Reasons to buy: Lightweight and airy. Great fit and comfort. Well priced considering the quality, fit and performance. Women’s version also available Pants are never going to be as breezy as shorts, but the Burner Lite comes closer to any I’ve tried thanks to the lightweight material that feels breezy, and never clammy. There are also laser cut holes galore, with a score or more either side of the knee to draw in air. I’m happy in the Burner Lite up to 20°C or so, which means I’ve been wearing them all this summer without problems. We’re big fans of Endura’s MT500 Burner Pant, it looks good and offers great durability and protection. This new Lite version is arguably better for trail riders though, because it’s incredibly light at 268g, or nearly half the weight of the downhill pant.

Manufacturers describe their garments as having three two or layers but what does this mean? A two-layer fabric is made up of an outer face fabric bonded to the waterproof membrane, usually with a mesh liner hanging inside. On a 2.5 layer, the mesh liner is replaced with a micro (or half) layer, which is either bonded or printed onto the membrane. A three-layer garment has the membrane sandwiched between two Nylon layers. Vents I often receive criticism from my buddies for always riding in pants. A habit born out of necessity to protect against the abundance of poison ivy on my home trails, it still gives me a sense of comfort; if I'm on my mountain bike, I'm wearing riding pants. People occasionally ask, “How are you wearing pants in the middle of summer?”. It’s a fair question, but as someone who has spent nearly every summer of their life sweating through a baseball uniform in the muggy Virginia heat, vented riding pants are a luxury. For years, my go-to model has been the Fox Flexair. Equal parts lightweight and breathable, they are more than suitable for the mild temperatures of a Washingtonian summer. Four seasons old, with hundreds of miles pedaled and more than a handful of crashes along the way, my Flexair pants are thoroughly tested. In fact, they have been so durable that I haven't had the need to try any new Fox pants until just recently. Some of my co-workers and I had the opportunity to test a variety of Fox’s latest pants and chat about their differences. The models we tested ranged from the ultra light and pedal friendly Flexair Pro and Ranger, to the protective, downhill-oriented Defend. While all of these models share the same high quality construction as my previous Fox Flexair pants, they each have features unique to their intended use. Thoughtfully designed features like the zipper leg opening give these pants an edge up on other tapered pants that can be cumbersome to take on and off. Compared to the older Flexair model that I typically ride in, the new Flexair Pro offers improved ventilation. Its panels are made from Dyneema, a material that is 15x stronger than steel and extremely lightweight. These panels offer similar abrasion resistance and protection to the Cordura ones found on the Defend, while allowing the Flexair Pro to maintain its ultra lightweight construction. When it comes time to retire my older Flexair pants, the Flexair Pro will be high on my list for their versatility and added durability. Fox’s material doesn’t have a DWR coating, but also doesn’t absorb a lot of water when wet and get too heavy and flappy, so you can use it even when the trails are pretty soaked without any of that sodden dragging-trousers-down fabric feel you get with some rivals. There’s also a really good balance of being airy and well ventilated yet offering enough warmth to take chill winds off on the coldest days, so the Ranger is a genuine year-round UK option.The Ranger pants were the most affordable option that we tested. The technical stretch fabric is lightweight and durable, providing comfort for even the longest pedals as well as being a great option for the bike park. While they don’t quite offer the same level of durability as the Defend or Flexair Pro, their material can still withstand the occasional spill. Similar to the other pants we tested, the Ranger exceeded the comfortability test. Sam even went as far as to compare them to sweatpants, but wouldn’t admit if he slept in them the night before filming our review video. Fit: The Dakine Thrillium Pant had the snuggest fit of all the "mediums" and size 32's in this round up. If you're on the upper edge of that size you may want to bump up a size. The pants have room for knee pads when dry, but once the fabric gets soaked, it tended to bind on my kneepads. The lower legs are on the roomier side as compared to many of the other offerings reviewed here, which made them nice and comfy when pedaling vs. feeling like I'd pulled on a pair of tights. Overall they fit me pretty well, considering I measure as a 31" waist, although I'd like just a little more room or stretch across the lap in the waist.

All waterproof fabrics are rated for waterproofness and anything over 10,000mm is pretty watertight in normal conditions. Breathability is also rated – look for the MVTR (Moisture Vapour Transmission Rate) figure. Above 20,000g/m²/24hr means good breathability. Fabric constructionWhile the double loop lies almost perfectly flat and sits really close to the trousers, I found it fiddlier and less convenient to use. That said, once you’ve adjusted it to your preference, you can soon forget about it (unless you need to make some adjustments after a particularly big meal). Fox Ranger pants performance