MMountain bikers who have practiced the sport for some time will remember the days when riding gear looked and felt like motocross leftovers – bright, heavy and disproportionately baggy. Well, the textile industry has been incredibly innovative in recent years, developing all sorts of modern materials and fabrics to make life on the go better, and Fox has certainly put these advances to good use in product development. Here’s a quick overview of some of their latest women’s and men’s offerings, as well as our riding impressions straight from the trail.
Highlights of the Flexair Race long sleeve jersey for women
- TruDri® moisture-wicking recycled polyester main body for maximum cooling
- The slit hem detail offers maximum freedom of movement
- Flatlock seams ensure improved comfort
- Sublimated, fade-resistant graphics create the look and feel of riding fast.)
- MSRP: $89.98
Highlights of the DriRelease Veni jersey for women
- drirelease® yarns quickly wick moisture away from the skin and last the entire life of the garment
- Dries 4x faster than cotton
- Mountain bike specific fit
- Extended rear section at the back for bike-specific protection
- The entire garment is made from recycled fabrics
- MSRP: $49.95
Highlights of the Flexair shorts for women
- Lightweight 4-way stretch fabric with specially designed airflow zones for all-day riding comfort
- The proven racing ratchet closure ensures a secure fit and quick adjustments in no time
- Secure zippered hand pockets
- Bonded hem with overlapping details creates a low profile and reduces friction
- TruDri® fabrics wick sweat away from the body and keep you dry
- The DWR coating repels moisture, dirt and debris
- Laser-cut perforations increase air circulation
- The zipperless design increases comfort when riding
- MSRP: $119.95
Highlights of the men’s Ranger Crys Drirelease jersey
- drirelease® yarns wick away moisture and dry four times faster than cotton
- The entire garment is made from recycled fabrics
- 85% recycled polyester, 15% cotton Drirelease® jersey
- MSRP: $49.95
Highlights of the men’s Ranger long sleeve jersey
- drirelease® yarns wick away moisture and dry four times faster than cotton
- Mountain bike specific fit
- The entire garment is made from recycled fabrics
- MSRP: $59.95
Highlights of the men’s Ranger Race Drirelease jersey
- The drirelease® fabric wicks sweat away from the body, keeping you dry and comfortable
- The entire garment is made from recycled fabrics
- Mountain bike specific fit
- Extended rear section at the back for bike-specific protection
- MSRP: $54.95
Highlights of the Ranger Race Short for men
- TruMotion® stretch ripstop fabric maximizes performance on every ride
- Relaxed fit for on-bike performance and off-bike styling
- Snap closure and adjustable side drawcord for secure fit and adjustments on the fly
- The TruDri®-lined waistband wicks sweat and moisture away from the body, keeping you comfortable and dry
- Two zippered hand pockets
- The DWR coating repels moisture, dirt and debris
- The zipperless design increases comfort when riding
- MSRP: $89.95
First impressions
Since we made our selection for this test primarily from the fall catalog, our new gear featured fairly earthy colors and the more or less understated style that we’ve come to expect from Fox in recent years.
Ranger is Fox’s workhorse line, suitable for all types of riding in generally mild conditions. We chose the “drirelease” version of the jerseys because we were impressed by this fabric, which offers both comfort and high performance. The jerseys are relatively simple in construction, with no extras like pockets or glasses cleaning cloths, but the cut is elaborate and there are perforated panels on the lower back and under the arms.
The Ranger shorts are also quite simple in construction, but meet all the features: ripstop material, adjustable waistband, two large zippered pockets and a TruDri-lined waistband for comfort. You can get it with or without Fox Chamois lining, which we have always had good experiences with in the past.
Flexair is the premium line in the catalog with racing-inspired features and tighter shapes. The shorts are made from a lighter TruDri 4-way stretch material that sits fairly close to the body for an aerodynamic fit. Laser-cut ventilation holes provide additional air circulation, while a DWR coating repels dirt and moisture. The front hems are glued instead of sewn together, which is intended to reduce chafing in this area. The zipperless fly has a quick-release strap that also serves as a waist adjuster.
