Thanks for tuning in today we're going to be reviewing the GORE R5 GTX Insulated running jacket.
Running in cold weather can be a challenge as finding the right gear that combines
breathability with warmth isn't easy. Luckily today we're going to be looking at the GORE R5 GTX
insulated running jacket which is optimized for running in colder temperatures. The GTX insulated
jacket was developed for athletes searching for super light jackets for cold days. In terms of
packaging it's very simple you can see just a bag and the tags on the inside. So lets go ahead and take it
out of the bag and we'll go over the specs. Retail price on this is $270 dollars so fairly expensive
and it's a mid-level item as it's part of the R5 which combines a very slim fit with technical
fabrics. It has the Gore-Tex Infinium fabrics which is water resistant, windproof and highly breathable.
It's a very unique looking insulated jacket you can see it's a semi-transparent outer nylon
material so it's very soft breathable and water resistant. You have reflective
detailing with the neon trim as well as the reflective logos and the reflective back panels.
It's a close fitting hood so provide some wind protection and water resistance when you're on the
road or trails. It has the Polartec Alpha insulation so super lightweight.
It's designed to keep you warm without adding a lot of bulk it has hem and cuff stretch inserts
as well you can see you can pull these to tighten them that prevents it from moving
around while you're running and then same thing with the cuffs. You can see it nice and tight
full length front zipper multiple zippers on the front and then very simple and sleek overall
design. Now let's take a look at the weight of the jacket it's not quite as thin as their Shake Dry
technology but you can still see very light weight and not much bulk compared to other
jackets. So if we put this on the scale comes in at 238 grams so definitely quite light.
Now take a look at the fit and finish of the GTX insulated jacket. This is part of
the R5 lineup and if you're more familiar with gore you know they usually have an R7
R5 and an R3 line. This fits right in between R3 which is a little more recreational so looser fit.
R5 gives you a really great balance between performance and close fit so it's more of an
athletic fit or active fit while the R7 is the highest technology and most expensive variation
designed for expert runners. So with this one you get a lot of value, you get this
lightweight material a very unique fit and a lot of GORE technology. So you have the wind stopper
material and this prevents the wind from coming through while still allowing you to breathe
and that's a really hard combination to get. You have the Infinium fabric as well which combines
DWR treatment for water resistance as well as good breathability and warmth. Then for warmth you
have the Alpha insulation and you can see it's almost down like material, very thin and very
soft that provides nice warmth without a lot of bulk. So as we saw it's not a very heavy jacket so
something very versatile and especially at this price point something you wear a lot.
In terms of color schemes there's two offers you have the white and neon and the newly introduced
option which is the red and gray. Very minimal branding has a lot of GORE item so it looks
very premium. You just have reflective GORE logo on there and then a small GORE logo on the back.
Full length front zipper and you can see the windproofing on the back with this little
flap a little zipper garage on top so you don't get any chafing a tall collar so especially in
colder weather you can pull it all the way up and this close fitting hoodie which is a nice touch.
So especially when you start running initially it's a great way to stay warm and then you can
easily take it off as you go further. Two large pockets on the front so you can see these two
diagonal zippers they go all the way down to the center so plenty of space for anything you need
and a very unique look overall. You can see this transparent nylon construction so it looks like a
mesh on the inside and that exposes all the way down to that insulation material on the inside.
There's a lot of reflective taping and detail
that you don't see until you actually hit this at night with some light
on the back multi-panel construction again and this this is what ensures it's a nice close fit.
So you can see it comes in and then tapers in as well reflective details with the neon accent color
and there's nice stretchability here. So you can see this little
elastic band that you can adjust easily so you can adjust the tightness so it doesn't
flap around while you're running and otherwise nice close fit with
a lot of care taken with the fabric. If we open up the inside as well
you can see very simple nice flat seams minimal tags and very soft on the inside.
It's hard to describe how soft it is exterior is almost softer than the inside actually.
Now let's take a look at the R5 GTX jacket on the trails.
It's a very impressive lightweight running jacket that we found had a lot of versatility
and especially in this white and neon color scheme it's very bright and easy to spot.
So especially if you're running low visibility like mornings or nights it's a nice thing to have.
As you can see here the fit is really nice as well it's a tailored fit but you can see
still a little bit baggy so you can fit base layers underneath it without an issue. The form
fitting hood provides a lot of warmth by covering up your ears without having extra bulk. The front
zipper goes all the way on top and as you warm up it's easier to adjust the temperature by opening
that up. It's quite warm despite being so light with just thin insulation on the inside.
Now let's go over the scorecard for the GORE R5 GTX Insulated jacket.
We're going to grade on four different categories: design, sizing, warmth and value.
For design we give it an A, the transparent nylon exterior gives it a very unique look.
The sizing is also an a it has a nice tailored fit but also accommodates base layers
or multiple layers underneath it. Warmth-wise it's quite impressive and is an A, it has a lightweight
insulation so it's not very bulky but provides quite a bit of warmth despite the lightweight.
Value-wise would give it a B+ it's certainly a premium price jacket but something that has a
lot of versatility and a lot of use. Thanks for watching this review don't forget to like and
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