Alpinestars Track Protection Vest, a review

Today, after many weeks of searching for the right product and the right price, I finally received my Alpinestars Track Protection Vest. But before I get into any details, let me give you a little background as to the reasons for this purchase.

I’ve been riding for about 20 years, during which time both my choice in motorcycles and riding styles has evolved into something I never thought of. When I started riding at the age of sixteen, sneakers, shorts, and a T-shirt somehow seemed acceptable. Looking back, I’m simply amazed that I never suffered any major pain. Back then, we used to race little 50cc two stroke bikes well above the speeds they were designed for, pushing them hard down the steep hills that surrounded my town. We didn’t care about loose chains, worn sprockets, and oil changes were something that was not done until the bikes started smoking from the crankcase. The crazy teenage days.

Fast forward twenty years and more than that many bikes. I’ve been fortunate enough to enjoy riding in many different places, on many different machines. I found that I don’t care for cruisers, that sportbikes have their limits, and that I don’t need 1200cc torque monster to be happy. These days, it’s all about having fun, going to places I never visited before, and, most importantly, coming back home in one piece, preferably not on a stretcher. I wear a decent amount of gear: Armored textile jacket, armored pants, proper boots, armored gloves, and, of course, a helmet.

Last year, soon after I started riding off-road, I discovered that my street riding apparel did not meet the requirements considering the added risk. So, I added a pressure suit and real off-road boots to my pile of gear. After a few slow speed get-offs due to mud, ice, submerged logs, and anything else Mother Nature threw at me, I was thankful for having the right gear. This got me thinking about upper torso protection in the event of an accident on the street. Due to its bulkiness, there was no way I would wear a pressure suit underneath my jacket during any long distance rides.

Searching the net, I came across several products geared toward what I was looking for. Nevertheless, none of them met my personal requirements of both protection and comfort, (comfort is a very relative criteria, and its definition depends largely on the person considering it), until I came across the Track Protection Vest. While it has been available for some time, there aren’t many reviews online. Well, after mulling it over for a few weeks, I ordered one. And here I am today, holding it in my hand.

The vest arrived wrapped in a large plastic bag. Immediately upon opening it, the first thing I noticed was a strong rubber smell. Not sure why, but it smells like a brand new motorcycle tire. The second thing I noticed was how flexible and light this vest really is.

Needless to say, I took my sweater off and put the vest on. And here I have to explain why I chose this one versus the other products on the market. The vest is made of a flexible mesh, and has a full-length zipper right in the middle of the front. Putting it on is no different than putting on a light fleece vest – slide your arms in and zip. Easy and convenient. Some of the other products had zipper on the side, and I can’t even imagine fumbling with that.

As soon as I zipped it on, the vest conformed itself to my body for a close, but nonrestrictive fit. The mesh stretched around my shoulders without creating any pressure points. The front of the vest has thick foam padding in the rib and chest areas (perforated for good air flow), while the back has a removable bionic spine protector. This protector allows the body to bend forward but not backward. For some reason, the protector is white, resting against the black material of the vest. It looks strange. Once on, my better half remarked that from behind I looked like a Ninja Turtle.

I walked around a bit and continued whatever I was doing, and within a few minutes I completely forgot that I had the vest on. I kept it on for about two hours, and found it very, very comfortable. I then sat on the bike, and the spine protector perfectly contoured with my spine, without any issues. By the way, the protector comes below the waist, but is flexible enough not to bind against the seat.

The materials used appear to be of good quality. The mesh, as stated, is flexible. The front padding is about 10mm thick in the rib/chest area, and the foam is stitched into the garment. Thus, there is no removing it or repositioning it. In the lower part, covering the abdomen, the padding is much thinner, probably only 5mm thick. Not sure why that is, but it works. The only concern would be receiving a direct frontal blow to the upper pelvis bones. All stitching is of a good quality, and the fit is exceptionally without any shifting at all. For the record, I’m 5’9” and about 165lbs, and I ordered a Medium.

I believe that while not as tough as a pressure suit, the frontal padding will lower any impact to the front or sides, while the back protector will do its job in the spinal area, should I get into an accident. I plan on wearing this vest under my riding jacket with the jacket’s foam back protector removed.

I will probably post an update once I have some miles with it, but my initial impression is very favorable.

From Alpinestars web site:  http://www.alpinestars.com/shop/categories/moto/protection/track-vest/

*Removable Level 2 CE certified (EN1621-2) Bionic Back protector, an advanced protection system utilizing Alpinestars DFD (Dynamic Force Dispersion) technology in an ergonomically formed, sleek and ultra-lightweight design.
*Impact resistant Bio-foam inserts in the chest for excellent frontal impact protection, reducing the risk of internal injury in the event of a crash.
*Technical stretch net construction is durable and well ventilated.
*YKK® semi auto-lock front zipper provides secure closure.