First Impression: Gore Bike Wear Alp-X Jacket

“If Napoleon’s army had been wearing Alp-X Jackets, they totally could have pulled off that winter invasion of Russia thing.”

Back in December, when I posted my Bicycle Holiday Wish List, I wished I still had a Gore Bike Wear Alp-X Jacket. The Alp-x had been my go-to piece of outwear for the past two winter seasons. In fact it was the only shell I wore all winter, in all conditions. So how stoked was I when a new one showed up at my house? You guessed it: Ten. Ten on the stoke-o-meter (BR will be reviewing Stoke-O-Meters in March). Unlike a true Retro Grouch, who refuses to see improvements in anything…ever, I like to see a product change for the better, and the Alp-X has changed for the better, it even looks better. Well, it looked better until I shot snot all over it during my snow ride and then took the above video. (Note to self: trim your noise hair.) Be forewarned: if you watch the above video, you will have your MIND BLOWN by my mad cinematographic skills (they are mad because I leave them under the couch and constantly forget to use them). You’ll be wishing I posted another Sweet Fixie Tricks vid or something else with Liz Hatch in it (alright, admit it, you would have watched that thing if it were called “Liz Hatch Reads The Phone Book.”).

This is just my first “initial, first impression” (to be completely repetitively redundant). I’ll be following this post up with some wet weather testing. (Oh boy, I can’t wait!), and hopefully some better photos.

The manufacturers specs and a few more incredible (look at my face, am I serious?) photos after the break…

I love the “Napoleon Pocket” as they call it. It gives you easy access to say, your camera. (So you can take pictures of the pocket your camera came out of.)

This a pose I like to call “Back To School.”

If nobody makes fun of my of my odd combo of kits, I will be severely disappointed.

One of the most noticeable improvements over the previous generation Alp-X’s is the high collar.

Although the collar has some stiff competition from the stow-able hood in the noticeable improvements department.

The one issue I had with my old Alp-X was the zipper. The zipper on this model seems much more robust. It’s even easier to grip, which is nice when you’re wearing gloves and your dexterity is lacking.

The Napoleon Pocket again.

If Napoleon’s army had been wearing Alp-X Jackets, they totally could have pulled off that winter invasion of Russia thing.

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