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rapha + gore-tex explore hooded pullover

rapha + gore-tex explore hooded jacket

a favourite saying of my late father was "just because you're not paranoid, doesn't mean to say they're not out to get you.", and though i'm trying hard not to take it personally, it seems entirely likely that someone is indeed, out to get me. midst clamouring from my office colleagues to continually request waterproofs for review, i'm currently struggling big time to get wet. or not, as the case may be. this situation pretty much occurs every time a waterproof arrives at the croft, hence the pleas from my friends.

rapha + gore-tex explore hooded jacket

the above may reasonably (i believe) be categorised as a subsection of murphy's law; if something can go wrong, it probably will. you can imagine the embarrassment caused as i am undoubtedly hoist by my own petard; rapha's publicity for their first collaboration with gore-tex included a short film in which three riders brave the vicissitudes of torrential rain and a dark night to espouse the qualities offered by the latest clothing range. on receiving a preview link, i was wont to state that it seemed not that different from many of my winter sunday morning rides.

rapha + gore-tex explore hooded jacket

since then, i have seen scarcely a drop of precipitation, at least not during the daylight hours when riding and reviewing would have been most appropriate. well, that's not entirely true; i have managed to give the hooded pullover a thorough dousing, but for neither as long nor as hard as required to prove the veracity of what appears to be an almost essential item of cycling apparel. however, bear with me for a paragraph or two before we get to the wet stuff.

though rapha occupy a position near the top of the velocipedinal garmentage tree, gore-tex have long promoted their own range of cycle clothing, to the extent of having signed fabian cancellara as brand ambassador. so why, then, would they wish to partner with perceived competitor, rapha? i asked johannes ebert, product specialist at gore.

rapha + gore-tex explore hooded jacket

"As an ingredient brand, GORE-TEX works with many customers across different sports, including many different customers specializing in cycling like Gore Wear. Rapha is an expert in cycling and we are happy to include them to our partner portfolio. Through Rapha, we can increase the availability of GORE-TEX products in the cycling business."

in a sport that doesn't always come across as entirely collaborative, that's not only nice to hear, but does seem to make a smidgeon of commercial sense. but i do have to wonder whether gore perhaps keep something back for themselves, that previously unreleased track that you can only get from them. in that case, will rapha receive the same level of product as that available from gore?

rapha + gore-tex explore hooded jacket

"Absolutely. All of our customers get the same product and technology support."

the original gore-tex was invented in 1969 and is essentially a stretched membrane of ptfe, more commonly known as teflon. it's a breathable membrane featured in many outdoor garments, designed explicitly to keep the wearer dry, warm and free from the effects of perspiration. this it does by means of an outer fabric coated with a durable water repellency, the purpose of which is to prevent that outer layer from becoming soaked. once that happens, all the breathable membranes in the world won't help the dessication process. but after fifty years of continual development, is it possible that breathable membranes have all but reached the end of the road, or do gore-tex see potential for continued development?

rapha + gore-tex explore hooded jacket

"We believe that waterproof and breathable products are still an important field for research and development. Just three years ago we introduced GORE-TEX SHAKEDRY(TM) a revolutionary new product technology fit for high aerobic end-uses like cycling or running. We continue our R&D efforts in that space and have several projects in the pipeline."

though the explore hooded pullover features gore-tex active™, the pro-team jackets that form the rest of rapha's gore-tex range are constructed with gore-tex shake-dry™ the latter forms the external layer of the jacket, meaning no outer fabric that might become saturated with water and restrict performance.

rapha + gore-tex explore hooded jacket

i have, over a period of many years, had the pleasure of reviewing a wide range of purportedly breathable waterproofs, the effectiveness of which has often proved variable. cyclists, are, i should imagine, a thorn in the side of those producing breathable waterproofs, for it's no real secret that we tend to rate rather highly on the breathability scale. i asked johannes whether there's a difference in the breathability requirements of cyclists in comparison to those of walkers or sailors, for example?

"Cycling is a highly aerobic activitiy and thus much more moisture needs to get out of the body than for walkers. GORE-TEX products for cyclists have, as a minimum, double the breathability level measured through RET, (resistance to evaporative heat loss), than sailors. Therefore, the product technology we offer to customers for cycling has completely different properties than the one for sailors, where protection from the elements and ruggedness prevails."

rapha + gore-tex explore hooded jacket

of course, when it comes to donning any breathable jacket, it often seems that our demands or expectations are rarely satisfied. but taking into account the fact that riding hard, clad only in a jersey and bibs, or windjacket in colder weather, will still often result in a sweaty persona, why we expect to arrive bone-dry if wearing a breathable waterproof rather flies in the face of logic. so what happened when i did manage to get wet?

rapha's explore hooded pullover differs from its gore-tex peers in sporting a quarter zip and a wide, divided front pocket, ideal for holding a map, energy bars and perhaps a small tool or two. (actually, i carried a full bottle of islay gin in the front pocket, on a five kilometre trip, without difficulty). generally, i'm not much of a fan of hoods on cycling jackets, but since this example is not removable, i have occasionally resorted to tucking it inside the collar while riding. however, in the midst of a heavy rain shower, i opted to wear it, purely for reviewing purposes, you understand, and it was quite excellent, allowing clear vision all round, and keeping my head commendably warm and dry.

rapha + gore-tex explore hooded jacket

the hood can be easily worn under a helmet, even over a casquette, for the goretex fabric is impressively light and thin, despite doing its job so well. i was out in heavy rain for just over an hour, though little in the way of wind made its job a tad easier than i'd have preferred. i was, of course, perfectly rain dry on arriving home, and almost equally breathably so, but i'd like to reserve final judgment until i've had the chance to give it a great deal more grief. the top-of-the-range pro-team jacket is fully insulated, a feature totally absent from the jacket or this hoodie. but the fit of the explore hooded pullover makes it simples and comfortable to wear over an explore down jacket, or a brevet insulated jacket or gilet, without compromising movement.

at present, i'm more than satisfied with the garment; it's stylish, practical, can be worn on or off the bike and essentially does what it says on the tin. however, there will definitely be a part-two, whenever scotland's west-coast weather rains and gales like it's supposed to do.

the rapha + gore-tex explore hooded jacket is available in plum, dark orange and dark navy, in sizes ranging from xs to xxl. price is £250.

rapha + gore-tex explore hooded pullover

saturday 25 october 2019

twmp ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................