Another riding season, another slew of new gear from Alpinestars that further solidifies their reputation as a leader in the motorcycle gear industry. In this write-up, we're going to focus on the new glove choices that are part of the Alpinestars Spring 2012 Gear lineup.
Alpinestars SP-2 Gloves (2012) - a redesign of the a long-running gauntlet in the AStars lineup, the Alpinestars SP-2 Gloves offer a lot of features and functionality at an extremely reasonable price point. A mix of goatskin leather (at the palm and fingers) and cowhide (at the backhand), these gloves provide tactile feel and a ton of protection. There is a hard part carbon main knuckle protector with foam inserts at the fingers and lateral side of the gauntlet. The 3rd-4th finger bridge that Alpinestars is known for also makes its way into this glove that offers huge bang for the buck.
Alpinestars Octane-S Moto Gloves - a previous standout as a short cuff riding glove that could crossover from sport riding to supermoto, the new Octane-S has received a style upgrade but remains true to what it was in its previous life: a highly protective short cuff glove that will flow a ton of air and be extremely comfortable in all hot weather riding scenarios. A full-grain leather upper, hard part main knuckle armor, and large perf scheme are some of the standout features of the Alpinestars Octane S-Moto Gloves.
Alpinestars SP-X Gloves - one of the most protective short cuff sport-focused riding gloves in the AStars lineup has received a style makeover for 2012. The SP-X is a full goatskin leather construction with air mesh inserts to keep you cool and protected. Carbon fiber protectors are found at the main knuckle and three first fingers, all of which is backed by foam for added impact protection. Double layered leather can be found in key areas while the 3rd-4th finger bridge protects the pinky in impact.
The popular Alpinestars Scheme Kevlar Gloves from last year have gotten themselves an upgrade as we move into 2012. Rather than the denim of last year's model, the new Scheme Kevlars feature a Clarino, 3D mesh, PU and synthetic leather shell. There is still that great carbon fiber armor in addition to the Kevlar lining, but they've toned down the recklessness of the denim shell and made this into a more viable sport and touring option. Comfortable and protective, these gloves provide a ton of bang for the buck.
Throughout this past year, and the last ten-plus years for that matter, Alpinestars has had many popular products amongst the motorcycle riding community. Alpinestars Gloves in particular were a big success. Their three most popular gloves amongst riders were the Alpinestars Apex Drystar Gloves, the Alpinestars SP-X Gloves, and the Alpinestars Arctic Drystar Gloves. It comes as no surprise as Alpinestars has always been known to create high quality yet stylish gloves enabling riders to get the best of both worlds, and these gloves are no exception.
These gloves contain a mix of leather and textile to provide a comfortable feel for the city commuter or easy touring rider. Additionally, the Apex glove features an extra warm and cozy thermal velour liner combined with Alpinestars 100% waterproof and breathable Drystar membrane to keep cold and wet weather away from hands. They feature a goatskin glove chassis with padded textile palm reinforcements and a molded PU knuckle and foam padding on fingers. They also include an ultra-flexible accordion textile on top of the hand and around the thumb and a full-length wrist gauntlet with dual wrist adjustment and an accordion panel for flex in the gauntlet area.
They are composed of a full-grain leather and air mesh construction therefore making them sport/multi-purpose, lightweight riding gloves. For additional protection, they include a synthetic suede palm with leather reinforcements for improved grip and protection and carbon fiber knuckle, side palm and finger protection. To further protect yourself, Alpinestars has featured micro-injected knuckle protection, a leather-reinforced thumb, and EVA padded wrist protection. Comfort-wise, they come with silicone printing on the fingertips for increased grip and a neoprene cuff for comfort.
These are particular interesting as they are meant for all seasons except for extreme weather seasons (winter, summer) and were made particularly for on and off road ADV touring. They are constructed of a blend of a textile upper construction and goatskin palm construction with clarino reinforcement. For additional protection they have included over-molded hard PU knuckle protection and 4mm EVA foam padding on top of the hand, fingers and wrist, and a high finger bridge for protection on your two outer fingers. For comfort, they have integrated accordion stretch inserts on top of hand and fingers, pre-curved finger construction, and the Drystar waterproof breathable membrane.
