AplineStars vs Joe Rocket

[mfs81]

So I've decided I'm going to go with Alpine Stars gear vs Joe Rocket. I just found that Alpine Star materials would be much better and durable. At first I was sold on Joe Rocket for some reason. But after reading up all week. Change of heart. Sorry Joe!...ha-ha

Was going to attempt to make it up to ip and look at some gear. A money maker opportunity came up this morning instead...

Any body else takes on Alpine vs Joe?

Later...

Edited May 16, 2013 by mfs81

[Tpoppa]

I have had good luck with both, although none have been crash tested

[Hailwood]

I've had really good luck with A*'s gear over the years, including (unfortunately) crash testing some of it, and have usually been impressed. Some of their cheaper gear isn't as well made as I would have liked, but the mid-range stuff is good and the high-end is fantastic. Rider's Discount can also get you smoking deals on any of the Alpinestars gear.

I don't have any personal experience with Joe Rocket, but I've heard they make pretty good stuff.

[C-bus]

All you need is a bandana and a wife-beater.

[Mr Anderson]

I have had good luck with both, although none have been crash tested

I have also had both but Im going with alpine ftw. Plus I love there look besides the price tag lol.

[Bad324]

I wear both and just recently started wearing a fieldsheer jacket. I prefer the sizing on Joe rocket and fieldsheer as I don't have to order multiple X sizes to get it to fit

[jbot]

Plebeians. Dainese or nothing.

[mfs81]

All you need is a bandana and a wife-beater.

Maybe after a couple of years in the gym... But I must a wear a helmet no exceptions!

Nice Idea thou!

[Hailwood]

Plebeians. Dainese or nothing.

Also a great option. I was totally sold on a set of Dainese leathers until I got a ridiculous deal on some closeout Alpinestars.

[Revelstoker]

As posted in the Casper's thread, I have never been able to fit into any A-star gear. And, I am not a guy with a significant circumference. (6'2", 32L jacket, 33w x 34l pants)

I ended up with a Joe Rocket jacket and I am quite pleased with it. 3 season jacket with removable liners. Not the best looking but quite functional.

I spent a lot of time at I.P. trying on jackets. A-Star and Dianese had some really slick jackets that I really tried to shoehorn myself into. Selection was limited but even going to XL didn't help. Size up for arms, chest too big. Always some tradeoff.

Joe Rocket just fit. I am not excited about the styling but fit, function and comfort are more important than style because:

1, I am not looking at myself

2, I am married and really have no chance with the ladies

3, 99% of other riders are dudes and can't tell much color beyond black

4, need to wear separate armor underneath

5, I have to wear the gear and be comfy.

Now, if I had the coin => Klim gear all the way for me. That is some sexy sweet gear!

[baptizo]

I have Fieldsheer (mesh style) and Joe Rocket (bought from an OR member) for jackets, Fieldsheer for leather pants (worn twice) and A* for boots (rarely worn)....various gloves....thankfully none of them have been crash tested.

The Fieldsheer is a great jacket and I've owned it for over a decade - still in great condition and fantastic on hot summer days.

The Joe Rocket fits nicely, is well constructed, and very functional.

[Gixxus Christ!]

I've got a fieldsheer textile jacket I really like for up to 75-80℉. Beyond that my agvsport veloce mesh/perforated leather jacket feels like a t-shirt at speed. Icon field armor boots which have been crash tested and performed nicely. Shadow scorcher mesh/textile pants which I love and some sliders leather and Kevlar gloves which are absolute garbage as far as fit and finish.

Tried a Joe rocket jacket, the sizing wasn't right. A* is kind of out of my price range at the moment.

[standout]

I love a*. Crash tested an entry level suit two years ago at turn one at mid-o. I came out unscathed. The suit however didn't fair so well but did its job perfectly. It protected me and I had not a scratch on me. The suit however wasn't worth fixing.

