The Alpinestars Racefend Gloves are built with off-road and dirt riding in mind. Proper ventilation, maximum movement and comfort are critical characteristics in motorcycle gloves when considering how much work your hands are doing when riding off-road. The Clarino palm and silicon strips on the fore and middle fingers give riders the grip on the controls they need regardless of weather or elements. And even though off-road riding is the main focus, if you need a lightweight glove to run into town on a hot day, Racefend can stretch its responsibilities slightly. However, at higher speed highway rides the limited amount of armor won’t cut it if and when you need the protection.
When it comes to off-roading and dirt riding, you typically don’t hit the same speeds you would on asphalt. For one, you aren’t going nearly as fast, and two, even though it can still hurt, the ground tends to be softer (duh). True street gloves come with an excessive amount of reinforcement, armor and abrasion resistance because, well, it’s entirely necessary. When you go down on asphalt and slide, you want to know your gear won’t peel away and expose your skin. The Racefend Gloves are on the lighter side because they weren’t built with high speed street riding in mind.
However, if you’re looking for a glove to throw on for a quick trip into town on a summer day, they make a pretty good candidate. The Clarino palm is considered better at protection than the equivalent gauge leather, so it can get the job done at slow, around town speeds. The TPR knuckle and finger inserts also provide a little extra protection on the back of the hand without killing flexibility.
More Deals, Served Up Fresh Every Day
Deals, discounts and drops on products you actually care about and want. Curated by the Gear Patrol Editors. Start Saving
Note: Purchasing products through our links may earn us a portion of the sale, which supports our editorial team’s mission. Learn more here.