Another solid batch of products from Alpinestars to complement their new run of redesigned boots and shoes.
Our next round of 2011 Warm Weather Motorcycle Gear Guides brings us to our top picks in motorcycle gloves. We have three total videos, including our top Adventure Glove and Motorcycle Race Gauntlet picks so be sure not to miss those, but in this guide we're focusing on our top picks for aggressive warm weather sport and short cuff motorcycle gloves. The first criterion for this category was airflow and comfort; you can rest assured that all of these gloves will keep you cool and comfortable on all active warm weather rides. Beyond that, these gloves vary in price point, protection, style and overall levels of technicality with the highest-end glove mimicking the safety levels of pro-level racing gloves.
First up in our mix is the value-priced and high-performance Shift Fury Glove. A fresh design for 2011, the Shift Fury provides significant airflow via the lightweight textile and leather backhand and the vented rubberized finger protectors. A hard part piece of armor protects the knuckles while sitting on its own panel to allow the armor to stay in place while working the controls. The premium leather palm has Clarino reinforcements in all high-wear areas in addition to slight perforation on the inside of the fingers. The Airprene wrist closure provides a snug, comfortable seal against the wrist and, as always with Shift Racing, you see plenty of slick branding native to all their gear.
Our next pick in this mix is the all-time bestselling glove from Alpinestars. The recipient of a redesign for 2011, the Alpinestars SMX-2 Air Carbon Glove retains the same protective elements as its predecessor but has become more streamlined and stylish for this year. This glove is defined by its lightweight leather and mesh construction which flows a ton of air but is also abrasion resistant and durable. The carbon fiber knuckle plate offers significant impact protection while the Clarino reinforced synthetic leather palm gives solid resistance to abrasion. Foam padding and TPR reinforcements bulk up the safety elements of the what is sure to be AStars bestseller for 2011.
The true crossover pick within this mix is the REV'IT! Sand Glove, which is absolutely designed for warm weather dualsport and enduro riding. Adventure riders will be excited to know that this glove can perform in both on and off-road scenarios, with an exceptional degree of ventilation and protection. The backhand is constructed of mesh and PWRShell Stretch fabrics with PU injections providing protection across the main and finger knuckles. The goatskin palm features a second level of reinforcement with additional premium cowhide patches and anti-wear fortification. REV'IT! ADV loyalists will appreciate the attention to detail and enduro performance of the Sand.
One of RevZilla's all-time bestselling gloves, the REV'IT! Monster Gloves offer performance that spans across all realms of warm weather on-road riding. The entirety of the glove is a premium goatskin construction, and it truly is an effortless marriage of good looks and functionality. The Monster has a leather coated carbon fiber hard shell knuckle with PU injections on the fingers for added protection. The goatskin is significantly perforated to help keep the air flowing in hot weather riding conditions. At the palm, Clarino reinforcements complement the abrasion resistance and tactility of the goatskin while Temperfoam padding adds vibration dampening functionality. This is one of our favorites in the mix.
The Alpinestars SP-X Gloves offer a big step forward in protection and performance over the previously mentioned SMX-2 Air Carbons. Lightweight and protective, the SP-X combines full-grain leather with air mesh at the backhand for abrasion-resistance and ventilation. Protection is bulked up with carbon fiber main knuckle and finger knuckle protection, in addition to a carbon fiber slider at the sidehand. The palm is a synthetic suede construction with leather reinforcements that aid in safety and grip. TPR injections and logos can be found in various places around the glove which add style and another level of protection. This is also the first glove we see in the mix with wrist protection via the EVA foam padding.
The top short and sport glove for warm weather riding for 2011 is the Dainese 4 Stroke Glove. Armed with a stainless steel main knuckle and backhand protector and TPU knuckle protectors, the 4 Strokes have a crazy amount of protection for a short cuff glove, including Distortion Control on the outside of the pinky that protects against torsion in a get-off scenario. The 4 Stroke has a cowhide backhand that is perf'd for airflow with a tactile goatskin palm that is reinforced in wear and impact areas. There is also TPU protection on the palm and at the cuff. Elasticated inserts throughout allow uninhibited range of motion for active riding. And of course, this features classic Dainese style that separates it from the pack.
