The Fox Ranger in an entry-level waterproof jacket with a 2.5 layer construction. This consists of a recycled polyester face fabric, a breathable membrane and a coated inner layer. Having half a layer sounds a bit odd, but think of this as a slightly textured coating on the inside of the jacket that protects the membrane and helps wick moisture. 

• Buyer’s guide to the best mountain bike waterproof jackets

Jackets with a 2.5 layer construction are generally cheaper, but Fox has made this one more competitive by using a non-branded membrane. This only has a rating of 10K/3K for waterproofness and breathability, which is pretty low. On the first wet ride in the Ranger, I did get a bit sticky, especially since there’s also no way to mechanically vent this jacket other than opening the main zip. Although to be fair, I had to do the same with plenty of the waterproof jackets I’ve tested recently. 

The Ranger has quite a lot of features, including two absolutely huge zippered front hand pockets. Unfortunately, they do add two extra layers of material down the front of the jacket and contribute to the weight, which at 431g makes this one of the heaviest 2.5 layer jackets I’ve tested. 

The Ranger has a handy zip gutter and both inner and outer storm flaps, but the inner one is too narrow, and I constantly kept snagging the zip. It has simple elasticated cuffs and it does extend slightly down at the back to keep the wet out. The over-helmet hood is a good size and can be tightened right down using two draw cords.

For a size large, I noticed the Ranger did come up a little bit small – it’s a tad short in the sleeves and there’s a tiny bit of stretch across the shoulders. It’s not a problem as such, I just recommend trying the fit if you’re in between sizes.

Initially the Ranger worked pretty well and water did bead up and pool easily on the fabric, but after I washed it the DWR (durable water repellent) stopped working, especially in the areas where it’d got dirty. I tried re-activating the DWR with a bit of heat, but this really didn’t do much.