[RHill]

I'm happy with the way my joe rocket textile jacket held up in my lowside. Spidi 1 pc suit has been slow speed tested and held up fine. A* gp pro gloves held up fine in the slow speed test, however the stitching on the fingers had to be repaired from normal use. A* SMX plus boots(older style) held up to everything so far with a few scuffs...I'll be getting another pair if these wear out.

On another note, don't take the armor out of a textile gear and expect it to do jack shit. It will save large areas of abrasion on your limbs, but points like elbows, shoulders and knees will wear through fast and leave you with rash in the more painful areas while healing. My textile got down to the armor in a crash that I consider to be pretty minor.

[baggyp]

I love A* gloves!!

But all my other gear is ICON. I have not crash tested (knock on wood) but it feels durable and thicker than the other brands I've looked at.

[serpentracer]

my a star suit has been ok. it was about a $700 suit. never been down in it. I've had it since 2004 or so.

lots of complaints about astar (including the high end race gloves) gloves coming apart at the stitching from normal use though. that's why i've never bought a pair. this isn't just 2-3 people on one forum i've seen. it's been 10-15 on several forums.

[magley64]

I'm still rocking the Joe rocket rocket nation jacket i bought when i bought my bike...5 seasons and still going strong.

[RFM]

I'm rolling with a Spidi Norick Abe suit from 2004, which has not let me down. I always end up with AlpineStars gloves, but always blow the seams within the season.

I've crash tested a Vanson jacket that I use as my daily rider. Hit at 35mph, and over a Jeep Liberty hood. Not a torn seam at all, and the AlpineStars CE armour that I lined the jacket with worked flawlessly. Fan of both the Spidi, and the Vanson.

[serpentracer]

vanson leathers are so nice it's like wearing cotton.

[mfs81]

Nice feedback...

[twowheelsnake]

A* all the way here! Only thing I don't have are the pants but they are on the short list to pick up. They fit great for me but I'm not a big guy so I'm not a reliable source for sizing comparisons.

[BDBGoalie]

I've crashed in Rocket, A*s, and Icon.

 

Icon Neo Daytona Leather

This was a great starter jacket. It had plenty of protection, but was way too hot for most of the summer. The fitment and cut are not right once I started wearing gauntlets and riding with more body postion. I felt very confined in it.

I crashed in it a few times. The leather always held up well, including a hit on the freeway. I never sustained any damage through it aside from the freeway which left me with a sore shoulder.

I definately would not recommend Icon gear to anyone unless your trolling freeways, and then you're not really going to be wearing gear anyways...

 

Joe Rocket Phoenix 4.0

I love the old Rocket Blaster summer jackets. They breathe soo well, and have all the nice features. The visor pocket that matches your ribs is awesome. The liner makes it usable into the 50s. Too bad they did away with the pocket and some of the adjustability in the jackets.

It crashed very well, but I had scrubbed most of my speed before going end over end. The mesh held up and i still use it today. The armor protected my elbow and shoulder great.

 

Joe Rocket Alter Ego 3.0 Jacket

This thing was really cool when I got it. The feature of a three season jacket is nice, especially when the inner jacket functions as a independent summer jacket. However after using it for a season, I'm less impressed. The wind/water shell is not waterproof. How wet I got one day with it is laughable. The summer jacket doesn't match up to the Phoenix in terms of airflow, protection, or function. The lack of a zipper to attach my pants to annoys me.

No crash data.

 

Joe Rocket Phoenix 3.0 Pants

These pants are nice as an overpant when wearing jeans, or shorts. I like the ability to toss a pair of gym shorts on, and still wear full gear over it. I find them to be a bit slippery on the bike when moving around, but the flexibility I get is really nice. They are a little long, and the knee armor really doesn't sit in a useful place at all for sport riding.

No crash data.

