GORE WEAR LUPRA JACKET REVIEW

A PNW DREAM LAYER

Review by Alex Sardella | Photos by Vinnie Zacha-Herthel

Gore-Tex is now a name that needs no introduction. With premium performance for wet and cold environments, most of us are familiar with seeing Gore-Tex as the standard in high quality outerwear. However, did you know Gore-Tex has their own brand of goods which they call Gore Wear? Gore Wear uses their patented Gore-Tex material to create quality offerings for cycling and running. The shoulder season can be a quick one here in Tahoe, but I’ve been able to log plenty of wet miles in their lightweight bike-focused Lupra Jacket this Spring.

THE LAB

The Lupra Jacket is Gore’s take on a do-it-all trail jacket to take on wind and water, ascents and descents. It uses Gore-Tex Infinium which should provide a comfortable environment for a rainy day in the woods, being totally windproof, water resistant, and breathable. The material has a nice four-way stretch to improve comfort both on and off the bike, and taped seams in key areas to further bolster the water resistance. To make it best tailored to life in the saddle, there’s a tapered drop-down rear, and a hood that goes easily over a helmet. The hem is adjustable to cinch down tightly and prevent ride-up, and the sleeve cuff is partially elasticated to allow it to move with you. There are two zippered pockets for storage around the stomach, which sit a bit higher than what you would find on a normal hoody. This pocket position was selected to offer backpack and hip pack compatibility, so the straps don’t interfere with whatever you put inside the pockets – a nice design here. The Jacket features a reflective material on each forearm, which will come in handy for those that pedal on the road to their local trailhead. If you need to roll up the jacket, it does pack well and only weighs 10.9 ounces (309g). The Lupra Jacket is available in three colors, sizes XS – XL and runs a respectable $180.

THE DIRT

Let’s start with the color, as the “Uniform Sand” tested is a bright and bold yellow. Surprisingly, I don’t mind it – it’s quite cheery on the gloomy, rainy days. The yellow is a bit toned down too so it’s a bit off from a yellow rubber duck.  If it’s not your style there are darker colors available like black or dark green, but the yellow is growing on me after wearing it on a few rides. In terms of fit and feel the XL is standard and fits nicely on both the arms and cuff of the jacket. The tapered rear is a nice touch and comes in clutch when the trail gets sloppy – you know those days where you need a rear mudguard but aren’t ready to stoop your style quite so much.

I can see this jacket being a great addition to the sloppy and wet days at the bike park later this summer and early fall. Long, wet chair lift rides followed by muddy and greasy downhills, this jacket will keep you both warm and dry through anything up to a medium sized rain shower. Because it is a jacket that does run a bit warm, it will go best on days without too much uphill pedaling. There might be some better lightweight water-resistant jackets to just keep a rain shower off in the middle of a humid summer and rainy day, but in terms of a bomber jacket to keep out the wind, mud and a small amount of water, the Lupra is top notch.

The Infinium material is everything we have come to love about Gore-Tex – breathable, impressively water resistant, and well suited to an active lifestyle. Gore-Tex materials have never once let me down, and it doesn’t seem like that will be happening any time soon. Anyone that lives in the mountains or in rainy climates knows that having a proper Gore-Tex jacket in the quiver is essential, and the Lupra Jacket should be a well-considered option for the less stormy days.

The Wolf’s Last Word

Gore-Tex materials changed the game and allowed for folks to get outside in rainy and damp climates. For me, the Gore-Tex Infinium has been the ticket to enjoy shoulder season in the mountains and the hero dirt conditions that often come with it. The Lupra Jacket is a best in class offering when it comes to combining windproof and water-resistant qualities in a jacket. Yes, there might be better options for choosing one or the other, but in terms of a jacket that combines the two, the Lupra is a solid contender.

Price: $180
Website: Gorewear.com

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