Alpinestars Chrome V2 Gloves Review: 5,500 km Tested
I bought the Alpinestars Chrome V2 Motorcycle Gloves in size Large and Dark Blue/Hawaiian Ocean on May 30, 2026 for €59.40 (about US$69 at the May 2026 exchange rate). By the time of this review I had used them for roughly 5,500 km, almost entirely on a 30 km/h scooter and on most days through the warmer part of the year.
For my use, they are a mixed result. The ventilation is excellent, the protection feels substantial and the basic construction has held up well. But I find them a little stiff around the knuckles, the touchscreen experience became frustrating, and at the price I paid I do not think they were especially good value for a low-speed scooter.
Affiliate disclosure: This review contains a paid Amazon link. If you buy through it, Jon Tests may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. I bought these gloves myself at full price and received no free product, discount or compensation. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure.
Alpinestars Chrome V2 Motorcycle Gloves — 3.7/5
Quick verdict: A protective, well-ventilated summer motorcycle glove that has held up well after heavy use. For my 30 km/h scooter, however, the stiff knuckle area, unreliable touchscreen experience and €59.40 (about US$69 at the May 2026 exchange rate) purchase price make them harder to justify.
Best for: motorcycle riders who want strong warm-weather ventilation and more substantial protection than a lightweight cycling glove.
Skip if: you mainly ride a bicycle, e-scooter or low-speed scooter and care more about flexibility, touchscreen use and value than motorcycle-oriented protection.
- Excellent ventilation in roughly 18–25°C weather
- Substantial-feeling knuckle protection
- Good grip on scooter controls
- Large fits me very well
- Basic construction has held up well after about 5,500 km
- I like the Dark Blue/Hawaiian Ocean styling
- Expensive for my low-speed scooter use
- Touchscreen performance became frustrating
- Knuckle protector feels a little stiff and irritating
- Less finger freedom than lighter cycling gloves
- Become very uncomfortable once soaked
How I tested them
- Purchased: May 30, 2026
- Price paid: €59.40 (about US$69 at the May 2026 exchange rate)
- Variant: Large, Dark Blue/Hawaiian Ocean
- Estimated distance: roughly 5,500 km
- Frequency: almost daily during the warmer months
- Main use: 30 km/h scooter riding
- Typical temperature range: roughly 18–25°C
- Rain use: yes, including enough rain to fully soak the gloves
- Crash testing: none — I have not crashed or impacted my hands while wearing them
- Important modification: I later cut the ends from the thumb and index finger to improve phone access
This is a first-hand ownership review, not a laboratory test. My comments on comfort, temperature, rain, grip and durability reflect my own riding speed, use pattern and preferences.
Fit and comfort: good overall, but the knuckles feel stiff
I bought size Large, and the fit is basically perfect for me. I would describe the sizing as normal rather than unusually tight or loose.
The wrist area is comfortable and I can operate the scooter controls without much difficulty. The main comfort issue is the knuckle protection. It feels a little stiff and can become mildly irritating, and the glove does not give me the same finger freedom as lighter cycling gloves I have used.
I do think they loosen up slightly with use, but even after thousands of kilometers I still prefer the freedom of movement I get from a lighter glove.
Ventilation is one of their strongest qualities
I mainly used these between roughly 18°C and 25°C (64–77°F), and I rarely noticed sweaty hands. For warm-weather riding, the airflow is genuinely good.
Below around 18°C, I start finding them too cold. That is especially true now because I cut the ends from the thumb and index finger, leaving those fingertips exposed.
Touchscreen performance became a weak point
The current product listing advertises touchscreen-compatible thumb and index finger material. Mine worked reasonably well at first, but over time I found phone use increasingly frustrating.
There are two important caveats. I use a rain-oriented phone cover that makes touch input more difficult, and I also washed these gloves in a washing machine and tumble-dried them. The current care instructions say hand wash only, so my washing and drying method may have contributed to the decline.
Eventually I used scissors to cut the ends from the thumb and index finger so I could use the phone directly with bare fingertips. That solved the touchscreen problem and gave me a little extra ventilation, but it obviously reduces protection around those fingertips and has started to make the cut areas wear faster.
I would not treat that modification as a normal feature of the glove, and I would not recommend it to someone who wants to preserve the original protective design.
Protection feels substantial, but I have not crash-tested it
This is where the Chrome V2 makes more sense to me as a motorcycle glove than as a low-speed scooter glove.
The current product information describes soft TPU knuckle protection and lists the glove as meeting EN 13594:2015 Level 1 KP. The protection on my pair feels solid and much more substantial than the cycling gloves I have used.
I have never crashed or taken a hard impact to the hands in them, so I cannot claim from personal experience how they would perform in an accident. I can only comment on the construction and the certification stated on the current product listing.
Grip and control are good
I have no major complaints about grip. The palm feels secure on the handlebar and throttle, and braking and normal scooter controls are easy enough.
The limitation is not grip but flexibility. Compared with lighter cycling gloves, I notice the protective structure around the knuckles and fingers more.
