2019 was the year of the trouser. Tapered, lightweight riding pants were everywhere. I was something of a long kecks latecomer, but I am now fully sold on both the…
Paul Burwell
Contributor
Ion Shelter Softshell Pants review
We’ve tried most riding trouser options on the market, and these Ion Shelter Softshell Pants are a relatively new addition to try.
IXS Trigger Pant review
The IXS Trigger Pant is from their performance Race range, which means it’s designed for downhill but you’d be mistaken if you thought this meant it was heavy or overly…
Peaty’s Wash, Prevent and Lubricate Gift Pack review
Probably like you, I hate cleaning my bike after a muddy ride, and we’ve had more than our fair share of those this winter, so anything that helps make this…
Race Face Atlas 35 Stem review
Race Face Atlas 35 stem is machined unit, which means it looks pretty sharp. Pitched at the gravity crowd there’s nothing stopping you fitting this on a trail bike.
OnOff AM Resin Pedal review
OnOff AM Resin has a similar look to alloy Hook pedal with chamfered edge and same 12 pins per side, but it’s actually bigger, with a 105x105mm platform.
KS Lev Integra dropper post review
The recently updated KS LS Lev Integra dropper post has a new open bath cartridge, a one-piece forged head and lower insertion depth, which all sounds good.
Thule Rail 12L Pro hydration pack review
The Rail is Thule’s enduro/ aggressive trail backpack. It comes in lots of different sizes and they all use a 2.5-litre reservoir, but only the Pro model (tested) comes with…
Leatt DBX Cargo hydration pack review
Leatt is constantly expanding its accessory line and the latest addition is this 10-litre DBX Cargo trail pack. It’s at the top end when it comes to price, but it…
Fox Utility Hydration Small review
We asked Fox to send the medium-sized Utility Hydration for this test – it has the same size reservoir but 12L of storage – but it was out of stock.…
EVOC FR Day Protector hydration pack review
We contacted Evoc to get one of its Protector backpacks, because they have these removable back protectors that are great for an uplift or downhill session. For some reason the…
Ergon BE2 Enduro hydration pack review
The Ergon BE2 Enduro is unusual in that it comes in two sizes, large and small, and within each size there is a large range of adjustment.
Deuter Compact Explorer 14 hydration pack review
At £90 this looks like excellent value for a 14-litre trail pack, but the Compact Explorer 14 is one of the only packs on test that doesn’t come with a…
Ride Concept Vice Shoe review
Although Ride Concepts claims its new Vice flat-pedal shoe was developed with its dirt jump, slopestyle and BMX athletes in mind, it has features I’ve tested loads of times on…
Osprey Raptor 10 hydration pack review
With only a 2.5-litre reservoir and 10 litres of storage, on paper the Osprey Raptor 10 doesn’t seem capatious, but it features a large central pocket, which holds two side-mounted…
Decathlon Rockrider 6L MTB ST900 hydration pack review
The name is a little confusing – it’s called Decathlon Rockrider 6L but it actually comes with a two-litre reservoir and has 12 litres of internal storage.
Specialized Trail Series Wind jacket review
If you see a Specialized Trail Series Wind jacket cheap, it’s worth snapping this one up because it’s a great emergency jacket, but too dear at full price.
Bontrager Rally Wavecell helmet review
Twelve months ago we tested the Bontrager Rally MIPs but this new version is called the Rally WaveCel and gets Trek’s in-house rival to MIPs. WaveCel is a cellular plastic…
Kali Pace helmet review
Kali Protectives splits its range in Enduro and Trail and the Pace sits in the latter category. At just under £60 it’s at the lower end of the price range…
POC Tectal Race Spin NFC helmet review
This is a new helmet from the Swedish firm and it is absolutely loaded with high-tech safety features. Read more: Buyer’s guide to the best mountain bike helmets First off…