P106
PRODUCT REVIEW I
ALPINESTA RS SUPERTECH
I
t's been six years, but Alpin-
estars has just debuted an all-
new Supertech R road racing
boot. The Supertech R has been
the staple of A'star's lineup since
it debuted way back in 2001,
and although it may look similar
to the model from 2015, there
are some significant changes.
Effectively, every little piece
of the Supertech has
come under the
microscope. From
the new shin slider
to the redesigned
TPU shifter, much
larger vent system
at the front near
the ankle and lower
shin, new inner
boot, rubber sole, top
gaiter, TPU shifter and
shin plate, the Super-
tech R is now slimmer,
lighter and snugger
than before.
Much of the atten-
tion has gone into
the new inner boot
system. Devel-
oped in MotoGP by Quartararo,
Marquez et al, the inner boot
gets soft TPU reinforcement
and helps dissipate heat more
effectively than before. Its snug-
ger fit means more comfort
over longer races, and there's
additional ankle padding and
protection within the inner boot
itself in case things go awry.
Another area of improvement
is the stretch panel on the out-
side of the boot that allows for
a smoother entry of the inner
boot without it getting hung up
on anything.
The boots are available in
vented and non-vented, and un-
like pretty much everything else
these days, Alpinestars has not
increased the price of the boot
from what the older generation
Supertech R boots retailed for!
Alpinestars insists these are
exactly the same boots the
world's fastest riders wear in
MotoGP (aside from personal-
ized rider colors), and to have
that tech available to the public
is very cool indeed.
(Far right) The slimmer fit
makes getting your feet
set on the pegs easier,
and the new sole prevents
your feet from sliding
on the pegs as much as
before. (Below) The new
Alpinestars Supertech R
road racing boot is lighter
and slimmer than the
previous model.
