WHAT IS IT? Alpinestars gear has been available in
Europe for many years, but the Italian company was
unwilling to import its line to the U.S.…until now.
WHAT’S IT COST? $59.95 (jersey), $179.95 (pant).
CONTACT? www.alpinestars.com or (800) 727-8277.
WHAT STANDS OUT? Here’s a list of things that
stand out with the Alpinestars Techstar gear.
(1) Introduction. Alpinestars is famous for its boots
and protective equipment but lesser known for its
riding gear—although Alpinestars has sponsored AMA
Pro riders. What changed Alpinestars’ business plan?
First, with the world economy improving, Alpinestars
wanted to use its existing gear line to earn extra
revenue. Second, Alpinestars has skipped U.S.
distributors and elected to sell its gear directly to
consumers. This is a tough business model, but
Alpinestars has powerful boot distributors who have
their own gear lines, and they might be hesitant to
carry Alpinestars boots if the gear was seen as a
direct competitor.
( 2) Pant. The Techstar gear is the cream of
Alpinestars’ crop. It features leather burn guards,
sans-a-belt waist-adjustment pull tabs, Spandex stretch
panels and a half-length mesh liner. The double-snap,
waist enclosure with reinforced Velcro is functional,
although a bit old fashioned. Pant sizing is spot-on, and
the fit is high-waisted, with the top of the pant well
above the hips. We were surprised to find a mesh pocket
inside of the right hip that is designed to hold a set of
keys. We don’t know about you, but we’re not keen on
the idea of crashing and landing on a truck key.
( 3) Jersey. Made out of 100 percent polyester, the
Techstar jersey is fade-free. Mesh ventilation is used in
the armpits to help keep your body temperature down.
Built-in elbow pads are a nice touch, as is the soft
material woven into the neck collar. Alpinestars placed
a silicone patch on the tail of the jersey to keep it
from coming untucked. The sleeves are tapered for a
comfortable, race-inspired fit.
( 4) Sizes. Alpinestars offers the Techstar pant in even
sizes from 28–40. They do not make the Techstar line for
youth, but they offer two other child-specific lines. These
pants fit well—if you fit the target body type.
( 5) Misses. The MXA test riders were impressed
with the craftsmanship, but the tailoring had three
glitches: (1) On thinner riders, the thighs were too
baggy. ( 2) The pants’ cuffs had excess material that
bunched up; some testers resorted to folding the material
over. ( 3) The leather burn guards covered the bulk of
the inner knee area but didn’t extend far enough down
into the boots for taller riders.
WHAT’S THE SQUAWK? At $240, this is a very
expensive set of gear, though not the most expensive;
that honor goes to Seven gear. However, for that price
we expect perfection.
The MXA wrecking crew is excited to finally
have the chance to wear Alpinestars gear. But,
A-Stars has to solve a few problem areas before
achieving legendary Alpinestars perfection.
MXA RATING
ALPINESTARS TECHSTAR GEAR
MXA TEAM TESTED
