Gorewear Spinshift Thermo Jacket Men’s

The Gorewear Spinshift Thermo Jacket Men's is a top choice for very cold days, ideally when the sun is shining or there's little chance of the heavens opening – at that point it's a Zwift day. It feels luxurious, the fit is first-class (if you like it on the snug side), there are plenty of colour options including a highly visible fluro yellow option, and the reflectivity is very good. On paper the price isn't too bad for a high-quality Gorewear garment, though for some people the small window of use, at least in milder parts of the UK, might mean it's not such good value.

> Buy now: Gorewear Spinshift Thermo Jacket Men’s for £159.99 from Gorewear

For other options, check out our best winter jackets buyer's guide.

Gorewear says the Spinshift Thermo Jacket is the 'warmest thermo jacket' in its range – and I'd agree. It's ideal when the temperature really drops – on its own with a long-sleeve base layer (I wear a MAAP Polartec Power Grid that I bought a few years ago) at around 0-5 degrees. You could happily go lower with perhaps just an additional gilet, or even stretch the temperature limits upwards by wearing a short-sleeve base – I'd say 7-8°C is possible before your arms get too hot.

What I will also say early on, is that this is not a 'one winter jacket to rule them all', as with some other garments, such as the Velocio Alpha Merino Air Jacket, so if that's what you're after then this might not your best option.

If, however, you don't tend to ride in all types of foul winter weather – maybe you're like me and don't mind heading out into freezing weather during winter as long as the sun is shining, or at the very least, there's no inclement weather forecast. If the sounds like you, then you are going to love the Spinshift Thermo Jacket, as did I.

There's nothing particular groundbreaking in terms of materials – what you have is a fairly rudimentary jacket in terms of design, which is actually much more like a jersey with some added protection from the elements. The fabric is a single-layer thermo-stretch, with a soft shell-like feel, and a super-fluffy soft fleece covering the entire inside.

The neck collar is high, offering decent coverage against the cold, while a thin Roubaix fabric on the inside of the neck increases warmth. Adding to this is a stretchy fabric that extends above the perimeter of the collar – sitting snug against the neck it blocks out wind and negates the need for a separate neck warmer unless it's below freezing. The cuffs also feature the same tight but stretchy material.

The hem is slightly looser than I was expecting, given the overall race-like cut of the jacket, but I do have a narrow waist relative to my build, and the silicone gripper kept it in place. On the whole wind chill is kept out very effectively.

There's no membrane action here – instead the tightly woven fabric ticks off the wind protection and breathability boxes, while a PFC-free DWR coating takes care of light rain. Neither are there any strategically placed panels to aid breathability, perhaps reinforcing the jacket's deep-winter riding intent.

Normally this would set off my early-warning sweat radar – my previous experience with snug winter jackets was that I overheated massively, sweated profusely and got seriously uncomfortable. I'd then inevitably have to stop to vent and end up getting chilled to the bone.

Surprisingly, this wasn't the case with the Spinshift Thermo Jacket. My test route is a real mix of terrain, rarely flat for long and with some big gradients to grind up. In the specified temperature range of 0-5 degrees, I felt completely comfortable throughout the ride. At no point was I too warm and I didn't get wind chill on the fast sections. My base layer was damp in the usual places, but no more than usual. Breathability on the whole is just about right in these conditions. It's probably the most content I've felt when riding in cold winter weather, neither too hot nor too cold.

I didn't, thankfully, get to test the rain-proofing capabilities, but I did do a test at home – on a low-pressure setting in my shower the garment was able to withstand water penetration for a good few minutes without worry, the water running off with ease, but I could see the material starting to wet out, which isn't surprising. Again, this is a jacket intended for days where you're not going to get caught out in heavy rain, or you could just take a packable waterproof along, just in case.

Gore has clearly designed this to fit those in the long and slim camp. As mentioned, the jacket is cut on the snug side, which for me being pretty slim is perfect. I was able to get a long-sleeve layer under it without too much issue, aside from slight snagging on the sleeves – there's more room in the body for perhaps a slightly thicker material if need be.

In a size Large, it was a nigh-on perfect fit, long in the arms and body, without baggy bits anywhere. The jacket feels just as comfortable when you're off the bike as it does in a tucked position on it, with no restriction to your movement. It's available in XS, S, M, L, XL and XXL, which is fine, if not quite as wide-ranging as some manufacturers. If you're on the shorter side you definitely want to consider going down in your normal size, though you might then find the garment too tight.

Elsewhere you get a fairly standard three rear pockets, pretty plentiful in terms of capacity, the tight yet stretchy material meaning your contents stay firmly in place. 

There's also a small zippered pocket shared with the right-hand pocket for securely stashing keys or cards.

The front zip is easy to operate, and the puller doesn't interfere with your neck.

What elevates the Spinshift Thermo Jacket from a very good winter jacket to a great one, is firstly the wide range of colour options, including a bright neon yellow to really ping out on those dull days where you want that little bit of extra visibility. Secondly is the excellent level of reflectivity. Gorewear has based its position of reflective elements according to the Johansson experiment on motion perception, with tabs on the shoulders, elbows and forearms, and one either side around the tops of the hips. There are also front and reflective Gorewear logos. In short, the test effectively demonstrates that we easily perceive motion of the joints when they are lit up.

In theory, as your arms move you're likely to stand out more on the road, but I think the concept makes more sense cycling when we're talking about bib tights, because you'll be able to see the reflective elements moving more clearly at night as you pedal, but with an upper garment you're pretty much in a fixed position. Still, the 360° reflectivity is no doubt a benefit when riding in the dark, helping to highlight your overall shape. This makes it a decent commuter option, more so if you err towards road racer than the casual worker.

Value

The £160 price is a decent chunk of cash, and if you're only using the jacket on very specific days, you might find that you're not getting great value out of it. If most of your winter riding tends to be near freezing when it's dry, you might be able to justify the purchase.

A winter jacket with a membrane would be more versatile, but you're going to have to spend a bit more to get a similarly high-quality garment, and even the best options aren't going to feel as nice to wear as this. Nor will they breathe quite as well, in my opinion.

Those options include the Velocio Alpha Merino Air Jacket, which Vecchiojo reviewed early last year. Sadly, it doesn't appear to be on sale any more, but Velocio does offer the similar, indeed possibly its replacement, Alpha Zero Jacket, which is substantially more expensive at £258, but definitely a one-jacket-to-rule-them-all.

George liked the Endura Pro Sl 3-Season Jacket a lot, praising it for its versatility and its ability to work across a wide temperature range. And while its £209 RRP puts it above the Gore, you'll be able to find it for less.

The Galibier GrandTour Jacket costs just £76, and while it's designed for slightly warmer temperatures, with layering you could use it in temperatures similar to that the Gorewear is designed for.

Conclusion

Gorewear's Spinshift Thermo Jacket is one of the nicest winter jackets I've come across during my time testing for road.cc. It's not as versatile as a dedicated jacket with a membrane, but provided you can get enough use out of it – perhaps just pack a waterproof jacket – its quality make it a serious option to consider.

Verdict

A warm and breathable option for particularly cold days, provided the weather is on your side

> Buy now: Gorewear Spinshift Thermo Jacket Men’s for £159.99 from Gorewear