MilesPrower's stats
- Review count7
- Helpfulness votes13
- First reviewSeptember 12, 2011
- Last reviewJune 21, 2012
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4
Reviews comments
- Review comment count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentNone
- Last review commentNone
- Featured review comments0
- Question count1
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionJune 18, 2012
- Last questionJune 18, 2012
- Featured questions0
- Answer count2
- Helpfulness votes2
- First answerOctober 26, 2011
- Last answerJune 18, 2012
- Featured answers0
- Best answers0
MilesPrower's Reviews
Shark Vision-R Syntic Helmet SHARK RD engineers have created a helmet that offers the panoramic eyeport of an open-face helmet, for one of the widest view angles currently on the market, combined with the safety of the latest generation of full-face fiber-composite shells. The SHARK patented faceshield mechanism ensures a perfect seal which equates to better soundproofing, less draft and an improved water-tight seal. The Rapid Anti-Fog System slightly opens the shield in anti-mist position. This has been designed to operate smoothly with the use of gloves. Features Integrated drop-down sun visor Two composite-fiber shell sizes Shark Easy Fit glasses system offers wearers a comfort lining which has a pre-tted system to accommodate all types of glasses New Anti-Scratch/Anti-Fog coating Removable and interchangeable 3 piece liner Neckroll is PVC free and features reective material at rear Included chin curtain Two upper vents and 1 lower vents with optimized venturi effect Double D ring strap closure Sharktooth-ready ECE 2205 and DOT Certified Approximate weight of size Medium - 1450 grams
Overall rating
Great features, great price, some minuses
PostedJune 21, 2012
Bang for the Buck
5
/
5
Style
4
/
5
Comfort
4
/
5
Protection & Durability
3
/
5
Air Flow
1
/
5
Features
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
Loud
Shape
Narrow
Round
Vision
Narrow
Wide
Feature-wise, this helmet has a lot to offer -- at least on paper.
Great eyeport visibility; a tab "lock" for keeping the main visor cracked for increased ventilation; easy to operate chin and top vents; an integrated sun visor with a glove-friendly lever; removable neckroll and liners; adjustable chin curtain; temple padding that can be removed to make slots for eyeglasses; etc.
Venting wise, I would rate the Vision R poor. As I already mentioned, the vents are easy to operate. Unfortunately, very little air goes through the helmet top or bottom. The chin vent, in particular, doesn't ventilate the chin/mouth area. Instead, it pushes air up underneath the main visor. I'm sure this will help prevent fogging in the winter, but in the summer, the lack of real chin ventilation makes the helmet somewhat stifling. This problem is compounded by the two chin curtains. The adjustable chin curtain, even with its drawstring pulled tight, blocks too much air; I removed it during my first ride. The remaining chin curtain is part of the neck roll -- so it can't be removed separately.
The sun visor is another feature that seems great on paper, but after real-world use, I'm not yet sold on it. For years, I've been riding with a Schuberth R1 helmet. The R1's sun visor is significantly darker than the Vision R's. I actually turned the R1's sun visor upside-down (Schuberth intentionally designed it that way) so that the flat edge is what comes down from the brow of the helmet. On country roads, I like to ride with the R1's visor part-way down, so it functions like the peak on an off-road or dual-sport helmet, blocking out the brightness of the sky while allowing me to see the road ahead unimpeded. The Vision R's sun visor, on the other hand, mounts only one way -- so the nose cutout is always in your field of vision, and its tinting is not dark enough to block out the sky. More importantly, it's not dark enough to significantly reduce glare coming off the highway under mid-day sun. Therefore, for anyone who's used to wearing sunglasses, the Vision R's sun visor will be a poor substitute.
Noise-wise, the Vision R is much louder than my Schuberth R1 -- but that's not a fair comparison considering the R1 is one of the quietest helmets ever sold. But the Vision R is also louder than my Arai helmets, even though the Vision R's neckroll is more substantial. I get a loud (but fairly constant) "swooshing" while riding my KTM 690 Duke, and on my Multistrada 1200, both "swooshing" and "booming" -- more so than I've experienced with my other helmets. I always wear earplugs when I ride, so the increased noise isn't a dealbreaker.
My roundish, size 59-60 head fits perfectly inside the size L Vision R, but the bottom of the helmet is tighter than other helmets I own, so getting my big round head into the Vision R is more difficult -- not a dealbreaker. But what would have been a dealbreaker is how tightly the helmet squeezes my jawbone. Specifically, the neck-straps, which are jacketed by very stiff, very uncomfortable "padding", were pushing into the lower corners of my jaw -- painful! I've had other helmets do this to my jaw too, but only after hours of wearing. With the Vision R, the discomfort was immediate.
