No matter what kind of bike you ride – Street, chopper, Moto x, and everything in-between – you are either an all-weather or fair-weather biker. If you are one of the stoic all-weather warriors, you’re going to need all the help you can get.
Fortunately for you brave types, Alpinestars have an answer in the form of Tech Performance Base Layers made of Dryarn microfibre by Aquafit. These base layers (top and bottom) are designed to be worn close to the skin, under your protective gear as a means of regulating your temperature. Here’s what they say about it:
- Ultra-lightweight technical base later for optimized thermo-regulation.
- Constructed from engineered microfibre that insulates against cold and heat.
- Seamless, tubular construction allows for performance compression fit.
- Moisture-wicking properties for excellent levels of breathability and comfort.
- Hypoallergenic fabric that contains an additive to prevent build-up of bacteria.
- Fully body-mapped design allows anatomical fit under outer garment.
Bold claims, but does it work?
Firstly, the garments are as comfortable as they say. As long as you get the right size, they fit snugly, don’t itch, and are thin & lightweight, so they’re not bulky under the rest of your gear.
I tested them riding a CRB 600 on a dry day (they’re not waterproof) at 5°C (41°F) wearing kevlar jeans, a t-shirt, hoodie and a leather jacket. I wanted to see how they hold up against the wind and cold so I didn’t use any cold weather gear.
The first thing I noticed is that the top is long enough to come down over your butt, it doesn’t ride up, exposing your lower back to the cold. No matter what your riding position, you will be covered, a great feature.
The wind had plenty of opportunity to get to my skin, especially when riding at speed. Whilst the base layers aren’t wind proof, they kept the worst of it off. Even at high speeds, the wind chill wasn’t unbearable. If you wear these Alpinestars Tech Performance Base Layers under windproof gear, you will be much warmer.
My 30 min journey ended in Oxford City Centre. The comfortable fit means you’re not distracted, and after a fast, cold blast along the A roads, I was warm and alert enough to deal with the city traffic. I don’t ride a moto x bike and I didn’t fancy a ride in the wet to see how these base layers perform so I don’t know how they will perform under those conditions, but for a ride out on a cold day, they’re a welcome layer of warmth.
the downside is if you’re intending to use this to make your commute more bearable, you’re going to need somewhere to change once you get to work. I think they will really show their value on long tours, especially if they reduce the sweat and bacteria build-up.
The top is priced at £69.99 / €69.95
The bottom is priced at £69.99 / €64.95
Whilst they’re not the cheapest base layers available, their build quality and performance make them well worth the cost.
Gillan Williams
wonderfull
nice jacket