Fox Defend 3-Layer Water Pants

Fox’s Defend 3-layer Water Pants are the brand’s latest winter riding trousers, designed to provide a protective hardshell waterproof barrier capable of withstanding the harshest conditions.

Like a heavy-duty hiking jacket, the trousers use a waterproof and breathable membrane sandwiched in between two polyester and nylon layers.

With a small amount of stretch, the exterior also has a DWR coating to prevent beading on the surface and shed mud.

Costing £189.99, these are not cheap waterproof trousers, but their performance suggests they're worth the money.

Fox Defend 3-Layer Water Pants details and specifications

The material here is thicker and noisier than the softer stuff used on the brand’s popular Ranger 3-layer trousers.

Other differences include the fly not having any Velcro to keep the flap closed and relying only on the wrap-over waistband ratchet tightener.

While there is no fly zipper, each ankle has one to make getting the pants off easier after a wet ride. However, these zips mean the ankle zone doesn’t sit as tightly away from cranks as the Ranger’s elasticated cuff did.

Inside the trousers, Fox’s thick 3L material is fully seam-sealed and there are even double layers of tape on cross-over zones for proper belt-and-braces protection against moisture ingress.

The waistband sits lower than on many rival trousers and doesn’t have any sticky silicone strips to prevent it slipping when heavy and wet.

Fox Defend 3-Layer Water Pants performance

The Defend trousers' pre-curved shape kept the pants pretty stable throughout testing. While the waistband doesn’t cover as high up the small of your back as some winter trousers, the Fox pants never slid down too much while riding, even when absolutely covered with mud and spray.

Assuming fit is good in the first place, the cut works well and there’s a broad enough range of adjustment on the sturdy ratchet to stabilise the trousers.

When out working hard in the worst conditions, the Defend pants kept me drier for longer than any other mountain bike trousers I've tested this winter.

The waterproofing is superb, especially around the reinforced Cordura saddle area, and paired with waterproof socks, you can keep your legs really dry when the weather is doing its worst.

Breathability is pretty good too, with the pants striking a good balance of toughness and protection from the elements, yet not getting too hot and condensing too much steam on the inside.

This all means, if conditions are really bad and temperatures drop, these would be my go-to trousers for maximum protection from the weather. They're especially well suited to winch-and-plummet riders and owners of electric mountain bikes, because the thicker fabric means they're heavier than most winter trousers.

The sturdy fabric is less free-flowing and stretchy than some softer shells, but makes up for it by shrugging off mud, being easy to clean and resisting abrasion from scuffs and srapes with trail vegetation.

Fox’s Defend trousers aren’t perfect, however, because the pockets are only just deep enough for small items.

The ankle zips won’t please riders who love the brand’s regular punk-rock drainpipe aesthetic, with super-tight ankles that keep loam and spray out and reduce sagging below the knee.

Fox Defend 3-Layer Water Pants bottom line

Fox’s Defend 3-Layer Water pants aren't perfectly refined. However, it’s clear the brand understands what serious mountain bikers prioritise.

These are among the toughest and most waterproof riding trousers around, doing a better job than the majority of their rivals at keeping you dry in the most hostile conditions.

The price is high, but the performance more than warrants it.

How we tested | Waterproof MTB trousers