Fox Ranger Fire gloves review

Fox’s Ranger Fire gloves are designed to keep your hands warm on those freezing winter rides.

They don't have too much in the way of bulk or padding that’ll scupper the feel from your grips and make braking or changing gear tricky.

But just how well can these lightweight mountain bike gloves handle a cold and wet British winter?

Fox Ranger Fire gloves details and specifications

Inside the Ranger Fire gloves, you’ll find a soft, brushed fleece interior to help keep the cold out.

The back of the glove is constructed from a neoprene-like fabric with a decent amount of stretch, while the palm uses a water-resistant faux suede fabric, which is reasonably thin and designed to ensure you can keep gripping the bar comfortably, even when wet.

Both the index and middle fingers, along with the thumbs, are treated to some chunky silicone patches, placed there to boost grip and control. There are also conductive threads on the index finger and thumb should you need to use your phone.

Fox has included a sizeable snot wipe on the side of the thumb, which is handy on those really chilly days when your nose won’t stop running.

There’s no Velcro closure on the Ranger Fire gloves, with Fox opting for a long stretchy cuff instead. There is a useful pull-loop to help pull them onto your hands, though.

Fox Ranger Fire gloves performance

Slip them on and the brushed fleece interior feels instantly comfy, snugly and warm. I did feel the seam from the snot wipe across the back of my thumb, though you quickly forget about this, and it never bothered me while I was riding.

The size-medium gloves I tested fitted almost perfectly, with a great length through the fingers, a close fit across the back of the hand and no excessive bunching on the palm. They weren’t too tight around the thumb either – something I’ve experienced with other winter gloves.

Connection with the grips is good, thanks to the palm not being overly thick. That means you don’t need to squeeze more than you would when wearing a regular pair of gloves, and working the controls (brakes and gear shifters) isn’t impaired in any way either.

In damp conditions, the Ranger Fire gloves won’t prevent your hands from getting soaked, but they do a decent job of keeping them warm if they do get wet.

The fabric used on the backs helps to bead water initially, but it will wet out eventually and water will make its way in through the seams on the fingers. Grip on the bar remains steadfast once soaked.

When the Ranger Fires are wet, the silicone print on the index finger becomes slippery on the brake lever. The print adds purchase in the dry, but I’d happily forgo it because when wet you can feel your finger slide about on the lever.

Ditching the silicone print entirely or making it more minimal would be no bad thing, in my opinion.

On really cold days (I did some lengthy rides in temperatures ranging from 0°C down to -3°C) it takes a little time for your hands to warm up inside the Ranger Fires. However, once you’ve ridden for 15 to 20 minutes and heat has built up, my hands stayed decently warm, even when stopping and starting on group rides.

It helps that the soft stretchy cuff is long, extending far enough up and over your wrist that it creates a decent overlap with jacket sleeves to properly block out those cold drafts.

How do the Fox Ranger Fire gloves compare to Nukeproof's Blackline Winter gloves?

My go-to riding gloves during the colder months have been the Nukeproof Blackline Winter gloves, which I included in my 2021 Gear of the Year.

These may not be quite as snug or as soft initially, but the weather protection is just as good as the Ranger Fires and their palm is even thinner, which provides a better feel of the grip and controls.

On top of all of that, the Blacklines are cheaper, too.

In Fox’s favour, the cuffs are longer, which helps create a better seal between jacket sleeves and gloves, ensuring there’s no chance of exposing any skin to the elements.

Fox Ranger Fire gloves bottom line

If you’re looking for a decent set of well-fitting gloves to keep your hands warm on cold days, the Fox Ranger Fire gloves are well worth a look.

Pricing is decent, comfort is impressive and they do a really good job of protecting your hands when the mercury drops.

If Fox were to ditch the silicone print on the fingers and thumbs (or just reduce it in size), I think they’d be even better.