Gore Power Trail WS riding trousers review
Comfort and quality for lower temperatures
GBP £150.00 RRP Skip to view deals
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I’ve certainly put these pricey, snug-fitting trousers through the wringer, especially over winter. And, the soft, lightweight material and excellent cut mean they’re some of the comfiest I’ve tried.
With no excess material, they hold their shape even when caked in mud and don’t flap about. It can be a squeeze to get bulky knee pads under them, but they’ll fit if you persevere.
But, be warned, there’s no waist adjustment, so when they’re sopping wet they do need pulling up on occasion. The plus side to the elasticated waistband is just how comfy it makes these trousers.
To keep things fuss free, Gore has only included a single zipped key pocket. The zips at the bottom of the legs let you tailor the fit and help with getting the trousers on and off. To increase durability, a tougher, Kevlar-type material is used on the bike side of the lower legs.
The Power Trails do a decent job of keeping the chill off without feeling too warm or in any way restrictive.
While they shrug off showers and puddle splashes with ease, if you get them soaked your legs can get chilly quite quickly on colder days. Still, they’re not supposed to be fully waterproof and as an all-round cold weather offering they work really well.
Authors
Rob Weaver is BikeRadar's technical editor-in-chief. Rob manages all of the testing here at BikeRadar and across our magazines, Mountain Biking UK and Cycling Plus. Rob first graced the pages of MBUK back in 2001 when working as a freelance writer and went on to start testing bikes for the title in 2007. In 2010 he joined the team full-time and has been keeping a close eye on all things test-related ever since. Rob’s expansive knowledge of bikes comes courtesy of his passion for racing. He cut his teeth racing cross-country mountain bikes in the early 90s before finding his feet in downhill. After many years competing on the UK national circuit (including a year attempting to race UCI DH World Cups), Rob realised his know-how and passion for bike setup, tech and writing clearly outweighed his racing ability. A degree in sports technology and decades of riding experience all help to give Rob a thorough understanding of what’s needed to create a great bike or product. While Rob’s a mountain biker at heart and never happier than when he’s sliding down a Welsh hillside, he’s more than happy to put the miles in on the road or gravel bike, too.
