This week's 5 cool things sees in some mega warm looking kit from Fox, along with some budget friendly lock-on grips from Oxford. There's also Rapha's brand new kneepads and a shock-absorbing seat post. Get stuck in!

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Fox Ranger Fire gloves

£32

Kicking off this week's 5 cool things is Fox's Ranger Fire gloves. The brand says that they're fleecy on the inside and weather-resistant on the outside, promising a low-profile mountain biking glove for the harshest weather. 

As well as that fleece interior the glove gets an extended cuff to keep the weather out and there's loads of silicone at the fingertips to keep grip on the brakes well... grippy.

• foxracing.co.uk
• The best winter mountain bike gloves you can buy - tried and tested

Oxford Driver MTB grips

£15

Oxford's Driver MTB grips get a dual profile design with the aim of providing top grip and comfort in all weathers. There's also a waffle profile at the fingertips to help reduce vibrations.

These grips come with a single locking clamp, they're 130mm in length, 30mm in diameter, and are colour matched to the brand's Loam pedal range (which we saw in 5 cool things a couple of weeks ago).

• oxfordproducts.com
• The best mountain bike handlebar grips you can buy - tried and tested

Fox Defend Fire Bib Pants

£180

Bib... Pants? While they may look a bit strange they also carry an air of functionality. These pants get a fleece lining backing a rip-stop fabric. On the inside, they employ Polartech insulation to keep things extra toasty. While not fully waterproof, there's a DWR coating to shrug off spray and they're fastened with a single ratchet closure, designed to make adjustments quick and easy.

Oh... And let's not forget the adjustable and removable bib that comes sorted with three pockets, including a bottle holder.

• foxracing.co.uk
• Best tried and tested waterproof and insulated winter mountain bike trousers

Rapha Knee Pads

£80

Last week, Rapha unveiled the new Knee Pads to the world and as you can see, we wasted no time getting a pair in for testing. These pads utilise something called RHEON Labs tech, which is a pad that says flexible when in motion but under impact, it densifies, similarly to D3O. However, this pad certifies to Level 2, Type B protection, which is apparently the highest level of protection achieved by a slim and lightweight pad. We're excited to see if they live up to their claims.

• rapha.cc

• Rapha goes into the protection game with new Knee Pads

Redshift ShockStop PRO

£320

Finally, we've got Redshift's ShockStop PRO suspension seat post. This PRO version offers a claimed 25% weight reduction and 20mm of suspension damped by race-tuned elastomers to reduce buzz. Then, the linkage geometry has been specially configured to provide ultra-responsive suspension, says Redshift. 

The ShockStop PRO is available in two lengths, 280mm and 350mm, the latter being the model on test.

• redshiftsports.com
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