With bike park season well and truly upon us, chances are you’ll be gearing up to hit your favorite resort as we speak – and you may well be looking to up your game a bit, both with regards to comfort and protection. Fox has a wide range of suitable apparel and protection lined up for just this purpose, and we’ve checked out a selection of gravity goods to let you know what’s what. Dig in to find out more!
Starting on the apparel side, the Fox Flexair line is made for those looking for all-around performance with emphasis on light weight and breathability. The Flexair pant checks in with flexible fabrics and a form-fitting cut, something to bear in mind if you are between sizes. Our two testers weigh in at 88 and 80 kgs (194 and 176 lbs) respectively, and they were at the opposite ends of the ratcheting waist adjuster. The tight fit also means that you’ll struggle to fit a full-size knee protector under the pant if you choose to size down. The length of the pant is adequate, the bigger of our testers (6'0” (1m84) with an inseam of ~33.8”) had the hems rest just above the shoes with a size 34 pant.
The 4-way stretch fabric is very comfortable on the skin, and does a great job evacuating sweat. It is also flexible enough to follow your every movement on the bike. Lazer-cut ventilation holes both on the top of the thigh and the back of the knees provide for good airflow, and the two zippered pockets are big enough for your phone and assorted cargo. We really like the pocket placement here, pretty much ideal in our books. As for durability, we have not tested this particular sample to failure, but the fabrics are pretty hard-wearing and a DWR treatment will help the pant shed dirt and moisture a bit easier – a good choice for summer bike park shredding! It’s easy to clean and dries out really fast too, which is useful when there are many days of shredding on the menu.
If you like the Flexair approach but you don’t want a whole pant, the corresponding Flexair short inherits many of the same features as its full-length sibling. If you want to pare things down even more, the Flexair Lite short features a lighter fabric and only one, smaller pocket – more suited to quick evening blasts around your favorite local trail in our opinion.
To accessorize your pant or short, the Flexair line of jerseys offers a wide selection of colors and cuts. The fabrics are super light and the jerseys are highly breathable, without any extras like liftpass pockets or goggle wipes. Note that Fox has a brand new Flexair variation out called Flexair Pro – adding more heavy-duty fabrics in strategic areas of the pants, shorts, and jerseys, something to consider if you typically fail to keep the rubber side down from time to time.
Looking and feeling good is one thing, but you’ll want to stay safe in the park too. The Baseframe Pro SL is a light and flexible back protector with extra padding on the chest and the hips. The main protective element here is a massive D3O pad in the back, housed in a soft and flexible chassis. The chest are features a foam pad designed more to ward off abrasion than taking bigger hits. Similarly, the hip padding is also quite light.
The Baseframe is very comfortable in action, and although the big D3O pad does get a bit warm when things heat up, the fabrics breathe well and the minimalistic cut helps avoid that dreaded Ninja Turtle feeling of yesteryear’s pressure suite. A great option for those looking to add a little peace of mind in the bike park without going to town with the padding (you can opt for the full-sleeve Baseframe Pro guard if you want to add lightweight shoulder and elbow protection as well).
Our knees tend to get used as landing gear more often than not when we crash, so it may well be worth investing a little extra in this area before heading to the lifts. The Launch Pro D3O guards are heavy-duty knee protectors that combine a D3O pad with an external, removable hard cap. Built for your more intense tumbles, these guards are pretty heavy and wouldn’t be our first choice for any pedal-intensive riding. It’s also important to get the fit just right, as they tend to run a little loose and can end up feeling unsettled on the knee because of their weight. If you get the fit right, you’ll be happy with how they protect you though.
To round up this overview, we also tested the latest Flexair Pro glove. This glove features a heavy-duty panel of abrasion-resistant fabric on the back of the hand, combined with a small D3O pad above the two outside knuckles. We love the execution of this glove, it manages to feel very reassuring without becoming unnecessarily stiff or unwieldy. It provides great grip on your…err, grips, thanks to the functional cut and the generous amounts of silicone grippers. Social media fiends will appreciate how well this glove works with a touchscreen too.
