Alpinestars (Stella) Andes Jacket

[Finesse]

Sooo I finally decided I needed a decent winter/fall/spring/rain riding jacket, I bought the Alpinestars Stella Andes in black. Most of this is prob applicable to the men's version.

Pros:
-It's a lot warmer than I thought it would be. It keeps me warm and is totally windproof but not too bulky. I think it's Thinsulate or something. I refuse to buy down jackets because of the way down is produced.
-It looks better than I thought it would look. I'm usually not a fan of 'cargo' style pockets but these blend in well and it looks streamlined
-High quality. Zipper is smooth, easy, no catches, durable. The fabric is high-quality and seams are unnoticeable but when you check em out, super strong. It looks polished and finished
-It's adjustable around the waist, around the arms, and there's a little snap at the back of the collar in case you want it folded down.
-It has a hefty flap at the collar to velcro shut if you want to really keep the wind out
-The sleeves are long enough but the torso isn't too long that it hits the seat or the tank if you ride a sport bike
-The armor is NOT noticeable at all when you ride. It's very comfortable.
-The pockets are huge
-There are velcro flaps around the zipper to make it extra-windproof. and over the zippered pockets
-It has a removable thermal liner
-It has a built-in waterproof breathable liner that is not removable
-It has zippered vents in the shoulders and front and maybe some other places you can unzip when it's hot

CONS
-I'm 5'4 and 102lb. the Small fits me perfectly in the shoulders/arms but is too wide in the torso even fully adjusted to the smallest setting. but this happens a lot to me
-the closures around the wrists are not very easy to get tight around your glove
-the velcro flap at the front of the collar makes it uncomfortable to look down, it pushes against your throat. but if you keep your head straight or side to side or up, you're fine.

I've worn it down to about 30 degrees and up to about 45. I haven't worn it much yet. it's supposed to be 100% waterproof but I haven't ridden it in the rain

retail price is $250 but I got it for $185 from work

100% would recommend. it's very comfortable and well-made and does its job outstandingly.

[Ghostt]

Nice review, hope it serves you well, and you NEVER test that armour.

If your looking to keep warm without adding bulk, I personally recommend UNDER ARMOUR cold gear. Best part is you don't sweat with them, and sweating is bad in the cold weather riding.

Have you picked up any other gear for the cold weather?

[Finesse]

^I have an under armour long sleeve shirt. doesn't do ****. I get cold very quickly, at high temperatures, and can't shake it off. I don't know anyone who gets colder than me, sooner than me, or stays cold for as long as me. it sucks. base layers help but I need good insulation.

other than this jacket, I have an Icon Airframe helmet that keeps my head pretty warm but flows air well in summer. I have long-ish hair which helps a lot, feeling sorry for all the guys with short hair whose necks and ears are freezing! haha. my bike has heated grips on it. I also have heated glove liners but I don't use them for my 15-min commute. I'm lucky to have a short commute, the cold doesn't get a chance to bite me in the ass if my ride is that short if it's below 35 ish I'll ride to work in ski pants and change when I get there.

[csmith12]

Nice! I got the same one for my old lady. She likes it too.

[Ghostt]

Sounds like you got it well covered. Is the UNDER ARMOUR the heat gear, or cold gear?

As far as pants go, I would recommend riding over pants, I have the Fieldsheer ones, and they come with a removable liner.

I have heated gear as well, for the longer trips, but between my gear, the heated grips and seat, and touring windscreen, I stay pretty toasty.

Good luck

[Finesse]

oh yeah, fairings make a HUGE difference. my bike is nekkid. wind gets me good

[Ghostt]

Originally Posted by Finesse

oh yeah, fairings make a HUGE difference. my bike is nekkid. wind gets me good

So true I remember my days on my old KZ1000, yes It was cold, but Damn that bike was so worth it

[fleemos]

I have the mens version of that jacket, used it to ride cross country and it is a great choice for the price. Good choice!

[greenaero]

@Finesse, Great review!
I finally did some riding in some real cold weather yesterday ( in the 20"s ) and it was miserable. I rode my unstreamlined moto. I wore an old snowmobile suit I have had for years and my Frank Thomas gaunlet gloves. The ride was barely tolerable for the 45 mile trip from Livermore to Berkeley but what I suffered with the most was how cold my hands got.
What gloves do y'all real cold weather riders recommend?

[Finesse]

^Heated grips and powerlet rapidfire glove liners, but you have to have pretty roomy gloves to use the liners. they are great though!

[greenaero]

@Finesse Great! thank you

[Finesse]

no problem. I have bikemaster heated grips. they are about $58 a set, easy to install, and they get a lot hotter than oxford grips (I've used both)

[fry1024]

Nice review @Finesse

My GF is looking at jackets. I'll be sending her a link to your review.

Thanks for sharing.