REASONS TO BUY
Simple glove
Nice grip on handlebars thanks to silicone printed finger tips
REASONS TO AVOID
Ill-fitting fingers
Fox Racing Ripley - Women's Review
Very simple glove and the fingers don't fit very well
Credit: Fox Racing
RELATED: Best Mountain Bike Gloves
Our Verdict
The Fox Women's Ripley is a simple and effective glove with a no-frills approach. The four-way stretch polyester on the back of the hand provides a durable and thick feel while still remaining soft and comfortable. The Ripley allows for a solid range of motion and is not restrictive. The palm has a thick feel compared to the other women's glove in the review. It should be noted that there is no ventilation in the palm, however, the sides of the fingers offer a thin and breathable layer. The printed silicone on the fingertips provides a nice grip for a trailside snack or use of a multi-tool. Touchscreen abilities were respectable with the thumb and index finger thanks to conductive threads that are sewn into the tips. At $25 MSRP, it is easy to call these gloves a good value.
Our Analysis and Test Results
Fox has discontinued the Ripley glove and it has been replaced by the Ranger women's glove. We expect the fit, comfort, and performance to be the same as the men's version we tested.
Performance Comparison
Durable yet soft while gripping the bars.
Credit: JT Teerlink
Fit
It is important to note the Women's Ripley glove fits very small. This small fit isn't limited to a certain area such as the fingers or palm, it is tight throughout the hand. Strongly consider sizing up on this glove.
Comfort
The comfort level on the Fox Ripley glove is strongly related to fit. Squeezing into a smaller glove is inherently uncomfortable. The tight fingertips can be uncomfortable with the seams being forced into your fingers. Aside from our fit issues, we found the compression molded cuff is has a soft feel while retaining a secure fit. The four-way stretch polyester has a pleasant feel on the back of the hand. The fabric feel on the knuckle when gripping the bar is not irritating or abrasive. The Fox Ripley glove isn't suited for super cold weather riding, but it was one of the thicker lady's gloves in our test class.
Fox Ripley has a thick and comfortable palm feel.
Credit: Annie Clark
Features
The Fox Ripley's hook and loop velcro closure system is a tedious and doesn't have a substantial effect on the fit. We strongly prefer the slide-on gloves without a closure system. The chamois panel on the thumb is on the small side among test gloves. The panel is less effective at combating a runny nose or sweat-glazed forehead. The conductive threads sewn into the thumb and index fingertips make using your touch screen cell phone doable. It's not wonderful, but it works. The silicone printed on the heel of the hand and thumb, index, and middle finger allows for a bit of extra dexterity and grip on the bars, brake levers, and shifters.
Protection
The Ripley glove is constructed with a thick fabric that helps protect against typical mountain biking hazards. That said, there is no added armor or protective padding to protect against larger impacts.
Durability
Throughout our testing, we didn't observe any major wear. The velcro patch on the cuff of the glove features some skimpy sewing. It is reasonable to assume that the threading may come unraveled sooner than later. The thick palm and substantial four-way stretch polyester on the back of the hand induce confidence in durability.
Best Applications
We found the Ripley glove to be a solid choice for everyday trail/enduro riding. This would not be our desired glove for downhill riding due to the lack of protection/armor.
Value
At $25 MSRP the Fox Ripley glove features reasonable price point. They are among the lower cost options in the test and based on our experience, they provide a very solid value.
Conclusion
Durable, comfortable and an impressive price point make the Fox Ripley glove a nice choice for many riders, especially those with small hands. While the sizing is tricky, it is difficult to fault too many characteristics about this glove. Strap these gloves on and hit the trail.
Other Versions and Accessories
The Fox Ripley glove is available in three different color options and small, medium, and large sizes.
—
Jeremy Benson
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