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Alpinestars GPTech gloves...Should they last longer?

Discussion in 'General' started by grendels_arm, May 8, 2007.

  1. grendels_arm

    grendels_arm Sam Green Eggs and Ham

    Ok I got a set last year. Well this past track day I looked down and an area in the palm was totally worn through with maybe a half-dime sized hole where the glove contacts the end of the throttle. Anyway these gloves have seen about 20 track days. So basically about 2800 miles. Shouldn't I get more out of the top of the line Alpinestars gloves? I had a previous pair that I had to return after only 2 track days of use because stiching split on me. Any advice maybe on a reasonably price alternative?
     
  2. Big Deezul

    Big Deezul Gossamer has MOJO!!!

    the kangaroo areas wear out fast. One season if you are lucky out of them
    get yourself some kushitani gloves..they are awesome! I went to them after 2 sets of GP techs
     
  3. SpeedyTide

    SpeedyTide 'Bama's Bad Boy

    Dang.....that's freaky!!

    I've had my Joe Rocket gloves for 16 months...have the same amount of track days, and w/similiar mileage, and I too...have a dimed-size hole at the same exact spot of the throttle glove.
     
  4. grendels_arm

    grendels_arm Sam Green Eggs and Ham

    It's from holding more towards the end of the throttle. Especially when cranking on it. The rubber on the end of my grip is coming apart even from it. A control rider recommended I cut back the rubber from the grip because he thinks that is what does it.

    I mean I just figure for high priced gloves you should get more out of em. I'm gonna call Alpinestars and ask. May get a new pair out of em.
     
  5. Phat Chance

    Phat Chance Silence, I kill you!

    We have had serious problems with the Alpine Star gloves. James had a glove split wide open in the seam duing his last crash. He had to have surgery on his left hand to repair the damage and a skin graft. He has 2 more brand new sets of these gloves and he told me yesterday that he will not wear them. The suits have been excellent!

    We bought them through Parts Unlimited and they have pictures of the glove but we haven't heard anything back yet.
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2007
  6. grendels_arm

    grendels_arm Sam Green Eggs and Ham


    They why on the "Faster" video does Capirossi say kangaroo weighs less and is thinner but is twice as strong? Stronger should mean they wear out less. Or why would everyone be going to kangaroo? Sure ain't because of weight as safety is alot more important than weight savings in regards to gear.

    This is a reason to not spend $300-$400 on something like Dainese gloves that Rossi wears. I'm not shelling out that kinda money unless they have some kind of 5 year warranty or something at least.
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2007
  7. nig

    nig Well-Known Member

    Same topic last week...A* seems to have a lot of problems.
     
  8. TurboBlew

    TurboBlew Registers Abusers

    I agree your alpinestars should last longer. YOu should keep exchanging/returning them for new ones while you shop....lol
     
  9. nig

    nig Well-Known Member

    Don't assume that it's any good because the pros are paid to wear the label. Alpinestars is a big company, same principle as Nike. Pay Michael Jordan to wear them, then all of a sudden people are willing to pay twice as much as for a similar shoe made in the same Chinese sweat shop.
     
  10. bluedevil

    bluedevil Well-Known Member

    Interesting topic.. Im subscribing... Here si a little glove review form my experience:
    My GP Plus had 3-4 crashes in them and held up very nicely. Ugly but held up..... None the less, I check the palm and there is that same area rubbed through...Right near where my index finger and palm meet..... The hole is about a pinky nail size hole though..... hmmmmmmmm

    As far as specs:
    GP Plus model
    Used ~ 2.5 seasons
    Crashed 3-4 times
    Price paid new was ~$125 close out

    Has a pair of Joe Rocket GPX once... Touched my hand to ground quickly and they were destroyed........Personal .02 = They are crap

    Moto GP Nitrous gloves: By far the most comfy glove I have ever put on. Seems on fingers could be a bit better... but in a 120 pmh ish high side, I had only 1 minor scratch on my finger... so needless to say Im satisfied enough to buy another pair at 90 bucks they are a steal!

    Next stop Spidi Penta gloves: Not the cheepest gloves but bad a$$ no doubt. Hell the back of the hand has a freeking slider on it. Run a bit small though.... Havent gotten to use them yet though......

