TESTED: Alpinestars GP Tech V2 Gloves

TESTED BY: Bruce

TIME: 2 years

PRICE: From £349.99

WEB: www.alpinestars.com 

I’ve worn a few gloves in my time, and I’ve crashed in plenty of them… including these GP Tech V2s. But before I get into how they coped when kissing the Tarmac, I’ll give a quick overview of the product. 

These sit right at the top of Alpinestars’ range and, as you’d expect, they’re absolutely dripping in features and high-end materials, such as the kangaroo palm construction that brings not just a lightweight aspect and feel to the product, but also superb levels of abrasion protection. Alongside dual cuffs and ergonomically shaped knuckle and wrist protection, there are also several areas of stretch material to ensure a good and comfy fit. Throw in a race finger bridge, accordion flexion zones and some finger tip sliders and you’ll begin to realise they lack for nothing… But the feature that really makes these hand-huggers stand out is their integration of Kevlar, and lots of it.

When mine first arrived, I was a bit taken aback by the look and feel on offer, being unlike anything else I’d ever had. Sure, they felt nice and light and were super-easy to slot on, but I’ll admit it took me a good few rides to get used to them. The cut of the gloves, as with the more conventional GP Pros that Alpinestars produce, felt faultless and I soon learned that if anything, the flex and feel of these items felt so much better than the traditional, full-leather options. And especially so on hot days, on track, where your hands soon get sweaty and the fitting and removing of gloves, session after session, can become a bind. 

Having clocked a good few trackdays in these, I learned they didn’t hinder you in the same way and so they soon became my favourite option, and so, too, on the road. Quite simply, the comfort side to them, plus the knowledge that they offered all the protection of any top-end race glove, soon had me seeing the light and wondering why no one had gone down this route before? People produce lots of products in Kevlar (aka aramid fibre), and high-quality Kevlar is every bit as abrasion resistant as leather… and then some. 

Anyway, with a season of new bike launches under my belt and the gloves going strong, I decided to test them properly with a highside at Portimao. I hit the ground hard, to the extent of dislocating a finger in the process, but the gloves would’ve told you a different story, with just a few scuffs to their name on the strategically placed plastic guards. They were good to go again, so having got my finger reset, I got on with the test and carried on riding. 

Several months later and I’m still riding in them and loving them as much as I always have. Yes, they’re different, but for all the right reasons and I’m definitely a fan of their make-up, design and proven levels of protection. No, they’re not cheap but in this case, you get what you pay for.