Alpinestars Cape Town Air Drystar Jacket

These jackets are sold in US based “alpha” sizes. We find the overall cut of the jacket, particularly the arms will work best for those with a normal to tall/slender build. Those with are stocky will find the arm size to be tight. If you are in the “normal to slender” group, I’d advise you to 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 Med and XL fit Huey and Dewey 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.

Need help measuring? Get it here.

The Cape Town Air Drystar Jacket by Alpinestars has a really long name! The two key words in the name are “air” and “Drystar”. This is a jacket for touring riders, commuters or adventure riders wanting a jacket for mild to hot weather. This jacket is about half mesh and half textile. The mesh areas are the black material shown in the pictures. The air should blow right through this model which will make it comfortable in very warm weather. The other key word, “drystar” refers to the removable liner you can use to either provide a windbreak when the temps drop down some or as a waterproof layer when it is wet. The liner is worn under the jacket of course and while the jacket shell is not waterproof (because it is largely mesh), the liner will at least keep water off your body. A longer jacket like this is designed with a lot of pockets. Anybody who has a lot of gear to stash and who is traveling a lot on a bike will really enjoy this. We’ve put together a really nice set of close-up pictures that show the jacket’s pockets, the liner, armor, etc, so please click on the “View Larger Images” link above to see them. We’ve also got a night shot to show off the reflective material built into the jacket. The fluorescent color will increase your visibility in the daytime too. :: Paul, 10-14-11