One 1985 GORE-TEX® SHAKEDRY Jacket Review

Gore Bike Wear® Keeps Getting Better

The backside of the Grand Ridge approached from Exit 18 off of Interstate 90, and taking the fitness trail is my favorite mountain bike ride. That’s because you get all the climbing done in about 20 minutes or less and the grunt of a climb starts right from the parking lot. It’s also the perfect environment to test a jacket that’s promising next-level, outdoor fitness performance. The One 1985 Gore-Tex SHAKEDRY® is their best and most realized technology to date.

On the Preston-Snoqualmie Trail en route to the Grand Ridge

Starting from the One release, they’ve iterated the “membrane” only design into a full line and I didn’t get steamy or sweaty on the climb. Once into the flat sections, and before the Water Tower Loop, I zipped up and was comfortable at a balmy 45 degrees. And, most importantly, wasn’t cold on the descent.

Cross one of the bridges, in the trees.

The practical offroad use case for ShakeDry is an emergency poncho if you get caught out in a squall. There isn’t a face fabric protecting the membrane, so do not use it with a hydration backpack because the straps will wear the laminate. I’m super into fanny packs now, so it’s fine for my offroad rides, but to be clear, Gore designed this for road cyclist and runners, not backpackers.

You can get the ShakeDry tech in two cuts to find one that fits and with reflective accents. I also noticed improved inner seam welds and an adjustable collar for comfort around the neck and zipper backer. If you’re wearing only a thin liner, you’ll feel the zipper on the coldest days without that backer.

As the name suggests water permanently beads on the ShakeDry and will shake off before stowage in the zipped back pocket or your bag. Compared to the first iteration that was literally just the breathable membrane. This version is much more wearable; as I said, when it launched, the tech totally works, and I appreciate how Gore has responded to the needs of us in the Pacific Northwest, where it never gets that cold, but wet.

Really wet. 

Considering it’s the rainy season now in Seattle if I’m not wearing the ShakeDry, I’m carrying it with me.

That tree wasn’t there the last time we rode here.

Retro Styling

Even as a journalist in the outdoor market with a highly-qualified team of PR professionals explaining this product to me, Gore Bike Wear’s naming is a bit confusing. This jacket is called the One 1985 Gore-Tex ShakeDry because it’s a nod to the original and first ever (also steamy and too hot for our climate) cycling jacket that debuted when Like a Virgin and Wham topped the pop charts.

While that seems like forever ago, what made that Giro Jacket so special, was the combination of windproof, waterproof, and breathable fabrics. The Giro was also the first to introduce a cycling-specific, drop-tail design. It wasn’t perfect, but better than stuffing newsprint under a jersey, or sweating it out under a plastic rain cape. Remember those? Like slap-bass, track jackets, and acid-washed jeans, now nostalgic.

The Giro Jacket was very well received, eventually being used by the Superconfex professional road team—a Rabobank precursor—and Gore Bike Wear gives the past a nod with orange Rabobank-like accents.

Rabobank styling.

The Specs

Back to the future, what you need to know is, the latest jacket from Gore eliminates the face fabric, further increasing breathability and decreasing laminate thickness by 50% with corresponding gains in breathability. The MSRP is $300 and available directly from Gore Bike Wear, Amazon, or a retailer near you.

What’s most important about 1985 One and the legendary jacket it evokes, is how it feels on the ride. I’m at my most comfortable with it and a liner. The inside comfort is related to the micro-grid backer, that slides easily over the liner, and doesn’t have that plastic bag, squishy sound.

Considering the retroness, I have an old iPod with a bunch of 80s. I’ll pack that with me on the next ride.

Stop for an adjustment and with the Camelbak Repack.
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