Product Highlights
- Super-light, slim, tapered fit for superior on-bike performance
- TruDri® fabric moves sweat away from the body to keep you dry
- Proven race-ratchet closure provides a secure fit and quick on-the-fly adjustments
- Bonded zip hand pockets
- TruMotion® all-way stretch fabric offers full range of mobility
- DWR finish sheds moisture, dirt, and debris
- Body-mapped laser perforations on front and rear panels increase airflow to keep you cool
- MSRP: $139.95 USD
- Super-light stretch fabric for all-day comfort and unrestricted mobility
- Removable liner with dual density chamois for improved saddle comfort
- TruDri® fabrics move sweat away from body to keep you dry
- TruMotion® all-way stretch fabric offers full range of motion increasing mobility
- Proven Race Ratchet closure provides secure fit and quick on-the-fly adjustments
- Body-mapped laser perforations on front and back panels increase airflow keeping you cool
- DWR finish sheds moisture, dirt, and debris
- Secure zip pocket
- Dyed fabric w/screen prints
- Inseam: 13"
- MSRP: $99.95 USD
Fox Flexair Short Sleeve Jersey
- TruDri® fabrics move sweat away from the body to keep you dry and comfortable
- Carvico sleeve and shoulder panels increase abrasion resistance
- Slit hem detail offers maximum mobility
- Bonded hem, neck, and sleeve openings reduce chafing
- Length (HPS): 31'', size large
- 95% polyester, 5% elastane
- MSRP: $59.95 USD
- EN1621-1 Level 1 Back including high and low temperature conditions
- CE certified D3O® back insert world leading impact protection technology
- Large perforation and flex grooves in the back foam contours and flexes with rider movement
- Body heat activates (softens) the polymer to conform to body
- Moisture wicking, open stretch mesh for breathability
- Built in padding at hips offers additional comfort
- D3O® back insert is removable for easy washing
- MSRP: $169.95 USD
- D3O® CE certified insert for impact protection
- Perforated ARIAPRENE® neoprene for enhanced breathability
- Designed for superior pedal efficiency and on bike comfort
- Moisture wicking back fabric keeps you cool and dry
- Removable/replaceable hard-shell front knee cap to reduce snagging
- MSRP: $139.95 USD
- Strategically placed D3O® on the outside knuckles designed to protect from impacts
- Mesh back of hand for increased breathability
- Dyneema® knuckle coverage for increased durability without sacrificing weight
- Single-layer perforated Clarino® palm for uncompromised bar control
- Touch-screen compatible
- MSRP: $49.95
What’s The Bottom Line?
Fox has been growing their catalogue at a rapid pace over the last few years, and the results are pretty impressive. From the fabrics to the cuts, every piece we’ve tested is fit for function and generally well suited to its intended application. The 2022 range of gravity-oriented gear is no different. The Flexair line is light and comfortable yet rugged enough for most kinds of riding (look to the new Flexair Pro or the Defend line if you need more protection). The Baseframe Pro SL is a modern take on full-body armor, which is almost able to make itself forgotten until you need it. Pair it all up with a pair of heavy-duty knee guards and the superb new Flexair Pro gloves and you’ll be ready to hit the park – in style!
More information at: www.foxracing.com.
About The Reviewer
Johan Hjord - Age: 49 // Years Riding MTB: 17 // Weight: 190-pounds (87-kg) // Height: 6'0" (1.84m)
Johan loves bikes, which strangely doesn’t make him any better at riding them. After many years spent practicing falling off cliffs with his snowboard, he took up mountain biking in 2005. Ever since, he’s mostly been riding bikes with too much suspension travel to cover up his many flaws as a rider. His 200-pound body weight coupled with unique skill for poor line choice and clumsy landings make him an expert on durability - if parts survive Johan, they’re pretty much okay for anybody. Johan rides flat pedals with a riding style that he describes as "none" (when in actuality he rips!). Having found most trail features to be not to his liking, Johan uses much of his spare time building his own. Johan’s other accomplishments include surviving this far and helping keep the Vital Media Machine’s stoke dial firmly on 11.
Photos by Johan Hjord // Riding and Modeling by Nils Hjord
7/21/2022 9:58am
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