Rain: they get wet quickly and are unpleasant once soaked
I have ridden with these in rain, and I would not describe my pair as waterproof. They get very wet fairly quickly, and once soaked I find them unpleasant enough that I would not want to keep using them for the rest of the day.
If I were relying on them for long delivery shifts or commuting in changeable weather, I would want a second dry pair available.
I also ended up washing them partly because they developed an unpleasant smell after wet use. Again, my washing method was more aggressive than the current hand-wash-only care instruction, so I would not use my experience as evidence that machine washing is safe for the glove.
Durability after roughly 5,500 km
Overall durability has been good.
Some of the blue circular detailing is disappearing, and there is visible wear around the knuckles. To me, most of that looks cosmetic rather than structural. I have not found major loose threads, cracks or failures in the palm, seams or closure from normal use.
The main durability problem on my pair now comes from my own modification. Because I cut the thumb and index finger openings with scissors, those areas are beginning to fray and will likely shorten the remaining life of the gloves.
How they compare with lighter cycling gloves
I have also used lighter cycling gloves that I plan to review separately.
For my low-speed scooter use, I prefer the cycling-glove style for comfort and freedom of movement. The Chrome V2 feels more protective, but I do not personally need as much protection for a 30 km/h scooter as I would if I were riding a motorcycle.
Both types have given me some touchscreen frustration, so I would not call touchscreen use a clear win for the cycling gloves either. The main difference for me is comfort and mobility.
Are they worth €59.40 (about US$69 at the May 2026 exchange rate)?
For me, not quite.
I like the styling, ventilation and protective construction, and the underlying glove has held up well after roughly 5,500 km. But €59.40 (about US$69 at the May 2026 exchange rate) feels expensive for what I need from a summer glove on a 30 km/h scooter.
If I were buying again for my own use, I would choose a lighter and cheaper cycling-style glove instead.
For a motorcycle rider, the equation is different. The extra protective construction is more relevant there, so the price makes more sense than it does for my riding.
Why I rate the Alpinestars Chrome V2 3.7/5
My overall rating is 3.7/5. This follows the public Jon Tests rating method: criteria relevant to the product total 100%, each criterion is scored from 1.0 to 5.0 from the documented first-hand evidence, and the weighted result is rounded to one decimal place.
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comfort & fit | 20% | 3.5/5 | Large fits me very well, but the knuckle protector feels stiff and limits movement compared with lighter gloves. |
| Ventilation & warm-weather use | 20% | 4.5/5 | Very good airflow in roughly 18–25°C weather, with little noticeable sweating in my use. |
| Protection & grip | 15% | 4.5/5 | Substantial-feeling knuckle protection and good grip. I have not crash-tested them. |
| Durability | 15% | 4.0/5 | Mostly cosmetic wear after roughly 5,500 km, with the main current damage coming from my own finger-cut modification. |
| Touchscreen & controls | 15% | 3.0/5 | Touchscreen was acceptable at first but became frustrating; phone cover and improper machine washing/tumble drying are important confounders. |
| Value for money | 15% | 2.5/5 | I paid €59.40 (about US$69 at the May 2026 exchange rate) and would not buy them again for my own low-speed scooter use. |
| Weighted rating | 3.7/5 | 3.70 before rounding. | |
Who should buy them?
- Good fit: motorcycle riders who want a ventilated summer glove with substantial knuckle protection.
- Good fit: riders who prioritize protection and airflow over maximum flexibility.
- Less suitable for me: low-speed scooter riding where I would rather have a lighter and cheaper glove.
- Consider something else if: reliable touchscreen control is a top priority.
- Consider something else if: you regularly ride in rain and need a glove that stays comfortable when wet.
Would I buy them again?
No, not for my own use.
That is mainly because I ride a 30 km/h scooter rather than a motorcycle. For me, comfort, freedom of movement and price matter more than the extra protective structure of the Chrome V2.
If I rode a motorcycle, I would view them more favorably because the additional knuckle protection would be more valuable to me.
See the current Alpinestars Chrome V2 price on Amazon (paid link) →
Frequently asked questions
Are the Alpinestars Chrome V2 gloves good for summer?
For me, yes. I mainly used them around 18–25°C and found the ventilation excellent with very little noticeable sweating.
Are they waterproof?
Not in my experience. Mine become wet fairly quickly in rain, and I find them very uncomfortable once soaked.
Does the touchscreen feature work?
Mine worked reasonably well at first but became frustrating over time. My rain-oriented phone cover and the fact that I machine-washed and tumble-dried the gloves may both have contributed. The current care instructions say hand wash only.
How durable are they?
After roughly 5,500 km, most of the normal wear on my pair is cosmetic. The larger durability issue now is self-inflicted because I cut the thumb and index finger openings.
Are they good for scooters?
They work on a scooter, but for my 30 km/h use I would personally choose a lighter, more flexible and cheaper glove next time.
Sources and review method
- My own purchase from May 30, 2026, roughly 5,500 km of use, original current photos and the first-hand observations described above.
- The current Amazon product listing for the manufacturer’s present-day claims about touchscreen compatibility, synthetic-suede palm construction, ventilation, TPU knuckle protection and EN 13594:2015 Level 1 KP.
- Jon Tests — How I Test for the public rating methodology.
