Gore Wear’s Endure Gore-Tex pants are a lightweight, packable layer for grotty gravel rides, changeable weather bikepacking, and hardy commuting.
They combine Gore’s lightweight but waterproof Paclite Plus material, slim tailoring, and simple elasticated waistband. I have been heading out into the grizzly winter weather and soggy spring showers to put these waterproof pants to the test.
Design and specification
Gore Wear has used its PacLite Plus material which is a 2.5-layer material that's designed to be waterproof, durable, and lightweight. On grotty gravel rides, grit can quickly wear on the seat of pants or shorts so Gore Wear has reinforced the Endure pants with an abrasion-resistant seat panel.
The Endure uses a simple lightweight elasticated waistband with a drawcord and silicone grippers making the pants quick to pull on and easy to tighten and keep the pants in place. The hems feature a long zip so there is enough space to pull the pants on over your shoes and there are two popper positions to cinch the hem in close around the ankle.
The pants pack away into their own zipped pocket which roughly measures 145mm x 100mm x 70mm although there is some additional squish if you need to squeeze them a little smaller. My size small Endure pants weigh in at 168g on my scales.
The Endure pants come in both men's and women’s tailoring, the men’s pants come in five sizes between small and XXL and the women's are available in six sizes between 0-2(EU 34) and 20-22 (EU 44). The Endure pants are only available in black and feature reflective logos and detailing to add visibility.
Performance
I opted for a size small based on the Gore Wear size chart and with my 30in waist I found the fit spot on. The pants are pre-shaped for an optimal fit on the bike, and the size small provided me with a slim, flap-free fit on the legs, particularly when I used the poppers to tighten the ankles. If you are looking to commute or MTB with kneepads in these primarily, you may need to size up for a little extra space around the leg. Otherwise, the close fit means energy-sapping and noisy flapping are kept to a minimum when riding.
Although the fit is close and the Paclite material has minimal stretch, I didn't experience any binding or restrictions to movement. That said, the close fit and non-stretchy material limit what I can fit in the pocket and even a phone was a bit bulky to store in there while riding. If I wanted to wear these with knee pads for mountain biking, I would need to size up for a little more knee space too.
Waterproofness has been spectacular, keeping even the heaviest rain at bay for hours. The Paclite material's breathability is decent as well although there can be a little clammyness if worn against the skin. For the proper wet days, I paired the Endure pants with Gore Wear’s C5 Shakedry 1985 jacket for complete top and bottom weather sealing. After being subjected to a good amount of grotty riding the Endure pants have maintained their waterproofness and don’t appear to be showing any signs of abrasion or wear yet.
Pack size is small enough to be tucked away in a bikepacking bag just in case the weather turns and the zipped legs are wide enough that you can whip them on and off quickly as required.
Verdict
Extremely waterproof, lightweight, and well-tailored mean the Gore Wear Endure pants are comfortable to ride in, rather than being tolerated and removed as soon as it stops raining like baggier rain pants. The price is high but if your top priority is to keep the rain out for extended periods while still being comfortable and packable, the Endure pants are a great option.
Tech specs: Gore Wear Endure Gore-Tex pants
- Price: $200.00 / £199.99 / €199.95
- Weight: 168g (S)
- Sizes: S-XXL
- Colors: Black
