Wazup fellow Ninjettes?
I just received my new pair of Alpinestars SPS gloves. I have included some pics with my review to follow:
Packaging
Back Hand (flat)
Front Hand (flat)
Front Hand (on)
Back Hand (on)
Side 1 (thumb)
Front Hand (fist)
Side 2 (wrist)
Tag
ALPINESTARS SPS GLOVE
Size: M
PRO: Protection, Comfort, Styling
CON: Fit, Construction, Price
Ok, so I would like to mention that I have wanted these gloves for quite a while now. I actually tried a pair of these on at a CycleGear store nearby, but they were a small. The reason I even tried those on was to get a feel for them and figure out if I truly need a medium since I was going to order them. Of course the small didn't fit well, as they were super restrictive and I couldn't get my hand in all the way, as my fingers hit the end of the glove before it could wrap around my wrist.
So, I knew I needed a medium and went home and ordered them through RevZilla along with my other items. I ended up paying $90, but honestly I think this should be a $70 to $75 glove tops, as much of it is perforated leather. However, I love the styling and protection that it offers, as well as the comfort, so I was willing to pay $90 to get what I wanted. I did try many other different gloves on even ones I didn't like the looks of, but I had problems with the way they all felt. I either had some stitching irritate me, or the knuckle protection not line up, or the glove simply didn't fit right.
The only gloves I have been using up till now were my military gloves both fast roping and flight gloves. However, the fast roping gloves lacked in dexterity and the flight gloves lacked in protection. I do wished that CycleGear had the SPS in medium because if they did I am not sure if I would have still purchased them.
Now, this SPS glove is a great glove don't get me wrong, but for me it just doesn't fit the way I think it should. The glove fits great in the length for all my fingers except my index finger, as it sits at the end of the glove. However, that isn't really my issue. My issue is that width wise I think the glove is a little big because they are not even broken in yet and I have some extra material fold up in the palm when I clinch my hand into a fist. Another thing I am concerned about is that the length of the cuff doesn't wrap around my wrist all the way, as the wrist bone pad just covers part of it.
The SPS glove is very functional, as it allows you to move your hand without changing the fit of the glove and moving the protection away. It is also very light and relatively warm considering all the perforation. I think that is because of the polyester lining. It is fully 100% goatskin leather, which really feels comfortable. It has great padding and protection all the way around, as you can see from the pics. I am just not sure how well the stitching will hold up next to the perforated leather seams. I guess I will find out soon enough.
BOTTOM LINE
Again, I have been wanting these gloves for a while now because of their protection, comfort, and length. Since my only option to try on gloves was at CycleGear and a local dealership, I chose the pair that felt and looked the best to me after trying on all the different types of gloves even though the small in the SPS glove was all they had and it wasn't even the correct size. However, It did help me determine that in that glove my size is definitely a medium, but even so the medium clearly doesn't fit ideally to my hand as I think it should.
Overall, I am still happy with my purchase, but I think $90 might have been too much to spend on them depending on how long they end up lasting me. Still, they are far more comfortable than anything else I tried on and they are far more protective and functional than what I have been using.
Considering how I now know how the sizing for Alpinestars gloves fluctuates between the different models and sizes due to the unique sizing of my own hand, I really can't recommend to anyone to buy the SPS glove. I definitely think you should try a pair on if you can find a store that carries them, so that you can see how you like them personally. However, with motorcycle gloves you simply can't assume that someone else's hand size is the same as yours, even if they are the same glove size. Also, you can't assume that each glove from a specific manufacture is going to fit the same. Best bet is to simply go some where and find what you like and what fits YOUR hand the best.
I hope this review was helpful.