Fox Downpour jacket review

Coat for the coldest days

Our rating

3.0

250.00

165.00

Fox Downpour jacket

Steve Behr

Robin Weaver

Published: January 28, 2015 at 10:00 am

Our review

Not the most breathable jacket, but does a solid job of keeping the elements out on really cold, wet days

The new Downpour jacket from Fox offers some well-considered mountain bike specific features, all packaged up stylishly in one of the best looking waterproofs out there.

Thanks to the four-way stretch fabric, movement remains unrestricted, and the rubbery-feeling finish means there’s none of that loud crinkling noise you get with some of the more rigid waterproof materials out there. The cut offers enough length in the arms and at the rear when you’re stretched out in the saddle too, so you never really feel exposed to the elements.

The stashable hood is a handy touch:

The stashable hood is a handy touchGet working really hard on the bike and you’ll soon notice that the Downpour isn’t the most breathable jacket. Even with just a baselayer underneath, things heat up quickly and get pretty clammy too. Luckily the two zipped, easy access underarm vents do offer some light relief but this one is definitely better suited to really cold days.

Vents provide some limited heat relief, but this is really a jacket for cold days:

Thanks to the four-way stretch fabric, movement remains unrestricted, and the rubbery-feeling finish means there’s none of that loud crinkling noise you get with some of the more rigid waterproof materials out there. The cut offers enough length in the arms and at the rear when you’re stretched out in the saddle too, so you never really feel exposed to the elements.

The stashable hood is a handy touch:

The stashable hood is a handy touchGet working really hard on the bike and you’ll soon notice that the Downpour isn’t the most breathable jacket. Even with just a baselayer underneath, things heat up quickly and get pretty clammy too. Luckily the two zipped, easy access underarm vents do offer some light relief but this one is definitely better suited to really cold days.

Vents provide some limited heat relief, but this is really a jacket for cold days:

Vents provide some limited heat relief, but this is really a jacket for chilly days

We found the Downpour particularly useful on wet uplift days when the temperature had really dropped. It’ll keep you surprisingly warm and do a great job of sealing the weather well and truly out.

We found ourselves using the two zipped pockets constantly and the stashable hood is a nice touch if you’re stuck outdoors in the ugliest weather.

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Technical editor-in-chief

Rob Weaver is BikeRadar's technical editor-in-chief. Rob manages all of the testing here at BikeRadar and across our magazines, Mountain Biking UK and Cycling Plus. Rob first graced the pages of MBUK back in 2001 when working as a freelance writer and went on to start testing bikes for the title in 2007. In 2010 he joined the team full-time and has been keeping a close eye on all things test-related ever since. Rob’s expansive knowledge of bikes comes courtesy of his passion for racing. He cut his teeth racing cross-country mountain bikes in the early 90s before finding his feet in downhill. After many years competing on the UK national circuit (including a year attempting to race UCI DH World Cups), Rob realised his know-how and passion for bike setup, tech and writing clearly outweighed his racing ability. A degree in sports technology and decades of riding experience all help to give Rob a thorough understanding of what’s needed to create a great bike or product. While Rob’s a mountain biker at heart and never happier than when he’s sliding down a Welsh hillside, he’s more than happy to put the miles in on the road or gravel bike, too.