Gorewear Ambient Windstopper vest test – The featherweight cycling windbreaker

Test video summary

My summary

How do I use the Gorewear Ambient Windstopper?

The Gorewear Ambient Windstopper vest is a small, ultra-lightweight vest that slips easily into a cycling jersey pocket.

It has been designed to be used when there are likely to be temperature variations during a cycling outing, with cooler or windier passages such as at the start of an outing, on a descent from a mountain pass, or in between seasons (autumn and spring).

Features

• Weight: 64g in women’s size M (according to my scale)
• Fabric: Gore-Tex Infinium WINDSTOPPER and breathable strech mesh in the back
• Full-zip with integral windproof band
• Fitted cut
• Sizes: XXS to XL
• Colors: Black, Purple & black or Red & black
• Price: €99.95

Our full test of Gorewear’s Ambiant Windstopper Women’s Jacket

Look

When I received this sleeveless vest, I was initially rather surprised by its material: ultra-light but also a little noisy and easily creased, I must admit I wondered how comfortable and effective it would be.

Once worn, I was pleasantly surprised by its look. The slim fit is stylish, the garment wrinkles relatively quickly once worn, and the look is quite sporty. Mind you, it runs quite small: while I’m usually rather large in Gore’s M range, this model is exactly my size.

The technical Gore-Tex Infinium Windstopper fabric is only found on the front of the vest, while the back is a highly breathable strech mesh. Clever for saving weight and improving breathability, as you’ll rarely feel cold on your back when descending a mountain pass, for example.

As always with Gorewear, the finishing touches are impeccable, with a well-thought-out ergonomic collar, adhesive strips at the bottom of the vest and discreet but effective reflective details.

Wind protection

This is obviously the most important point of the test! The Windstopper membrane does the job perfectly: downhill or in a headwind, you feel your torso is well protected. The inner flap under the zip prevents cold air from seeping in. This vest is clearly designed to block the flow of air while keeping its weight down, which is quite fluffy. The chest stays warm even in cool, windy conditions. On a long descent of a mountain pass, for example, it’s a real pleasure!

Of course, there are no sleeves, so you’ll need to think about your equipment according to the weather, for example by wearing a long-sleeved jersey, or taking cuffs with you if the temperature is cooler. It’s a bit of a trial and error for each person, but for my part I like the combo of sleeves + sleeveless vest, which is often more breathable than a windproof jacket.

Note that the fabric is also water-repellent. I’ve already worn it in light summer rain, and it offered protection while keeping warm: not bad at all!

Comfort and breathability

The fabric is supple, fits the body well and doesn’t cause any discomfort, even when worn for several hours. After the surprise of my first try, when I found it a little noisy when I put it on, I quickly forgot about it during my outings and sometimes wore it for long periods when I didn’t really need it.

The collar doesn’t scratch, and the zip is easy to handle, even when rolling.

The stretch mesh back is a pleasant surprise. It evacuates heat quite well during exercise, although I find that the Windstopper fabric is so effective that I sometimes feel a little hot underneath! It’s really a question of adjusting to the weather and your own feelings, as it’s all very individual.

The negative point of the vest in my opinion is the absence of a back pocket. With a little contorting, you can get to the jersey pockets underneath, but it’s not very practical. Several times I decided to take it off just because of this, when otherwise I could have kept it on for my entire outing.

Compact

This is clearly one of this vest’s strong points. Weighing in at just 64 grams on the scale (size M Women), it’s extremely light, rolls up into a ball and fits easily into the back pocket of a jersey. You can hardly feel it! It’s so light and space-saving, you can even leave it in your bag “just in case”. It’s the vest I almost always carry with me now.

Conclusion

The Gorewear Ambient Windstopper vest is a small, ultra-light, technical cycling vest that’s handy to take with you at all times when there are likely to be temperature variations. Perfect for the off-season or in the mountains!