Alpinestars Challenger v2 One-Piece Leather Suit (SOLD OUT)

Alpinestars suits are offered in European sizes, Choosing a suit depends primarily upon three measurements; chest size, belly size and height. Race suits are cut with a very trim fit which is designed to fit skin tight over underwear or very light clothing. With most suits, the protection (back, chest and/or air bag) is optional and, when installed in the suit, will make them fit smaller, so you’ll want to think about the optional armor before selecting a size.

To select a size in a race suit, we highly recommend you measure your chest and belly with a tape (it is easier if you ask a friend to help). If you need some measuring help, take the link below for detailed instructions. Once you know your chest and belly measurements, you’ll want to choose a size from the chart that will be big enough for both. Before selection, you’ll need to add to your measurements for the addition of optional armor. Generally speaking, we recommend adding 1” to your chest and belly if you plan to add a back protector, and add an additional 1” to your chest for the addition of chest armor (if the suit is equipped to accommodate Alpinestar’s air bag system and you plan to install the air bag instead of armor, we suggest adding 1” to your chest and 1” to your belly).

Unlike separate jackets and pants, the fit of a suit is highly dependent upon your height. And since the fit of both the pants and the upper part of the suit are determined by the single size you choose, it’s pretty important that your height fall within the recommended range. To compensate for being too tall or too short for your ideal size, you can up-size or downsize to some degree, but you’ll be compromising the fit in other areas. Some riders who are much too tall or too short for standard sizing often opt for a custom made suit since off-the-rack suits just won’t work.

Alpinestars offers very complex sizing charts on their website, and if you want to dig more deeply into the sizing issue, I’d suggest visiting their website, but for sake of simplicity, we’ve condensed their basic sizing advice down to the chart below.

Need help measuring? Get it here.

The Challenger v2 One-Piece Leather Suit is now on sale and represents a very good value in a high quality race suit. Many of Alpinestars key features are here: full leather construction with several expansion panels for a comfortable fit; compatibility with race level back and chest protection, vented panels for air flow in warmer weather and a speed hump.

This suit, before being a closeout, is one of Alpinestar’s “entry level” suits, so now that it is on sale, it is a true bargain. What features are missing here that are included on more expensive suits? Well, there are lot of subtle things, but the big items are that this suit is not air bag compatible and lacks external hard “sliders” at key impact points like shoulders, elbows and knees. Also, this suit has a fixed mesh inside liner where the more expensive suits have removable liners.

The knee armor system on this suit is really nice and worth a mention. There is the leather shell and the removable impact protections like you’d find on almost any suit, but built into the knee and shin, all the way down to the ankle is a molded foam armor setup. I’m no racer, but I can image the fit being very good and being comfortable also. With the extra padding, I’d think there would be pretty precise use of the external puck. I really like this setup and it is nice to see on a relatively inexpensive suit.

This suit includes elbow, shoulder, knee and hip armor already. The back protector and chest protectors are optional. The chest armor is easy because there is currently one option. There are a number of back protector options. I’ve listed the “newest” back protector which I think would work great in this suit. And on that back protector page, there is a discussion of the pros and cons of the various options available. Just take the links below to view and purchase those. :: Paul, 12-06-19

Alpinestars says: A multi-panel, body-mapped performance riding suit that incorporates class-leading, CE-certified protection and extensive stretch paneling, the Challenger offers a unique and contoured fit that is ideal for track and/or street use.