

Dark colours aside, the Gore Distance jersey is easy to recommend for all kinds of riding. As you'd expect from a company with Gore's pedigree, it is very well made and the material used is comfortable, wicks effectively and is great for long rides in all sorts of weather conditions.

Verdict

Impressive performance from the recycled fabric, and great comfort and wicking for long-distance riding