15 minutes of cheek-pad surgery solved the problem. Using a sharp knife, I cut a small slot out of the plastic backing of each cheek-pad, then pulled and cut foam out through the slot. Photo attached. This created a neck-strap "channel" in each cheek-pad so that the cheek-pad is no longer pushing the stiff neck-strap into my jawbone. No more jaw pain -- now the Vision R is very comfortable fit-wise. (I take no responsibility for any damage you do to your helmet, to yourself, or to anyone else for that matter, if you attempt the same modification. I am only describing this modification so that readers will better understand my statements about my jawbone discomfort written here.)
After re-reading everything that I've written here, it seems my review is negative. Perhaps I haven't said enough about the Vision R's positive traits. I'll let others do that -- because I'm sure there will be many buyers who want to rave about the features that do make sense to them and the high quality of engineering and manufacturing evident in this helmet.
For now, I'll end by saying that I'm mostly happy with this helmet (especially after the check-pad mod), but it's not the perfect summer helmet. Price-wise, it's a steal considering the package as a whole.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
TCX Air Tech Gore-Tex Boot European inspired styling with a Gore-Tex membrane make this the most breathable, waterproof boot on the market. This boot is not for the cold blooded due to its extreme venting. Side impact and malleolus protection makes this a perfect pick for spring, summer and early fall riders. Upper Leather and breathable AIR TECH material with micro injected inserts Lining Gore-Tex membrane with XCR product technology for increased breathability Protections Anti Impact malleolus protection, micro injected shift pad, shin plate, reinforced heel counter Foot Bed Anatomic, Replacable Touring sole with specific grip area, oil and petroleum resistant
Overall rating
Tall footbed, breathes well -- but minimal protection
PostedMay 12, 2012
Bang for the Buck
3
/
5
Style
5
/
5
Comfort
5
/
5
Protection & Durability
2
/
5
Air Flow
4
/
5
Features
3
/
5
Fit
Small
Large
Footbed
Narrow
Wide
As others have mentioned, there's a lot of "height" inside this boot, leaving a fair amount of airspace between the top of my foot and where the "tongue" would be if this were a shoe -- advantage being good ventilation and great comfort. But I do worry that in a crash, all this extra room -- coupled with the boot's extreme flexibility -- would allow my foot to twist and break.
There is no arch support, so factor in the cost of aftermarket insoles if your feet aren't extremely flat.
And all that extra height in the foot area means that you might have to adjust your shifter position to get the boot under your shifter.
Plus, there is near-zero ankle protection. Perhaps in a low-speed slide, the mesh and rubber accents would keep the skin on your bones. But if any part of the bike impacts the boot in a low-side, the probability of shattered bones seems high.
Moreover, I disagree with the reviewers who say the boot fits wide. I have three pairs of SIDI boots (42 and 43), and the Air Tech (43) is definitely more restricted in width in the mid-foot region directly behind the toes. The Air Tech is also much pointier at the toe, and therefore significantly longer than any of my SIDIs.
With all that said, these boots are indeed very comfortable, and I can wear them hours at a time -- even off-bike -- without any hot spots or discomfort.
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
SAS-TEC SC-1/07 Hip Protector Upgraded replacements only fit the REV'IT! Cayenne Pro Pants , REV'IT! Defender Pants and REVIT! Everest Pants . Sold as one pair.
Overall rating
Hip armor employed as chest armor in my Alpinestars jacket
PostedDecember 13, 2011
Bang for the Buck
5
/
5
Style
5
/
5
Comfort
5
/
5
Protection & Durability
5
/
5
Air Flow
1
/
5
Features
5
/
5
Alpinestar's one-size-fits-all Bionic chest pads did not fit into their size-small Frontier Jacket. Apparently the Bionic chest pads are one-size-doesn't-fit-small.
