Words and photo by Jeff Lockwood
£49.99/€59.95/$75.99
www.goreapparel.com
The short sleeve Base Layer Windstopper Shirt uses two different sorts of fabrics to offer up comfort in the form of some core warmth and wind resistance. For starters, this base layer shirt is made from very comfortable, thin polyester fabric that’s breathable and wicks moisture away from the skin. On top of that, literally, is a layer of Gore’s trademark Windstopper fabric – covering the front, shoulders and kidney areas of the shirt.
The Windstopper fabric does the job its name implies, while also allowing chilling moisture to escape. While the Windstopper front is doing its thing, the back of the shirt offers some nice, simple insulation and also allows some additional moisture to escape off the back.
Designed for a snug fit, this stretchy base layer sits nicely beneath a regular riding jersey, and I’ve found it thin enough to be worn under a cyclocross skinsuit on really cold race days. Flat-lock seams avoid annoying chafe, and the tail is slightly longer to keep things covered back there.
I’m a big fan of base layers as I live and ride where it’s often windy, chilly and damp. The Gore Base Layer Windstopper Shirt has quickly become a very useful weapon in my arsenal in the war to keep warm and dry on Belgian roads and cyclocross courses.