Fox Racing Men's Ranger 3l Water Pant Ranger 3L Water Pant

Product Information

Maintaining airflow, ventilation and sweat evaporation while keeping water out is the holy grail for any waterproof product and can be achieved by using high-tech breathable fabrics and strategically placed vents. You should always keep proof of postage and we advise you to use a ‘signed for service’ when returning goods. Autumn and winter in the Coast Mountains of B.C. are challenging for gear. It's damp all the time, making it feel colder than it is. But once you get moving on the bike, the humidity and relatively warm conditions turn you into a sweaty mess. This has always been my challenge and I don’t even sweat much. I enjoy the 35-degree weather and grew up in very humid conditions. The Paclite trousers kept us dry, not wetting through for the entire test period, but ventilation is an issue. Ian Linton / Immediate Media Breathability is also rated – look for the MVTR (Moisture Vapour Transmission Rate) figure. This measures how much water vapour passes through a fabric and condenses over a 24hr time period. Above 20,000g/m²/24hr means good breathability.

This suggests the DWR coating can’t cope with the abrasion and rubbing of bike use. When we hosed them down at the end of a ride, the seams leaked, letting water in. As for sizing, try before you buy, because the waist sizes up quite large and adjustment is limited. The Water Vapour Transmission rating (WVTR) measures how breathable materials are, by testing how much water vapour can travel through the material in given conditions. The higher the rating, the more effective it will be at keeping you comfortable during higher-intensity riding.On the flip side, the fit is fairly baggy, especially around the calves, where the material flaps in the wind. Adjusting the Velcro ankle cuffs doesn’t reduce the volume either. Waterproof trousers will make wet-weather riding a much more pleasant experience. Ian Linton / Immediate Media In the correct size (we’ll come on to that), the fit on these Fox Ranger 3L Water Pants is perfect and sculpts to the riding position well. They fit true to size and, while there isn’t much stretch in the fabric, there was no excess tension around the crotch or hips. The large, calf-height zip makes it easy to take them off with shoes on. They’re light too, at 167g for our medium pair.

There’s ample space for knee pads, and tapering at the calves means they don’t flap in the wind. Elastic ankle cuffs stop water splashing upwards and the legs from riding up. Seventeen years after first having to adjust to the pronounced seasonal change, I still struggle with the initial shift to autumn and winter, and not only when it comes to riding. Heaps of people are fond of autumn but for a few close friends and me, it can bring the mood down. In spring, everything is in bloom, the forest smells fresh and there’s a buzz of energy. Come the summer months people are smiling and stoked to be outdoors more, soaking up as much vitamin D as possible – as if trying to store extra in preparation for winter. I'm addicted to that glorious glowing orange ball of light. strategically placed Cordura in the Defend 3L Water Pants adds protection against brush, while the pants use a Get the size right and the Fox Ranger trousers have a sculpted fit that suits the riding position well. Ian Linton / Immediate Media In the past, waterproof trousers/pants looked awful and were rustley, crinkly and boil-in-the-bag as soon as you got moving. But advances in fabric technology mean that the latest options a soft and comfortable, stretch as you pedal, keep you warm and dry when the spray is flying, and even look good off the bike. Here’s our round-up of the best options on the market.The fabric is think with four-way stretch plus a DWR coating to ward off drizzle and splashes. Inside, a soft facing feels good against bare skin. Sizing is true to size with a generous cut but without being baggy, and waist adjusters allow you to customise the fit, plus belt loops mean you can add a belt if you want.. A tapered leg plus elasticated hems makes getting them on and off easy. While the price is higher than the Endura MT500 or Fox Ranger pants, this is offset by an included repair kit and free crash repair service. Overall, these are quality riding pants that fit great, feel comfortable and work in a range of conditions. Manufacturers describe their garments as having three two or layers but what does this mean? A two-layer fabric is made up of an outer face fabric bonded to the waterproof membrane, usually with a mesh liner hanging inside. On a 2.5 layer, the mesh liner is replaced with a micro (or half) layer, which is either bonded or printed onto the membrane. A three-layer garment has the membrane sandwiched between two Nylon layers. Vents

DWR treatment (Durable Water Repellent) is often used on the external surface of the fabric to help precipitation or trail spray bead off the surface. Choosing performance bike outerwear can be confusing and full of jargon, which is why Fox organises its outerwear range into clear and understandable categories, using three overarching category names: Water, Fire and Wind. Even without explaining any further, it’s easy to work out what each category focuses on. Water is for rainy and wet weather. Fire is for cold temperatures. Wind is for, yep… you guessed it, windy conditions.The Alpkit Parallax trousers deal with sweat well, the inside only getting wet on very slow climbs. Once damp (we’ll come on to waterproof performance), they were still comfortable against our skin and didn’t cause knee pads to fall down. Fox clothing is known as one of the most stylish brands on the market, and its current outerwear collection enhances this quality with some serious technical know-how, whatever the weather throws at you.