We don’t cover a lot of gear, here on Asphalt & Rubber, mostly because I don’t want to inundate you with a bunch of superfluous content that’s not relevant to our readers. But, we do aim to bring you new and notable pieces that you should be aware of, even if you’re not in the market for new boots, gloves, helmets, etc.
One such item is the new Alpinestars Supertech glove, which is an all-new item for the 2017 season. The Supertech glove is a big deal in Alpinestars land, as it will be the Italian brand’s top-of-the-line racing glove going forward, supplanting the GP Tech glove, which was last updated three years ago.
While the GP Tech will remain in the Alpinestars lineup, the Supertech definitely has some big expectations to meet, as the GP Tech has long been a gold-standard item in the motorcycle industry, not to mention a popular purchase with track-focused riders.
To meet those expectations, Alpinestars spent a whole year proving the Supertech glove in the MotoGP paddock, and we can tell you that it was time well-spent, as the Supertech packs some industry-leading features, as well as superior comfort and tactile feedback.
Looking at the feature list on the Supertech, you can tell that Alpinestars focused on making the best-fitting glove possible, without compromising on safety.
So it isn’t surprising then that when putting on the Alpinestars Supertech gloves, one instantly recognizes the thin and supple differences that come from using a goat and kangaroo leather construction, as opposed to cow hide.
Kangaroo and goat hides provide superior abrasion resistance to cow hide, which means thinner panels can be used to offer the same protection. This leads to lighter and less-cumbersome gloves, which is why we are quickly seeing a shift away from cow hide in the premium glove categories.
Alpinestars has taken this focus on fitment a step further though, using 3D-formed pre-articulated pieces of leather to make the thumb and finger fourchettes of the glove.
The fourchettes are stitched at the trank of the glove, instead of the palm (like you would see on virtually any other glove), and that makes a huge difference in how the glove fits the hand.
This is because along the underside of your fingers is a single piece of leather, with the stitching on the top of the finger, instead of the bottom. This gives a more uniform surface for the part of your hands that is actually touching the controls of the motorcycle.
The effect is readily noticeable when worn, allowing more tactile feedback from one’s fingers, especially from the side of the finger, where the stitching normally would be.
Put that together with the goat and kangaroo leather, the thin, supple, and uniform finger surface makes for not only an improved experience, but also a safer one, moving the seams of the fingers away from where crash abrasion is likely to occur.
Along that same thread – if you will pardon the pun – one will notice the Alpinestars’ ARSHIELD aramid panels along the tops of the fingers tips, replacing what would normally be a plastic or composite slider.
A mix of Kevlar and Cordura, Alpinestars uses the ARSHIELD aramid panels extensively on the Supertech glove, especially where hard plastic would normally be implemented. This is because the ARSHIELD material has superb abrasion resistance, but with much more flexibility than plastic or composite pieces.
Adding plastic sliders to the top of the fingers, knuckles, and palm makes the glove more rigid, which can affect fit and dexterity. Alpinestars has also used the ARSHIELD fabric on the palm, and side of the hands and thumb – spots most likely to suffer from slides and abrasion.
It is worth noting that the stitching on the Alpinestars Supertech glove is comprised of aramidic fibers as well, something that is now a common practice in race glove design realm.
Lastly, there is a heat-resistant layer from CarbonX (similar to Nomex) throughout the palm of the Supertech glove, which prevents heat transfer and thus reduces that chance of getting a friction burn during a crash. It should be noted that the ARSHIELD fabric has heat-resistant properties as well.
Rated for CE Level 2 protection, the 2017 Alpinestars Supertech glove has foam padding along the top of the hand, and along the knuckles. To meet the CE Level 2 standard, the knuckles retain the hard plastic “Dynamic Friction Shield” slider, which you will recognize from previous Alpinestars glove designs.
Also noticeable is the continued use of the third and fourth fingers being sown together with a bridge, which prevents finger rolls and finger separation during a slide.
All of this tech and safety comes with a cost, of course. As such, the Alpinestars Supertech gloves will cost $399 when they come to market. For those looking for the ultimate glove in the motorcycle industry though, that might not be too high of a price to pay.
Source: Alpinestars
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