FOX RANGER 2.5L WATER

£100

SPECIFICATION Weight: 361g • Sizes: S-XL • Colours: Blue, black, fluo yellow, beige • Women’s version: Yes • Contact: foxracing.co.uk

Fox has a number of different jackets in its outerwear line-up, with the cornerstones being the Ranger 3L

Water and this, the Ranger 2.5L Water. As the name suggests, this jacket gets a cheaper bonded half layer to protect the membrane, but it’s £100 less than the 3L option, which seems like a decent compromise. Mid-weight at 361g in size medium, it’s not really designed to be packed down.

Specs for the generic ripstop polyester fabric are 10,000mm for waterproofing and 3,000g for moisture transmission. Those figures are among the lower end of the jackets here, and while the waterproofing was unphased by our testing, the Ranger 2.5L clammed up quickly on the climbs. In fact the lining was dripping with moisture at the top. And while the fabric itself is mostly to blame here, Fox has restricted the breathability with a massive logo printed across the back.

Our medium sample has a roomy cut and is relatively long in the torso with a drop tail hem for extra back protection. There is a drawcord at the hem, but the cuffs and hood are simple elasticated openings. The latter easily pulls over a helmet, but with no adjustability it feels loose when you’re not wearing a lid.

Although not as bad as the Altura Esker, the liner of the Fox Ranger 2.5L felt rubbery to the touch, so wasn’t the nicest jacket to wear with short sleeves. There’s a belt-and-braces double storm flap for the zip, but this just tended to get snagged when we were doing it up. In terms of storage, Fox has added two zipped hip pockets, which we applaud, but for some reason they extend almost all the way up to the armpits, which means wasted space and more material for moisture to transfer through.

While the Ranger 2.5L is a good price for a desirable brand name like Fox, this jacket is let down by its breathability and a series of basic flaws.

As an e-bike jacket, where moisture transmission is less important, it does the job, but analogue riders would be better off saving £20 and buying the Madison

Roam, or investing an extra £60 in the

Endura GV500.