ALPINESTARS GP TECH GLOVES

Words by Mirage, Photos by Mirage

Helmet – Check. Full leather suit – Check. Boots – Check. Gloves – DOH! After a few years of use I noticed a tear in the palm of my current pair of gloves so my planned ride was not to be. Or was it? Just as I was rolling my motorcycle back into the garage the FedEx truck pulls up with a package for me. The motorcycle Gods have smiled upon me. Now you’re probably saying to yourself: "You've got to be kidding me right?" Well actually I am, but you have to admit that it does make for a more interesting story, doesn’t it?

In all seriousness my gloves were in bad shape but thanks to the people at Riders Discount I was able to try out yet another Alpinestar product, specifically their GP Tech Gloves. You’ll remember last time I evaluated their Stage perforated leather jacket (read the full review here) and at first glance the gloves are of the same high quality construction just like the jacket.

I’ve always worn full gauntlet style gloves as opposed to short-cuff gloves. I like the added protection and the ability to wrap the ends of the gloves around my jacket sleeves to stop the wind from blowing up them. Plus most tracks require full gloves for open track days or sanctioned racing events. If Rossi, Hayden and the other Moto GP, WSBK and AMA riders wear them then who am I to buck the system?

My former gloves were a pair of Teknic Lightning which were (and still are) good gloves. I’d rate them the “best bang for the buck” in terms of quality, protection and features. I knew that my next pair of gloves was going to be a higher quality/feature rich set so I was very interested in trying a more upscale version than what I currently own and Alpinestars didn’t disappoint. The Kevlar stitching throughout (for added strength) is top shelf and the patented third and fourth finger bridge protects against finger roll and potential seam bursting during impacts. If you don’t like the bridge between the fingers you could always cut it with a sharp pair of scissors. And before you ask, no I’m not going to crash test them to see how well they work (and hopefully neither will you). - (I'm the official crash tester! - Kenn)

If for some reason you do get the unfortunate opportunity to crash test these gloves I think you’ll be happy to know that the protection they offer is outstanding. The PU injected knuckle and finger sliders have been included for superior impact and abrasion resistance. The top of the glove is reinforced with knit Kevlar and features highly abrasion-resistant material and the palm (consisting of strong, supple kangaroo leather) is reinforced with Pittards digital leather and an advanced direct-inject Kevlar panel.

Now all the protection in the world won’t be useful if the glove doesn’t fit properly, right? Right! One thing that has always been a problem for me is fit. I have large hands (I’ll leave the dirty jokes to you) and long fingers so finding a glove that “fits” isn’t always easy. These GP gloves fit “like a glove.” Go figure! The input from professional racers and the anatomical design really do offer a perfect fit.

After further inspection I noticed that the fingers have external seams which should provide for more comfort and the perforated cuff along with ventilated finger forchettes will certainly keep your hands cool on those hot summer days. Another nice touch is the padded Kevlar top panel which again provides impact resistance and flexibility. These small but extremely important details show that the years of work by the Alpinestars Research & Development department have rewarded us with a supremely high performance and comfortably fitting glove.

After a few days of rain the sun finally appeared and it was time to go test these gloves out on a combination of highway riding and some back road twisties. Considering it’s Spring, the morning temps were on the cool side but nowhere near as cold as a December day. The gloves provided me with enough “touch” to manipulate the levers without any restraint or binding and gave perfect feedback while riding. Contrary to what most people think, full style race gloves are not always bulky and these gloves prove that. They’re very lightweight and after riding with these all day I didn’t have one problem.

Complaints? Honestly these gloves are as close to perfect as a glove of this type could be. I would say that with all the ventilation that these GP Tech gloves provide, those that live in a climate that change seasons (you know you who are) might think twice about using these when the temperatures are hovering around the freezing mark.

I have to admit that I’ve been a big fan of Teknic gear for years now (although I have owned other gear from different manufacturers) but having been introduced to the Alpinestars product line has made my allegiance come into question. If you asked me: “Would I buy a pair of these gloves?” without hesitation I’d answer a resounding “Yes.” Alpinestars have created a pair of high quality gloves that look and feel fantastic but more importantly provide superior protection. Being the frugal person I am I’ve checked a few web sites for similar gloves produced by other manufacturers (e.g. Joe Rocket, Held, Icon, etc.) and these gloves are in the upper price range but as the old saying goes: “You get what you pay for.”

So if you’re in the market for a pair of gloves and want a quality product look no further than Alpinestars GP Tech gloves. This is the type of gear every rider should have!

The Alpinestars GP Tech Gloves retails for $239.95

Go to Alpinestars (www.alpinestars.com) to learn more and Riders Discount (www.ridersdiscount.com) to purchase. Go on, go!

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