{"id":244331,"date":"2026-05-19T18:44:59","date_gmt":"2026-05-19T18:44:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/19\/how-endura-built-its-latest-line-blurring-lightweight-gravel-shell\/"},"modified":"2026-05-19T18:44:59","modified_gmt":"2026-05-19T18:44:59","slug":"how-endura-built-its-latest-line-blurring-lightweight-gravel-shell","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports.runfyers.com\/index.php\/2026\/05\/19\/how-endura-built-its-latest-line-blurring-lightweight-gravel-shell\/","title":{"rendered":"How Endura Built Its Latest Line-Blurring, Lightweight Gravel Shell"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re not familiar with Endura, it won\u2019t take long. <\/strong>The Scottish brand is growing stateside thanks to its long-lasting performance kits and a distinct, ride-anywhere identity. It\u2019s an attitude of inclusivity and a determination to extend the joy of riding across disciplines. That mission has expanded Endura\u2019s lines of versatile, all-weather apparel to also include helmets and accessories that cross over from gravel to singletrack. To put it more frankly in the direct, deadpan style of the Scottish rider-designers, it\u2019s gear that removes doubts \u2014 that says, \u2018Aye, y\u2019can.\u2019<\/p>\n

Kevin Franks recently saw the impact of the company’s approach paired with the gear it delivers at Sea Otter Classic. The annual West Coast gathering was the perfect cross-discipline event to debut Endura\u2019s new AllTrack collection. We caught up with Franks, a cycling industry fixture who\u2019s led multiple brands, to help us better understand Endura, in general, as well as the AllTrack Ride Packable Jacket,<\/a> specifically. The foul-weather performance shell stood out to us as one of the new line\u2019s most interesting items worth a deeper dive.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Endura’s Kevin Franks<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

BikeRumor: Was the AllTrack Ride Packable Jacket built with a particular rider in mind? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

KEVIN FRANKS: Yeah, we had a very clear rider in mind. At its core, it\u2019s built for gravel riders, but not just one type. We call them \u2018joyriders.\u2019 They\u2019re serious about riding and their kit, but pretty unserious about everything else. They\u2019re not chasing segments or buried in data. They just want to ride far, get a little lost, maybe drift onto some unexpected trails, and enjoy it.<\/p>\n

That mindset shaped the whole jacket. It had to be something you can rely on all day without overthinking it. Throw it on, pack it away, keep moving.<\/p>\n

A jacket that crosses over from singletrack to gravel is hugely appealing. How did you approach the design challenge? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

The line between gravel and shorter travel MTB is basically gone at this point. Same riding position, same long days, same \u2018carry as little as possible\u2019 mindset. So it made zero sense to build something that only worked in one lane.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n

How did you try to solve for the right fit then?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The hard part was getting the balance right. It needed to be dialed on the bike, not flapping around, but also not so tight that it feels like road-race kit when you\u2019re picking your way down something rough. And yeah, it had to look good too. No one wants to wear something all day that screams \u201ctechnical shell\u201d if it doesn\u2019t have to.<\/p>\n

How was it tested? <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Developing in Scotland is basically cheating when it comes to bad weather. If it survives here, it\u2019s already passed the torture test. The real challenge was pulling it back from that edge and making sure it wasn\u2019t overkill for everywhere else.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
(photo\/Endura)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Did any testing feedback make it into the final design?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The biggest shift came from packability. Early versions nailed protection, but riders kept saying the same thing: \u2018This is great\u2026 but I need to be able to forget about it when I\u2019m not wearing it.\u2019 That pushed us to make it lighter, easier to stash, and way more adaptable. That\u2019s what turned it from good to essential.<\/p>\n

Which team riders have been using it?  <\/strong><\/h3>\n

We just got back from the Sea Otter Classic, where we launched the full AllTrack collection, and one moment stuck out. Kriss Kyle<\/a>, our gravity rider and not really the guy we built this jacket for, was super stoked on it and wanted one straight away. That felt like a pretty good litmus test. If someone who spends most of his time sending huge features is into a lightweight, packable gravel shell, it means the appeal goes way beyond the original brief. It is doing exactly what we hoped. Crossing lines, pulling in riders from different corners, and just being a solid bit of kit wherever you end up riding.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n

And where do you end up riding? What\u2019s your motivation?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It always comes back to freedom. Riding is one of the simplest ways to get out, clear your head, and go somewhere new under your own power. Whether it\u2019s a quick spin after work or a full-day adventure, it resets everything.<\/p>\n

And that\u2019s really what this jacket is about, too. It\u2019s not just protection from the weather; it\u2019s something that lets you keep going when conditions turn or when the plan changes. More than anything, it\u2019s about saying yes to the ride.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\n

This article is sponsored by <\/em>Endura.<\/em><\/a> <\/em><\/p>\n

The post How Endura Built Its Latest Line-Blurring, Lightweight Gravel Shell<\/a> appeared first on Bikerumor<\/a>.<\/p>\n