Alpinestars 360 Drystar Suit
Alpinestars 360 Drystar Suit
CW EVALUATION
What to wear when you're not on the racetrack
IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE: A one-piece riding suit that can be worn comfortably over street clothes, is protective, foul-weather-friendly and a snap to put on and take off.
The Alpinestars 360 Drystar oversuit is all those things and more. The Italian apparel-maker, best known for its boots and leathers, developed this textile garment as a looser-fitting workaday alternative to second-skin roadracing suits. Applications are wide-ranging, and include everything from commuting and light-duty sportriding to adventure touring.
Quality is first-rate, with great attention to detail. The bulk of the suit is manufactured from 500denier Cordura, which is augmented with ballistic nylon at the elbows, shoulders, seat and knees. Appendagespecific foam armor (plastic-topped at the .~. shoulders, foam only at the knees) is hidden in pockets behind a full-length nylon liner. Pre-curved sleeves, back gussets and "flex zones" at the knees, back and underarms up the comfort quotient. Adjusters at the collar, cuffs, sleeves, waist and legs fine tune fit. Zippered vents in the arms and back provide relief from heat. Reflective inserts on the shou1der~ upper back and lower legs nighttime visibility.
Given all those features, you might think the 360 would weigh a ton. Yet it is ridiculously light, leading staff cynics to wonder if the suit is capable of safe guarding against anything more potentially
hurtful than an off-bike slip-and-fall. We were pleasantly surprised, then, when one of our testers emerged from a low speed tumble unscathed. And the suit? Good as new.
Not that the 360 is perfect. The back pad comprises a thin piece of foam that covers only the upper half of the spine. A more protec tive version is available; just make sure you or der the correct size. Also, hip protection is non-existent. Donning the suit, offered in S-XXXL sizes, is easy. Un do the offset front and individual (two-way) leg zip pers, step into the right leg, pull the top of the suit over your arms and tack, and zip, paus ing near the bottoms of the legs to close the security snaps. To get out, simply reverse the process. Time? Less than 30 seconds.
The location of the zippers was chosen partly to minimize the possibility of water entering the suit, particularly in the crotch area. Southern California doesn't receive much rain during the summer months, but an enthusi astic hose-soaking resulted in absolutely no water reaching the wearer. Even the contents of the zippered breast pockets remained dry. Obviously, the waterproof/breathable Dry star membrane works. The 360 suit is not insulated, so plan on layering or adding a heat ed vest during winter months. Is the 360 Drystar the ulti mate street suit? No. But it comes pretty darn close.
DETAILS
Alpinestars USA, Inc. 2780 W. 237th St. Torrance, CA 90505 310/891-0222 www.alpinestars.com Price. - .$550
A Super-comfy A Interior sleeve for spare faceshield A Understated styling
owns v Needs better back and hip protection v Not machine-washable v Understated styling
