Alpinestars GP Pro Gloves - World class motorcycle gloves
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I tend not to go near Alpinestars as a lot of their kit is well over most people's budget, but when I found out how much these Alpinestars GP Pro gloves are going for I just had to get a look in. They come in at a RRP of £150, which in the grand scheme of things is only £40 more than my basic Hein Gericke sports gloves. Definitely worth a look.
It's clear to see that some real thought has gone into the construction of these gloves and when we're told that guys such and Nicky Haden and Carlos Checa have helped with the development, I think you'd find it hard to disagree.
One of the features that came out of the development stage of the Alpinestars GP Pro gloves is a simple, yet hugely effective piece of leather that joins the ring and little fingers together. If you want to know what it's for, ask Troy Corser. If you haven't got his number then I'll tell you. It's to stop your little finger being pulled away from the rest of your hand and snapped off, basically. This feature has been patented, so you are unlikely to see it on any other glove on the market.
The leather areas of the Aplinestars GP Pro glove are none other than full grain, so you can be sure that no part of the leather has been removed or thinned out during the manufacturing process. To stitch the whole thing together, Kevlar thread has been used for added protection against bursting. That last bit may sound futile, but you'd be surprised how quickly some gloves burst open when you mix them with a little friction.
Knuckle and wrist protection comes in the way of injection moulded PU plastic, which means it will be both light and tough. The knuckle section also acts as an air intake, so air is forced through the glove and is exhausted towards the rear of the wrist section, which keeps the hands cooler on those hotter days. Not something I'd want during the winter months though.
Another huge plus point for this glove is the direct injected PU plastic strips on the palm of the glove which helps the glove slide on the tarmac rather than grabbing, which I can testify is a major cause of the very problematic scaphoid injury. Extra layers of Kangaroo leather and Keprotech (stretchy Kevlar) has also been fitted to the palm which is simply to increase the amount the leather the tarmac has to get through before it gets to your soft, supple skin.
From a comfort perspective, most of the stitching has been done on the outside of the glove, this goes towards helping the glove feel thin, which in turn helps in terms of feeling things like levers and buttons. I'm sure we all know what it feels like when we go from a summer glove to our winter ones and we're struggling to operate controls initially.
Looking at the above, matched with a rather reasonable price for Alpinestars in general it's quite clear to see you're getting a lot of race bred technology for your buck. The Aplinestars GP Pro gloves should be high on your list if on the look out for a new pair.
Where to buy?
At the time of writing Get Geared have some great prices for the Alpinestars GP Pros, but there are some fantastic deals to be have on that aren't worth missing.