Boots, jeans, games and more tested
Alpinestars SMX-6 v2 boots Gore-tex £239.99 Drystar £219.99
THE ALPINESTARS SMX-6 v2 road and track boots are available in two variants — with a Gore-tex or Alpinestars’ own Drystar membrane — so we tested both to see if the £20 price difference could affect your choice. All tests were carried out wearing one of each boot.
Other than the toe-slider on the Drystar and slight differences in the shin armour, the two versions are identical. Microfibre uppers with a rubber sole, there is a side zip for entry, an internal gusset for waterproofing and Velcro flaps for adjustability.
The SMX-6 v2 is Ce-certified and protection comes from Alpinestars’ TPU armour on the shin, toe, heel and ankle with extra bracing to the ankle.
In use, both versions perform superbly, as we found at a recent trackday and hundreds of miles on-road. Getting them on is simple and comfort is perfect — walking and riding are easy and feel for the gearshift and brake is excellent. There is also no appreciable difference in how the two forms of membrane allow the feet to breathe, confirmed by a damp meter to accurately measure any variance.
We also found no difference between the two in our hose-down tests. We spent two, five and ten minutes with a hose directed at the boots inside a pair of waterproof trousers, with no water ingress whatsoever in either boot.
However, we found water crept into the Gore-tex version, presumably through the perforated gusset, when stood in 100mm of water. But unless you plan to wade in rivers (buy wellies), this shouldn’t affect your choice.
Another thing worth noting is that the Velcro on the side flaps has the stiffer
hooks on the boot, not the flap. This means that any exposed hooks can wear the inside lining of trousers worn over the top of the boots.
Overall, the SMX-6 v2 is an excellent boot — we have found it superb in all respects. On the basis of our tests, we’d go for the Drystar version and spend the £20 saving on a tank of fuel for another adventure. JIM BLACKSTOCK