    Also tried on some Held Akira gloves the other day... Holly hell.... Those things feel like they are built like a tank. Over the 200 bills mark also, I have them on my list of top 2 to try out.....
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2007
  11. grendels_arm

    grendels_arm Sam Green Eggs and Ham



    No it wasn't Loris saying one brand was better than another. It was him saying that Kangaroo skin is better than cow skin because it holds up better even though it's thinner and therefore lighter. Come on man don't you have "Faster" memorized like me. :)

    And Michael Jordan's life didn't depend on his Nikes. But motorcycle rider's lifes depend on their gloves, boots, helmet, back protectors and leathers.

    An no matter what if I'm a pro rider, which I'm not, going 200 mph I'm wearing the best stuff I can get. I sure wouldn't wear a Walmart brand helmet just because Walmart paid me $1 million. My head is worth more than that.

    I think there should be a good compromise on price vs safety though. A more expensive glove doesn't mean a safer glove. Magazines should do more gear reviews especially long term reviews like they do cars and motorcycles.
     
    Last edited: May 8, 2007
  12. Jimbob

    Jimbob Banned

    Loris also wears one-off custom pieces with an emormous pad over the entire metacarpal area. Yep, they have the name brand label he's sponsored by sewn onto them.

    Ride magazine recently tested a variety of race gloves and found that the Astars had thicker palm leather in comparison with other brands, some mentioned here like Joe Rocket and Kushitani, as well as better stitching results, etc. The GP Pluses did well in their evaluations, but their have been numerous acounts of them falling apart or wearing through within a few months of use(no crashing involved) as well. Ride knocked one Euro brand down a notch or two for experiencing this in their road testing eval, apparently the Astars pair skated through that part.

    Kangaroo is strictly used for weight savings and "feel" in gloves, since it can be made slightly thinner and provide a similar level of protective values. Sponsored GP racers aren't concerned with a season's worth of safety nearly as much as a season's worth of victories in which they blew through a half a dozen pair of clean logo'd gloves.
     
  13. grendels_arm

    grendels_arm Sam Green Eggs and Ham

    This is because he had a really bad accident that messed up his hands in the past. Therefore he wears the extra padding there. That is the reason. You don't see anyone but him wearing those.
     
  14. Sebastian

    Sebastian Guest

    My teknic speedstars have a kangaroo palm. I have had them since late '05 and crashed in them 3 times. No holes and they have held up great :clap:
     
  15. racesbikes

    racesbikes WTB a Size 50/60 Race Suit

  16. grendels_arm

    grendels_arm Sam Green Eggs and Ham

    Thanks for the thread. Whadaya think of the MotoGP brand gloves? I'm gonna use my other pair of Alpinestars SMX1 I believe is the model) until I either get a new set of Gptechs free from Alpinestars (which I'll promptly sell if I do get them) or get a new set from a different maker. Really sucks a top makers glove seems such poor quality.
     
  17. ekraft84

    ekraft84 Registered User

    I bought a set of Alpinestars and Kushitani's this year. I'm using the Kushitani's and looking to sell the Alpinestars.

    The AS's just don't fit me as well as the Kushitani's do. I used Kushitani last year and had no problems. Well, actually I had one problem with the center of the palm wearing through, but they sent me a brand new pair with that issue resolved (thicker padding in that area).
     
  18. I have used alpinestars and moto gp. I wore holes through the fingers of the alpinestars, just from normal use. I have used the moto gp for over a year now, including one crash, and they have held up well, plus they offer a very good feel.
     
  19. cBJr

    cBJr Well-Known Member

    My A* GP Pro's took about 3 season's of street riding w/3 trackdays before they completely wore out the palm area. I figured that a big contributor was allowing them to get wet. I like the gloves, but I still think they should last longer.
     
  20. carpediem

    carpediem Well-Known Member

    how long do you think a glove should last? I've had A*Gp's for a little over a year - raced a handful of time and prolly an equal amount of trackday's along w/ some street riding. Crashed them twice, been soaked in a monsoon and baked in Jennings 110 summer heat. The palm has been warn down but no holes. How tight are you guys holding on to the grips? I have no real complaints about the golves but I guess i don't expect them to last more than a season or two at the most.

    One thing i am pissed about and don't know if anyone else has the same issue is i bought a new set of Oxtar boots at the first of last season and by the end of the year the sole was almost warn through completely...I know i could loss some weight but i wouldn't think 175lbs would do that in one season, Anyone else?
     

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