Cycle News Staff | July 29, 2016
Fox Racing recently held a “gala” introduction of its new line of 2017 MX gear, which will be available to the public in just a few days, August 1 to be exact. Fox pretty much revamped its entire line, which includes gear sets, gloves and helmets.
2017 FOX GEAR INTRODUCTION
This biggest news is Fox carried over some of its high-end technology from its premium line—FlexAir—to its midlevel 360 gear. Now you can get some of the high-tech features of the FlexAir gear in the 360 gear but at a lower price point.
Fox’s midrange 360 gear (pictured) now features many of the same technologies found in the company’s premium FlexAir line, which was introduced last year. (Photography by Kit Palmer)
The main new feature of the 360 line is its four-way stretch material that is found in critical areas, such as the crotch and knee areas. The four-way stretch material was previously found only in the premium FlexAir line, which was introduced in the spring of 2015. The FlexAir gear took on only minor changes for 2017, but got new graphics and more colorways.
Other updates to the new 360 gear include getting the Rider Attack Position of the FlexAir pant, and improved durability of both the inner and outer knee areas, especially on the inside which tends to get beat up quickly by knee braces.
Fox’s entry-level line, the 180, which was updated last year, took on some further refinements but mostly in the styling department. The FlexAir, 360 and 180 gear sets come in a large variety of colorways.
The V3 helmet is now Fox’s premium helmet. The V4 (which was basically the same helmet as the V3) has been discontinued. Fox’s glove line has also been updated.
Fox also updated its Youth line. The company realized that fast kids need premium equipment too and updated its 360 Youth gear with four-way stretch material, as well. Basically, the Youth gear gets the same overall updates as the adult 360 line.
Women’s gear, however, received mostly graphic updates for 2017.
Fox’s glove line was also updated, and a new model has been introduced—the 360 AirLine glove, which features a single-layer palm with Velcro closure, and four-way stretch on top of the glove. The premium 360 and AirLine gloves also feature True Feel (small rubber-like dots) on the first two fingers to give you better feel and grip on the levers; their True Feel technology, Fox says, was borrowed from surgical gloves.
Ivan Tedesco shows off one of the many new colorways of the 2017 Fox 360 gear.
And Fox didn’t forget about its color-matching V line (V1, V2 and V3) of helmets. Fox discontinued the V4, saying that it and the V3 were so close in design that they really didn’t need a fourth model and wanted to “simplify” the line by eliminating the V4 line. Technically, the V3 and V4 helmets were pretty much the same; they both featured Multidirectional Impact Protection Systems (MIPS), dual density UPS liners and composite shell construction. The difference between the V3 and the V4 was mostly cosmetic, so the V3 is now Fox’s premium helmet, which is the same helmet that Ryan Dungey wears.
You will have four colorways to chose from in Fox’s FlexAir line. This is one of them.
Fox’s Instict boot feature no new technical changes for 2017 but come in a variety of color-matching styles, including a new black and yellow boot.
