Alpinestars T-GP R V2 Drystar Jacket

These jackets are sold in US based “alpha” sizes. 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).

This particular style runs a bit smaller than other recent models we’ve tested from Alpinestars. The fit is definitely “European” because the jackets we tried on our fit check mannequins Huey and Dewey fit good and look good, but they don’t have much extra room. My measurements of other sizes confirms this.

If you like a very trim fit, then you’ll like this style in the size you normally choose, but if you prefer a more “American” fit or you are between sizes, I’d recommend you choose a size larger than you usually wear. And since this jacket has a pretty trim fit, you’ll also want to check your belly (if you have one) and make sure the jacket size you pick is big enough for your mid-section as well as your chest.

Sizing Tip for Those Using Upgraded Armor: Adding chest and/or back armor to this jacket will change the fit. To account for that, I’d advise you to add one inch to your chest measurement if you plan to add any of these Nucleon back protectors: KR-1i/2i/CELLi. If you plan to add the KR-R racing back protector, add 2” (because it is thicker). Add one more inch if you want to add the KR-Ci chest protectors.

Need help measuring? Get it here.

The Alpinestars T-GP R WP V2 jacket is a new style for 2018 and is a refresh of the T-GP R WP from 2015. This style has been their “go to” textile sport jacket for street riders for a long time. It has a great armor package and includes a thermal liner for colder weather use and a waterproof liner. What’s different from the previous version? This new version gets a slight style upgrade and the materials used in the shoulder/elbow areas is one notch thicker which improves the overall crash worthiness. So its an iterative process, which is common with Alpinestars over the years.

I’d recommend this jacket for cold to warm weather use. Basically it will cover all seasons including wet weather except for the hot days of summer. For colder weather, this jacket comes standard with a full sleeve, removable thermal liner which is nice and plushy and will give you lots of insulation. The jacket has the normal textile outer shell and behind that is the permanent waterproof liner. On the inside is the mesh interior liner with the pockets for your stuff and pockets to hold the armor. A fixed waterproof liner like we see here is a very effective setup for use in wet weather and its a handy construction because you don’t have to keep up with a separate removable waterproof liner. Its also a less expensive way to offer rock solid waterproofing as compared to jacket with a removable liner and/or a vent setup that allows direct venting. The downside is that a jacket with a fixed liner won’t be great for air circulation in hot weather because the venting feature on the front of the jacket doesn’t flow through the WP liner to your body, but rather it flows air in and around the liner. That’s why I don’t recommend this jacket for hot summer weather. If hot summer days are part of your riding season, then I’d recommend a full mesh jacket to use along side this one. Many riders choose to go with two jackets to cover all the seasons. There are some jackets that could be considered four season jackets, but nothing really does as well as full mesh style in the hot summer.

Like most other recent models from Alpinestars, this jacket offers a full menu of armor options. Firstly, you get CE-certified level 1 shoulders and elbow protectors. Then optionally, you can upgrade the chest and back armor. The jacket is equipped with two chest pad compartments in front located on either side of the main zipper. And then there is a back pad compartment to install an optional back pad. Check the links below to see the options. With a textile/street style like this, I’d recommend the CE level 1 Nucleon KR-2i or KR-CELLi back protectors because they are lighter and thinner. You could also opt for the KR-1i which is a CE Level 2 back pad (same height and width, but thicker). This jacket will also work with the KR-R level 2 back protector which is worn on the body. But for a non sport/race style, I personally think it is overkill. We’ve got good descriptions of the options, so just click through the links below to learn more. The shoulders of this jacket have extra external armor pieces to beef up the abrasion resistance (the oval raised area with the Alpinestars logo) and they add a bit of style too.

Other nice features here are the various adjustments to get the fit just right at the waist, biceps and at the side of the torso. Reflective materials are worked into the graphic design so you be seen better at night. And inside the jacket near the bottom is a full around zipper for connection to Alpinestars pants. For all the safety technology, weather adaptability and sharp looks, this style really is a great choice for the sport/street rider. :: Paul, 10-31-18 (happy Halloween!)

Alpinestars says: The T-GP R v2 Waterproof Jacket is a versatile sport riding jacket with class-leading protection, inside and out, which incorporates reinforced poly-fabric zones on the torso for durability and abrasion resistance. With Alpinestars waterproof membrane, zippered air vents for controlled levels of internal cooling plus a removable thermal liner, the T-GP R v2 is fully equipped to deal with a wide range of riding conditions.