I ordered the SAS-TEC hip armor after watching Anthony's armor video and checking out sizing on SAS-TEC's website. The SAS-TEC hip armor is very close in size and shape to the useless foam inserts that come standard in the Frontier jacket's chest pad pockets. So far, this SAS-TEC hip armor is working great in the role of chest armor for my Frontier.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
Alpinestars Frontier Gore-Tex Pant Multifabric shell construction. Hydrophobic micro-twill fabric. Textured, highly abrasion resistant inserts External 100 Waterproof cargo pockets. 4-in-1 system incorporating the removable Gore-Tex and thermal liners allows the user to configure the jacket to their own preference. Jet ventilation system incorporating large ventilation panels. Removable CE certified GP-R knee and shin protectors. Integrated high visibility reflective stripes. PE protective padding in the hips. Internal waist connection zipper for attachment to riding jackets.
Overall rating
Great Alpinestars style, with fiddly liners, useless pocket, shifty armor
PostedOctober 26, 2011
Bang for the Buck
2
/
5
Style
5
/
5
Comfort
5
/
5
Protection & Durability
2
/
5
Air Flow
3
/
5
Features
1
/
5
Fit
Small
Large
I purchased these pants recently to mate to my AStars Frontier jacket that I'd purchased earlier. The Size SM fits me perfectly (I wear 30 waist, 32 inseam Levis, Arcteryx, etc), and the pants are all day comfortable -- on and off the motorcycle. Velcro hip fasteners allow easy adjustment of the waist so with or without the two liners (one Gore-Tex, one quilted thermal), the pants fit me fine. Plus, they *look* great!
Unfortunately, the knee/shin pads shift around quite a lot inside their pockets, so they rarely stay in the right place. If I'm walking in these pants, the pads fall below my knee. When I'm first getting onto my motorcycle, I have to "wiggle" the knee pad up. Not good.
Removing the knee/shin pad from its internal pocket, it's clear why the pad never really stays in the right place. There's no connection between the armor and the heavy outer layer, and its pocket is made of an extremely light mesh, allowing the pad to float around inside the pant. There's no velcro or strapping holding the armor in place (like on my Kushitani pants, for example).
The pads do stay in place better when I'm wearing the pants with the liners zipped in. The liners, by the way, make the pants VERY tight around my thighs and calves, but the knees are still comfortable, as long as I shift the knee armor into place.
The outer pocket, which looks like it could be a useful cargo-style pocket, is too small for my low-profile wallet. Because it has a small, fiddly, water-resistant zipper on the bottom surface of a fold-down, velcro flap, the opening of the pocket is too small for my wallet -- and actually, too small for my hands to reach in! You can drop earplugs into this pocket, but good luck fishing them out!
The fold-down ventilation panels work okay. On hot days, I get a decent amount of air onto my thighs, but there's no ventilation for your lower legs, and without a corresponding exhaust for the air, I don't get much air at the back of my thighs or along my hips. But with that said, the ventilation these pants offer is better than non-vented pants, for sure!
And finally, as with the Frontier jacket that I purchased earlier this year (and also reviewed here at Revzilla), these pants have a very strong odor of incense. After thousands of miles -- dry and wet -- the odor has not gone away. My coat closet even smells like incense now.
No, I do not recommend this product.
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Aimed at the Supermoto/Naked bike user, the S1 glove offers urban riders the best of both worlds extended cuffs offer addition protection around the wrist, whilst maintaining the flexibility and freedom of movement provided by a MX glove. Features Polyurethane knuckle protection which is complemented by three Polyurethane ridges position on the first three fingers, providing the ultimate in abrasion resistance External foam padding is provided around the wrist, thumb and over the fingers for additional impact absorption An accordion stretch panel on the thumb allows for an excellent range of motion whilst providing an extra layer of padding over the thumb joint Pre-curved fingers assist with grip while reducing muscle fatigue Featuring a MX style wrist closure system for ease of use, minimum detailing and the ultimate in urban styling External seam stitching has been used to improved feel and comfort
Overall rating
Most comfortable motorcycle gloves I've worn
PostedSeptember 12, 2011
Bang for the Buck
4
/
5
Style
5
/
5
Comfort
5
/
5
Protection & Durability
3
/
5
Air Flow
4
/
5
Features
4
/
5
Fit
Small
Large
As soon as I put these on, I knew I wouldn't need to break them in. So I promptly did a 300 mile ride. These are by far the most comfortable motorcycle gloves I've ever worn!
They do get clammy in the humid, 85 deg F summer heat -- but that's a compromise worth making for the protection these gloves will hopefully offer in a crash. On the other end of the thermometer, these gloves are too vented for air temps below 70 deg F. Moreover, because they don't have full gauntlets and are half-open at the wrists, they do allow air to flow up your jacket sleeves.
