Alpinestars Racer Braap Gloves

What it is

• Alpinestars answer to a light weight comfortable moto glove.

The Racer glove is Alpinestars light weight glove. At fifteen dollars less than their premium glove, this design is focused on using less material and providing a better feel with more comfort. It is built with a single piece spandex top and single layer synthetic suede palm. The thumb, third and fourth fingers are reinforced for added durability and the thumb incorporates a bit of lycra for more flexibility. The glove uses velcro to adjust the tension on your wrist and has some silicone pattering on the palm and fingers for extra grip. A synthetic suede pull tab is stitched into the glove for an easier pull on.

How it works

• Very comfortable with a nice fit
• A great glove for those wanting a thin feel without all the bulk and bulge.
• No rough edges, seams or extras that dig into your hands

When it comes to gloves, there are only two types of moto people - those that like thick, padded gloves… and those that don’t - I don’t like thick gloves, the thinner the better for me. I don’t like all the rubber or plastic guards on top of my fingers and this is why I rarely buy a brand’s premium glove. I just want to feel the bars and controls. I don’t worry about much else when it comes to a moto glove.

The Alpinestars Racer glove avoids the cumbersome traits, opting instead for a streamlined feel. The spandex covering the top of the glove is soft and feels great on the top of your hand and fingers. There are no edges, seams or extras to dig into your hands. The synthetic suede on the palm is thin, but sturdy. It’s not the thinnest glove that I have worn, but it is comfortable for me. On the palm, it has a spandex cut out on the web of the thumb to keep the suede from bunching up when you squeeze the grips. Additionally, the thumb has extra suede in all the right wear places, without bulking up the glove.

I don’t usually like velcro gloves, but these were comfy. Alpinestars did a great job on the seam placement and made sure there weren’t any rough edges to dig into your hand or wrist. The included suede pull tab is a nice feature and makes pulling the gloves on easy. It’s strong and won’t rip off like some other brands that I have used. You can tell that Alpinestars put some time into developing these gloves. Everything from the seams to the stitches was thought out, including placement of the silicone grip pattering. Obviously it’s on the palm and fingers, but they also put some on the pull tab and velcro strap.

Sizing seems to be a little on the larger side. I usually wear XL gloves, but I used large for these and they fit perfectly. They had a great finger and thumb length with no gaps in the webbing, and they were snug, but not too snug. You could say they fit like a glove… They even kept their size running them through the wash after every ride. As for durability, they held up well; my fingers never blew out the tips of the gloves and the stitching held together just fine. I have seen gloves blow apart in a lot less time with a lot less abuse.

Overall, I was really happy with Alpinestar’s Racer glove. It is a great glove for those wanting a thin feel without all the bulk and bulge. It is very comfortable and holds up well. This is definitely an option to look into if you want to feel everything except the glove you are wearing.

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