The Flexair jersey is also lighter than its Ranger counterpart, largely thanks to a thinner fabric. The fabric is micro-ventilated for additional air circulation and flatlock seams improve comfort. There is a taped seam on the front of the collar, giving the jersey a very clean cut look.
On the path
This time we tested both women’s and men’s clothing. Here are the measurements and sizes our two testers wore:
Johan
1.84 m (6 ft 0 in), approximately 87 kg (190 lbs), size L jerseys and shorts
Darina
1.61 m (5 ft 3 in), approx. 63 kg (139 lbs), size S jerseys and size M shorts
You may have noticed that some men’s Fox shorts have become increasingly tighter in recent years, particularly in the waist area. The new men’s Ranger appears to mark a size/cut adjustment as we found plenty of room in the midsection of these latest generation shorts in our usual size 34. Overall, in our opinion, the cut is now pretty close to perfection, everything just falls directly on the body. The pockets are roomy enough for everything you want to carry, and they’re absolutely ideally placed so your stuff doesn’t flap around or get left in an uncomfortable spot. The fabric gives you confidence without being too heavy – it also seems to breathe quite well.
It’s no big secret that we’re big fans of drirelease fabrics here at Vital. They offer the best of both worlds by replicating the feel of your favorite casual t-shirt while providing excellent sweat control. Plus they look really cool and in the current catalog it’s easy to find a design that works just as well in the city as it does on the bike. Both of our testers love this piece of gear and often reach for these jerseys before heading out for a ride. The Ranger has a slightly more relaxed fit, you’ll probably find that it’s comparable to your typical casual wear size from most brands.
The Flexair collection fits a little tighter, but our tester still managed to fit into her typical size S jersey. She sized up the shorts, which turned out to be a good decision as they fit quite tight. The size M left plenty of room for adjustment in the mid-section while sitting quite snugly across the thighs. Knee pads would also work, but a real heavy duty pad is a bit tight. The shorts are very comfortable to use and the cut works very well on the bike. The pockets are a little small; even in this smaller short size, a relatively large smartphone can fit in them, but we wish it sat in the same place as the Ranger described above. As it stands, it’s fully functional, but it’s just at the limit in terms of the capacity it can hold.
The Flexair jersey has a more traditional feel than the Drirelease jersey due to the polyester mesh, but it still feels very soft and, most importantly, doesn’t act like a wet blanket when you sweat in it. The cut is athletic but never restrictive, and it breathes very well even in action. The long-sleeved version, for example, is perfect for cooler autumn trips or late summer evenings.
What is the end result?
We’ve praised Fox’s riding gear in the past and see no reason to stop now. The current collection is made from comfortable, high-performance fabrics that feel great on the bike and definitely look good too. Opt for the Ranger line for a more casual look and everyday suitability, or grab a few Flexair items if you want something extra sporty. Either way, you’re getting gear that’s well-made and able to withstand the rigors of mountain biking – we even properly crash-tested the Flexair shorts during testing and they survived no damage. That’s more than we can say for our tester, who paid some trail tax on this occasion! 🙂
More information at: foxracing.com.
About the reviewer
Johan Hjord – Age: 50 // Years of MTB rider: 18 // Weight: 190 pounds (87 kg) // Height: 6 feet 0 inches (1.84 m)
Johan loves bikes, which strangely doesn’t make him any better at riding them. After years of practicing falling off cliffs on a snowboard, he took up mountain biking in 2005. Since then, he has mostly ridden bikes with too much suspension travel to cover up his many mistakes as a rider. His 200-pound body weight, coupled with his unique ability with poor line choices and awkward landings, make him an expert in durability – if parts survive Johan, they’re pretty much fine for anyone. Johan rides flat pedals with a riding style he describes as “none” (although in reality he rips!). Since he doesn’t like most of the trail elements, Johan uses much of his free time to build his own. Johan’s other achievements include surviving this far and helping keep the Vital Media Machine’s stoke dial firmly at 11.
Photos by Johan Hjord and Nils Hjord
