The GP Tech V2 is the latest in Alpinestars’ line of top-tier, track-focused gloves. It slots in above the GP Pro R3 gloves that I’ve been using for the past two-and-a-half years and below the range-topping Supertech that Marc Marquez wears.
What makes these gloves different to anything I have used so far is the widespread use of stretch Kevlar and Keprotec (a material that combines Cordura and aramid fibres) in places where you would normally have leather reinforcement. In addition, the gloves use a combination of Goat and Bovine as well as Kangaroo leather in the palm area.
The overwhelming wow factor with the GP Tech V2s is the amazing feel you get at the controls, thanks to the new-age design and materials employed here.Once you squeeze them on (like most Astars gloves, they are tight at the wrist), these gloves feel slim, low profile and deliciously dexterous. Every track glove I have used before this (including the Astars GP Pro R3 and GP Plus R) has felt stiff and thick in comparison – a trade-off one lives with for the promise of peak protection. It’s not like these sacrifice protection either – in fact, they achieve a CE Level 2 rating – it’s just that the advanced materials bring a new level of ability to the game. For example, you still get solid armour for the outer arm, and while the new knuckle protector is much sleeker than the usual bulky stuff, it feels nice and protective as well. The Kevlar lining in strategic areas boosts the protection quotient and the GP Techs also get Alpinestars’ pinky finger bridge.
A lot of the technology comes from the Supertech, and while I haven’t tried those gloves, there is one feature on the GP Tech that makes me think this might be the better glove for most of us. The Supertechs are all about rider feel and to that extent, Alpinestars sacrificed a hard plastic slider in the palm area, something I know from experience to be hugely beneficial in a crash. The GP Tech V2 brings this back. These gloves aren’t yet available in India, but when they do come here, you can expect them to cost about Rs 30,000. Clearly, they’re not for everyone, but if you are a track rider who is investing in the best gear you can get, these are the best track gloves I have experienced to date.
Where: www.alpinestars.com
Price: Rs 30,000 (approx)
Gavin Rodrigues
Dinshaw Magol
Azaman Chothia
