I first reviewed this new vest in mid-July and planned to tell you about it, but then it immediately went out of stock with our distributor.  So I put in a stock order and those came in last week finally.  But now they are out of stock AGAIN!  Anyway, we have about 20 in our inventory so get one of these now.  







This is a very nice piece of body armor for street or dirt, and the price is great and then there are the LED lights!  A novelty for sure, but one that people apparently like a lot. 

Please click though and read my review and take a look at the close-up pictures.  The vest has a series of LED lights in the back nestled between the plates of the back protector and there is a small battery pack on the shoulder with a switch.  Turn it off and on and select the blinky pattern. 



MSRP:  $129.95

Our Price:  $116.96 and Free Shipping

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Here is another new product that is worth a mention.  We've been selling a lot of this new style CE approved replacement armor.   This brand of armor is used in FirstGear and Icon products and we like it a lot.  It is now offered separately for you to use in your own gear.




 
We think there are lots of folks out there with older-style armor that would want a good replacement/upgrade. This armor is thinner and softer than most and would enhance the enjoyment of wearing your favorite gear.

And the best part is, you can buy two shoulders, or elbows/knees for just $20-$25

Each pair or a back pad is less than 12 oz so one set will ship for only $3.99.  Two sets ships via post office for about $7.50 (check "must ship by USPS in step one of checkout to force the shopping cart to offer you the post office option). 

 

Alpinestars X-Trafit Gloves   Three new styles, all variations on a theme... the Archer, GT-S and Equinox models all feature Gore-Tex with a new bonding process.

Part of my review applies to all three.  Click through to read about the differences in the three styles:  I'm reviewing three new gloves from Alpinestars that employ Gore-Tex's X-Trafit technology. The technology offers the waterproofing and breathability of Gore-Tex along with a manufacturing process that "bonds" the membrane to the glove so it reduces bulk. In trying them on, it is really hard to tell that the glove is even a waterproof model. I found a link to a good explanation of this process on Gore-Tex's website. I first saw something like this in a Held glove a couple seasons back. I'm not sure if it is the same exact process, now it has a nifty marketing name, but the idea was the same. Now it seems to be the new best accepted way to build a Gore-Tex glove.    (more)


Alpinestars T-GP Pro Jacket  The T-GP Pro Jacket is a sport cut textile style. The overall quality of construction and materials in this Alpinestars model is decidedly better than you might find in some of our more price conscious brands and it really does show. There are little details that set this jacket apart from just "any old" textile jacket. For example, the trim around the collar and cuffs is finished very expertly with a soft material like you might find in the lining of a boot. The zippers are all high quality and sewn in perfectly, and the liner zippers are color coded red to help you re-assemble the liner into the jacket more easily. As I mentioned in my sizing advice, the jacket is a bit more trim than many styles and fits closer to the body and therefore needs a little give to maintain comfort. You'll find stretch panels built into the sleeves just above the elbows for this. The jacket comes with the usual assortment of armor, but the back pad and the chest armor (chest armor is unique to Alpinestars) is upgradeable (take the links below to see those choices). The jacket has pretty good venting in front because the zippers are long and are positioned high on the torso where they will catch a lot of air flow. And there is a rear zippered exhaust vent also. For colder weather use, there is a removable full-sleeve plush insulated liner you can use. Inside there are lots of pockets for storage (take the "View Larger Images" link on the product page to see those details). And the pockets in the removable liner match up with other pockets in the main jacket liner so you'll have the same familiar pocket arrangement whether you are using the liner or not. Also, I'm seeing an all-around zipper for connection to pants. So, in summary, I'd recommend this jacket to those who want a quality jacket and are willing to pay more for it. The design isn't so different than you'd see with a lot of other jackets but the overall build quality and materials are top notch.  (more)




Alpinestars Quasar Jacket  The Quasar jacket is built for summer use primarily. Most of the shell is a mesh material that will allow the air to blow right through. The shoulders and on down the back of the sleeves is a solid textile material. The solid material is used here because these are areas that would most likely be relied upon to protect you from abrasion in case you fell. And solid material is much better able to hold together in that instance as compared to mesh material. The overall design of this jacket is simple and straight-forward. You get the usual storage pockets in front and also a total of four inside pockets (see these in detail by clicking the "View Larger Images" link on the product page). The elbow and shoulders are equipped with CE armor and there are some thin pads in the chest and back. Those can be upgraded with more significant pieces if you like (see the links at the bottom of the page). Alpinestars is one of the few manufacturers that offers significant upgrades for the back or any armor for the chest. Their armor is top notch. We photographed the Grey/Black/Yellow Fluo color and found the fluorescent pieces to be nighttime reflective which is a nice touch. I'd not ever seen reflective material in that color.... it is usually white. But in this color it does good in the day and the night! The only minor nit I have with the jacket is that the collar is a higher mandarin style collar. I have sort of a short neck and wouldn't welcome that in a hot weather style. I prefer a "no collar" style personally, especially in a summer jacket, but I have a short neck, so those with a tall neck will probably like this style very much. This jacket comes with an all-around zipper for connection with compatible Alpinestars pants. Overall, a very nice mostly-mesh style with very high quality materials and finishing. The price is higher than most of this ilk, but if quality is your thing, then you'll like it.   (more) 

Paul Thompson, Owner