Alpinestars Andes Drystar Jacket

These jackets are sold in US based “alpha” sizes, so selecting a size is basically pretty easy. For most people, you would choose the size you normally wear in men’s clothing. Alpinestars publishes a super-complicated size chart which can be used to pick a size based upon your chest and waist. We’ve condensed their chart down to make it easy to read (see below). The size XL fit Dewey, our XL Fit Check mannequin very nicely!

The taper of this jacket is about average (meaning how much smaller the waist/belly is than the chest), and will be great for nearly any type of street riders. Alpinestars’s sizing chart lists the recommended waist range and the jacket has a lot of waist size adjustment. Judging by the way the jackets fit and the numbers in the chart, we feel the “waist” sizes they list could more appropriately be considered belly size ranges. Your actual jean size waist could be smaller than what is indicated and you’d still be OK because of the wide range of adjustment offered by the side waist straps.

Need help measuring? Get it here.

The new Andes Drystar jacket is very sharp. I really like the crisp styling offered in the one I tried on. It was the grey/black version shown in the close up photos. The materials are high quality and unlike less expensive garments appear well tailored and “crisp”. The fabrics don’t retain wrinkles like some others, even after being packed for shipping. This jacket will be ideal for those that ride in wet and/or mild to cold weather. The jacket is made waterproof by way of a “drystar” lining that is installed in the jacket between the outer shell and the inner lining. This type of waterproofing is very effective. But the permanent liner means that the jacket won’t have a lot of venting capability. You’ll see that the jacket has a couple vents in front and a couple in the back, and air that enters the jacket will pass through the outer shell but flows over the inner waterproof lining and does not reach through to your skin. Anyway, that is why I recommend a jacket like this for mild to cold weather and/or wet weather. I always advise that there is no single garment that will work for a rider for all four seasons (if they live in a four season location), so coupling a jacket like this along with a good highly vented textile or a full mesh jacket will keep you happy all year around. Like any other longer touring style, this jacket also has a number of pockets. There are some larger reflective materials on the front and back for nighttime visibility. A couple little features you’ll grow to appreciate: the main zipper is two-way, meaning you can zip the jacket up from the bottom part way when sitting to prevent the lower part of the jacket from piling up in your lap; also there is a nifty little keeper built into the collar that keeps the velcro-close collar tab from flapping in the wind (and driving you crazy). We’ve got a slew of good pictures of all this stuff, so just take the “View Images” link above to have a look at all those. Overall, a very nice design and it is offered at a great price too. :: Paul, 06-24-13

Did you find the sizing advice and review helpful? We could become friends…