36 Float 29 FIT4 Factory Boost Fork

There was a time when we charged through rubble and roots with whatever fork came on our second-hands steeds — when steel was king, and mountain bikes were geared up with three rings up front. But (fortunately) that time has passed, and we can finally equip ourselves with beefy forks capable of taking us through chunky granite gardens without buckling under pressure. FOX's 36 Float 29 FIT4 Factory Boost Fork is built to do exactly that, with beefy 36-millimeter stanchions, and rugged alloy and magnesium construction built to track through chunder and greasy roots without faltering. FOX's 36 Float is eager to please, and features a generous helping of EVOL technology borrowed from FOX's rear shocks, increasing the negative air spring volume to elevate sensitivity, easing into the top of the stroke so you can smooth out small bumps, and keep your tires glued to the trail while you pick your way up fire roads to the summit for a berm-blasting descent.

When you're barreling through chunky, technical terrain, the impressively-stiff 36mm stanchions work to deflect torsional forces from bucking you every which way. These stanchions benefit from a Kashima coating that reduces friction, meaning that you'll feel that its more sensitive, smoother, as well as more durable than the black anodized stanchions you'll find on FOX's less expensive forks.

On this particular model you'll find FOX's Fit4 damper with 3-position adjustment employed. This gives you the ability to switch between Open, Medium, and Firm settings on a whim. In Open mode you'll find 22-clicks of low speed compression tuning, which enables you to fine-tune your setup to your exact preferences. Medium gives you added efficiency on smoother trails and long climbs by lessening the excessive bobbing motion, and Firm acts as a practical lookout when you're slogging up long climbs, and working your way up fire roads that warrant all of the energy you can muster.

A revised tune and reconfigured shim stack make the Fit4 damper a bit more sensitive than its predecessors, allowing it to soak up smaller variances in terrain, and bumps along the ride. A benefit of this reconfiguration is that its easier to swap volume spacers to boost the progressive feel, as FOX removed a previous seal, making changes simple, so you can ride the fork just how you want it. This is especially welcome for those of us taking DH runs and park laps where an extra progressive feel is needed to prevent bottoming out and harsh transitions.

• Charge through the rubble with FOX's beefy enduro fork
• Float air spring with EVOL takes on small bumps
• Reconfigured damper has greater sensitivity to variances on trail
• Fit4 damper with 3-position adjust: Open, Medium, Firm
• 22-clicks of low-speed compression in Open mode
• 36mm stanchions are robust and stiff for reliable tracking
• Kashima coating keeps things buttery smooth and durable