Alpinestars Gravity Drystar Jacket

These jackets are sold in US based “alpha” sizes, so selecting a size is basically pretty easy. The size Medium and XL jackets fit Huey and Dewey, our Fit Check mannequins very nicely! Also, we checked several sizes with a tape. We found the sizing to be comparable to standard men’s clothing sizes. So our primary advice would be to choose the size you normally wear in men’s clothing.

Alpinestars publishes a super-complicated size chart which can be used to pick a size based upon your chest and waist. We’ve condensed their chart down to make it easy to read (see below). You can use this size chart to check your own measurements against the size chart to make sure the size you select will work. Choose a size that is big enough for both your chest and belly.

The max waist of a jacket style like this is only a couple inches smaller than the max chest, but on the sides of the torso are two very effective Velcro adjuster straps to make the jacket fit almost any size belly (up to the max of course).

Need help measuring? Get it here.

The Gravity Drystar jacket by Alpinestars is a new street and touring 3/4 length textile jacket. New style armor, new colors and styling. Pair the jacket with the matching Gravity pants for a complete riding outfit (see link below).

Alpinestars makes a LOT of street and touring textile jackets, so let me tell you where this one fits in. This is among the lowest priced waterproof style Alpinestars offers. It has a number of nice features, but really it’s not overloaded with features you find on the high cost jackets. The shell material is a nice textile that feels sturdy and has a nice modern style. Integrated into the jacket is a Drystar waterproof liner fitted between the jacket’s outer shell and inner mesh liner. The waterproof liner should be very effective at keeping you dry in rain. This type of waterproofing system is the simplest and lowest cost. More costly types are designed with the waterproof layer bonded to the outer shell (not a separate layer), and often times they’ll be “name brand” systems such as Gore Tex. But the basic setup here is simple and reliable. The waterproof layer here is Alpinestar’s “house brand” called Drystar. Use in warmer weather is probably the weak spot with a fixed liner jacket. This jacket’s liner can’t be removed and the venting options are minimal. There are two front chest pockets and the air that passes through those has to pass through another “duct” built into the waterproof liner to reach your body. If you planned on this jacket working for you in hot weather, then look elsewhere. But in mild or colder weather, this one will shine. You have the solid shell, the waterproof liner and then there is also a full sleeve thermal liner included for really cold temps. So in mild weather you can take out that liner and be comfortable. So overall, I’d recommend this jacket for three seasons… winter, fall and spring. And of course any wet conditions you may encounter.

The armor supplied with this jacket is a new Nucleon Flex Plus Level 1 armor in shoulders and elbows. Please visit our armor department where this armor is sold separately if you are interested in a more detailed description, but just briefly the armor is a very flexible and low profile design that sits flatter on the body and is less noticeable than traditional molded rubber armor. Another advantage with the low profile nature of the armor is that it will more easily work with Alpinestar’s new Tech-Air 5 airbag vest system (see more below). I really like this new style armor for street riders. The jacket has a pocket for an optional back protector. I’ve listed the Nucleon type options below. You’ll find MANY details on the back protector product pages, but for this jacket, I’d recommend the Nucleon KR-CELLi model for its lighter weight.

Tech-Air® 5 compatibility: Alpinestars has a new version of their air bag system which will become available mid-2020. It is a short-waist vest design worn on the body under your protective jacket. With older versions of their airbag vest, it was required to own both a vest AND a “compatible” Alpinestars jacket since some components of the complete airbag system lived inside the jacket itself. Good news with the new design: The new airbag vest design is self-contained and so this jacket (and all other jackets) are “compatible”. The air bag vest has a CE1 back protector built into it, so if you wear the Tech-Air® 5 airbag vest you’d remove the back protector (and/or chest armor) from your jacket. From what we’ve seen, the Tech-Air 5 is relatively compact and you should be able to fit it under your jacket as long as your jacket isn’t very snug to begin with, so if you fancy buying a Tech-Air 5 vest, err on the side of roomy when choosing the size. We’ll have much more on our site about this product asap.

For a complete waterproof riding suit, consider adding the Gravity Drystar pants (link below). I think these products are among the best values we sell for a fully waterproof, competent and very good quality jacket/pants right now. :: Paul, 06-04-20

Note: The color of the “Rick Brown” color choice looks in person like a burgundy to me. The factory photos supplied by Alpinestars makes it look like dull salmon. It looks better than the pictures indicate!

Alpinestars says:* The Gravity Drystar® Jacket is equipped with Alpinestars Drystar® construction to ensure 100 per cent waterproofing and great levels of breathabil-ity, even in difficult riding conditions. The technically advanced construction of this jacket offers impact protection and abrasion resistance and is adaptable to all weather conditions.