 

A*s Octane One-Piece Suit

I used this for some agressive street riding, the dragon, and M-O. It breathes well, and has excellent padding. The extra knee armor always made me more comfortable. I did find it was too tight in my thighs and caused some binding and pressure points, but that's more of a sizing issue.

I crashed in it on the dragon and at M-O. The dragon crash ended up hurling me off a hill and it performed well. The leather held up other than a hole poked in the spandex panel. The armor kept my joints protected.

The M-O crash was at ~85mph at turn 13. I slid for a bit before finding the gravel pit. I was able to hop up and clear the area with no damage and minimal soreness. The suit was too tight in my arm and the seam tore out. Luckily it was on the side not on the ground.

 

A*s SP1 Gauntlet Gloves

I love these things. The price isn't terrible and they are very comfortable. I get wonderful feel and feedback without sacrificing protection. They are a bit cumbersome to put on with all the fasterners.

I crashed in these once, and they took the hit on the back of the hand. The armor had a chunk taken out, but no damage to hands. Minor rash to leather, but no seam damage. I still wear them today.

 

A*s GP Pro Gauntlet Gloves

I love these things more. They are even more comfortable than the SP1 thanks to the external seams, and even more protective. They also are quick to get on and off. The only downside is the price.

I crashed in these at the dragon and at M-O. The dragon crash really didn't touch them, but I'm sure they helped from a random stick or something.

The M-O crash saw palm down impact and they held up great. No tears, no seam damage. I still wear them today.

 

A*s SMX+ Race Boots

I love these things too. The inner boot makes them as comfortable as tennis shoes. I wear them on almost every ride. The protection is great. My only complaint is they squeak. A lot.

I crashed in these at the dragon and at M-O. In the dragon crash these things saved my leg/ankle because I got caught up under the swingarm. No damage to my leg/foot thanks to them. I was able to ride back to the hotel after I was fished out of the gully. I did lose a slider and finding a replacement was a PITA. I finally called A*s and they just shipped me a pair for free. Awesome CS!

The M-O crash saw some action but the suit and gloves took most of it. Again, my feet escaped unscathed. I still ride with the boots today.

 

 

Arai Corsair V/RX-7 RR4

I love these lids. So much airflow. So comfortable. So pretty. So freaking expensive.

I have used these since 2008 and never looked back. The RR4 is better IMO. The padding is way softer and the helmet is lighter. Who cares that it doesn't make 2010 standards. But they both are awesome.

I've crashed in them a few time but no damage to report.

 

 

Overall, all of my gear is A*s. The fit and function is excellent. The customer service is excellent. They just need to make a good summer jacket with a visor pocket so I can replace my Phoenix 4.0.

Edited May 21, 2013 by BDBGoalie

[Mr Anderson]

I just bought Alpinestars T-GP-R Air Textile jacket. I own Alpinestars sp-1 gauntlet gloves and bought Alpinestars GPX short gloves. I own Alpinestars Tech-1r Leather Racing jacket. Waiting on my Alpinestars Track leather pants. I wear TCX boots but will be Buying Alpinestars racing boots later. I have a Joe Rocket textile and mesh jacket. Also had Joe Rocket short gloves. Joe Rocket gear does not seem to fit well and is to loose for me. Decided to fork out the money and go with Alpinestars. They fit great and no problems.

[mfs81]

I just bought Alpinestars T-GP-R Air Textile jacket. I own Alpinestars sp-1 gauntlet gloves and bought Alpinestars GPX short gloves. I own Alpinestars Tech-1r Leather Racing jacket. Waiting on my Alpinestars Track leather pants. I wear TCX boots but will be Buying Alpinestars racing boots later. I have a Joe Rocket textile and mesh jacket. Also had Joe Rocket short gloves. Joe Rocket gear does not seem to fit well and is to loose for me. Decided to fork out the money and go with Alpinestars. They fit great and no problems.

 

 

When are you getting your gear sir?

[Mr Anderson]

Hopefully soon lol