When someone has the audacity to call their product “Daily,” you know they have some confidence in it. The brand new Gore Wear Daily Road Jersey aims to be that jersey you want to wear every day on every ride. Did it achieve that status with me? Well… maybe, but maybe not.
Gore Wear Daily Road Jersey Features:
- Utilized 100% recycled materials
- Elastic grips on hem
- Three gusseted back pockets with a single zippered pocket
- Lengthened sleeves and dropped hem
- Clean design and great color options
- Form fit (updated for 2021)
- MSRP: $90
Gore Wear Daily on the daily?
When it comes to delivering a value-priced jersey, there are always compromises. You just can’t make a sub-$100 jersey that has all the bells and whistles you’d see on a $150 jersey. That said, Gore Wear is aiming to deliver all the best features possible in their $90 Daily Road Jersey.
For starters, the style is nice and clean. With several block colors available and a subtle + pattern throughout, you can easily match any of the colors up with a Gore Wear bib short or any other brand and you’ll be ready to roll up to the local group ride in style. The utility green color I’m testing fits right in with the gravel, road and MTB riding I’ve used it for.
Three areas that are critical these days for a modern look and overall quality fit are the collar, sleeves and hem. Gore chose to go with a mid-rise collar, mid-length sleeves and a long hem. When it comes to things that riders care about, I’d say this was a conservative option. Hem length can be a hitch for some and I always appreciate a little extra length for coverage and to allow the jersey pockets to sit lower on my back for easier access.
The mid-length sleeves don’t look out of date and sit just below the middle of my biceps. With just enough stretch, nothing feels constricting and they stay comfortably put.
Getting back to the collar. Yes, it is a mid-rise design, which wouldn’t be too bad if the size medium fit as expected. With a 40-inch chest, nobody is going to confuse me with Mr. Olympia, but I think I may be best served with a small (even though the size chart says I’m on the upper cusp of the medium. Sizing down would prevent the collar from creeping up my neck during the ride. It’s most noticeable when standing and sprinting or descending as the whole jersey tends to move upward. Sizing down would likely keep the jersey from creeping up.
The mesh fabric is just called Gore Selected Fabric, which doesn’t tell us much. It’s a lightweight mesh fabric on the front and back with a light and stretchy fabric on the sides and sleeves. This combo is great for rides into the low-80’s. Anything above that and you’ll want a true mesh fabric that allows more airflow. The zipper is easy to move up/down single-handed, which will come in handy on those long and hot climbs.
I’m cool with how well the fabric dries here in Utah, but if you get completely saturated on an indoor ride or on a humid day, the fabric will uncomfortably stick to your skin.
Access to the three standard-sized jersey pockets is easy. They do have modest carrying capacity, but should be enough for most 1-3 hour rides. The gussets are pretty small, so don’t expect to carry the kitchen sink. A separate zippered sleeve is good for valuables, but would be better if it had a waterproof lining to keep sweat at bay. And, that zipper is nearly impossible to pull open one-handed.
Something I’ll call out specifically is the fabric’s phenomenal odor control. I don’t know what Gore Wear has done to keep the stink away, but it’s almost magical. I can honestly wear this jersey for 5-6 times without it becoming pungent. I’ve worn it on consecutive road, gravel and MTB rides during any given week without any social impacts or “eww Dad’s” from the family.
Back to achieving a $90 price point. I do appreciate that the hem has 360-degree silicone grip. That’s an unusual find at this price. The overall style is great, but for a form fit jersey, it could be a little more racy (or maybe I need to size way down to a small, which would be really strange for me).
Fit: I’m 5’11” and 173 lbs. with a 40-inch chest, wearing the size medium. On the size chart, that’s correct, but in practice, I would have loved to try a size small to see if it would fit as I would expect. My only concern would be sleeve diameter going down to a small. If you want a looser jersey, stick with the suggested size, otherwise it’s hard to say for sure.
The Good
- Solid color designs are sharp
- Fabrics are comfortable next-to-skin
- Good sleeve length
- Extra hem length is always nice
- Full silicone hem is a nice touch
- Odor control is the best I’ve tested
The Bad
- Fabric gets warm and doesn’t breathe as well as I’d like
- Regular seams throughout can be felt
- Collar tends to creep up my neck — particularly on descents
- Sizing remains perplexing
The Bottom Line: Gore Wear Daily Road Jersey
I really do love the simple, block colors offered in the Daily Road Jersey. It looks awesome everywhere and pairs nicely with about any pair of bib shorts. At this price point, performance is to be expected. There are better summer jerseys that cost much more, but the Daily Road Jersey hits the sweet spot with performance and value — if sizing could only be normalized. It’s crazy to think that someone my size could be wearing a size small in a European kit, but I think that’s what I could wear. Oh, and back to the “daily” part… for rides in the 60’s, this one could certainly be a daily driver.
Buy Now: Visit GoreWear.com
2 Comments
Excellent review. I’m a big fan of Gore jerseys. Gore has had their C3s on sale for a while — I wonder if they are getting phased out in favor of this and the Torrent jersey?
Yeah, this is part of their new lineup. Sizing remains a little odd, but the medium isn’t terribly off. I think I could go with a small for a racy fit.