One-year review: Alpinestars Ares jacket and Patron trousers
IN-DEPTH TESTING OVER MONTHS AND MILES
Alpinestars Ares Gore-tex jacket £399.99 Alpinestars Patron Gore-tex trousers £219.99
THIS COMBINATION OF the Alpinestars Ares jacket and Patron trousers is a versatile all-weather Gore-tex suit. It’s comfortable but sizing is on the small side and you might want to go a size up from what you normally take (at 5ft 8in and 12 stone I’m usually a ‘medium’ but this ‘large’ is a spot-on fit). I’ve not used the suit in extreme heavy rain but through light and medium showers, there have been no leaks whatsoever.
The Ares jacket has a warm removable thermal liner that’s very easy to zip in and out, making it very warm in winter. In the warmer conditions, the two chest and single back vent allow the suit to breathe extremely well - no fear of melting. There are three inside pockets (including a phone pocket), good external pockets plus a really handy pocket on the left forearm for stashing money or tickets for the péage.
The CE Level 1 elbow and shoulder protectors are positioned correctly for most styles of riding from sports to adventure bikes, but there’s no back protector fitted as standard. With the armour removed, I’ve also used the jacket over my one-piece leathers on a sportsbike trip to Germany. When it got too hot, the jacket folded down small enough for me to stuff into my backpack.
Like the jacket, the Patron Gore-tex trousers are really comfortable. I’ve used them on a couple of 700 milers and the derrière did not protest. There’s CE Level 1 armour in the knees, kept in the right place without hindering the ride by stretch panels, but no hip armour – just comfort-foam inserts. They are warm, but if I whip out the thermal lining for warmer temperatures, they feel a little baggy. Like the jacket, the Gore-tex does a superb job of keeping the rain out while letting your skin breath. I’ve found both big sports and shorter waterproof touring boots fit well inside the legs.
Both parts of the suit happily take to the washing machine (so I’m told, thanks to the wife) and dry out quickly, keeping them in good condition. I’m happy with the overall look and quality and see them lasting and not looking out of place for many years to come.