Alpinestars Supertech R boots

Reviewer: Mikko Nieminen // RRP: £379.99 // Sizes: EUR: 39-48 // Colours: Black, Black and white, Black, white and red, Black, white and fluo yellow // Info: www.alpinestars.com

These are the first proper sports boots I have ever owned, and they have been a bit of a revelation. I always thought that sports boots would be stiff and uncomfortable because they feature such high levels of protection, but the Supertech R boots are among the most comfortable I’ve ever worn.

The outer boot is made of micro-fibres rather than leather to make it lighter, stronger and more durable, yet still flexible. To be honest, it looks and feels pretty much like leather to me. The separate inner boot is soft and plush, and it can be fully removed for cleaning. It’s such a clever idea, and it makes it really easy to keep the boots stink-free.

Getting the boots on and off is a doddle: the outer boot is fastened with a long TPU zip and a micro-ratchet buckle on the outside of the foot, while the inner has a pull-string with a quick-fastener. Both the zip and the pull-string have a bit of Velcro at the end so you can secure them in place and nothing will be flapping in the wind as you’re riding.

Boots like these, designed for track and road, are generally very well protected, and the Supertech R is no exception. The boot (available in vented or non-vented options) is CEcertified, and features TPU shin protection, replaceable TPU/aluminium toe sliders and replaceable polymer heel plate sliders.

I have worn the boots on both road and track and they have been comfortable, snug and secure – and they look great. They’re a pricey pair of boots, but the materials and build quality are great, they are supercomfortable and I can see myself wearing these for years.