Like all the AStars gloves I own, I had to order at least 1 size up to accommodate the length of my fingers. With other brands, I'm a solid size M. With AStars, depending on the model, I wear L or XL. My fingertips still touch the inside of these size-L gloves, but the material and internal seams are so soft, I don't find it annoying.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Alpinestars Women's Bionic Chest Pad The Bionic Chest Pad impact and vibration protection upgrade accessory for use in Alpinestars jackets and suits Polymer chest plate backed with Bio-Foam to provide extra protection to the chest from impact and vibration Fits into Alpinestars 1pc/2pc suits, most leather and textile jackets Vented to maintain airflow cooling
Overall rating
Doesn't fit in size small AStars Frontier jacket
PostedSeptember 12, 2011
Bang for the Buck
4
/
5
Style
3
/
5
Comfort
4
/
5
Protection & Durability
5
/
5
Air Flow
4
/
5
Features
3
/
5
I originally purchased these for my size-small AStars Frontier Jacket after a Revzilla customer support rep recommended that they would fit. No dice. The size-small Frontier's internal pockets are too small. The useless foam inserts I pulled out of the Frontier are significantly smaller than the Bionic chest pads. So I placed the Bionic chest pads into my MX-1 jacket instead.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Alpinestars Frontier Gore-Tex Jacket Extremely versatile and durable jacket for everyday, year-round use The Frontier jacket adapts to any condition, from rain storms to summer heat using layers and exhaust ports to regulate temperature and dedicated pockets for storing panels, and also offers excellent visibility for night riding and a relaxed riding position for long tours Non water-absorbing micro twill fabric Textured, highly abrasion-resistant inserts positioned in the most exposed areas Thermoformed shoulders with embossed logos Removable and wearable Gore-Tex Soft Shell liner Removable quilted thermal liner Removable CE certified Bio-armor elbow and shoulder protectors Internal chest and back protection compartments with PE inserts Reflective stripes integrated into styling Inner forearm stretch panel inserts Two large chest panels can be folded into a specific pocket to allow air ventilation Extra large rear panel opens to function as an exhaust port for cooling Two external water-resistant pockets Two internal mesh pockets on fixed liner Neoprene edging on neck and wrists External shell has micro fleeced collar lining for comfort Fixed mesh comfort liner with built-in stretch inserts that move in unison with external stretch panels for flexibility and comfort and 2L Taslan contouring the liner to repel water Drainage rivets sleeves, upper back panel and lower jacket edge Two-way YKK front central zipper cursor Reflective Alpinestars and Gore-Tex logos
Overall rating
Love the style and quality, despite tiny zippers, fiddly configuration, and bad smell
PostedSeptember 12, 2011
Bang for the Buck
4
/
5
Style
5
/
5
Comfort
4
/
5
Protection & Durability
4
/
5
Air Flow
4
/
5
Features
4
/
5
On my first ride with this jacket, I did a 500-mile, mostly-highway day with conditions ranging from 85 deg F and humid mid-day to 58 deg F and foggy past midnight. Comfort-wise, the jacket was great. It adapted well to the changing conditions throughout the day/night.
Setup-wise, there's a lot to fiddle with. Two different liners (one Gore-Tex, one quilted) give you plenty of options. Unfortunately, with both liners zipped in, I could barely get my arms into the jacket because the fit was way too tight, despite the fact that I'm a skinny guy! I ended up tossing the quilted liner into the basement, and I used my heated liner instead -- which worked out great for the night portion of my ride.
All of the zipper pulls, including the main zipper, are way too small. They are IMPOSSIBLE to operate while wearing gloves -- even summer gloves. Furthermore, the openings for the zippered pockets are too small. My thin hands -- with gloves off -- can barely reach into the pockets. Also, with velcro AND zippers on some of the pockets, it's an even greater PITA to reach into them.
Where velcro is used to close off or open up venting panels, AlpineStars wisely placed "opposite" versions of the velcro in strategic locations so that the panels can stay open without unmatched velcro tearing apart unprotected materials or stitching.
I purchased a size medium Bionic Air back protector insert, which is actually slightly smaller than the useless foam insert that came with the jacket. Therefore, the Bionic insert does shift around a little bit, even with the jacket worn tightly (with the hidden cinch-down straps pulled tightly).
The one-size-fits-all Bionic chest pads, which I also purchased, are one-size-doesn't-fit-small-jackets. In other words, the Bionic chest pads are too big for the Frontier; they will not fit into the internal "pockets" from where I pulled out the useless foam chest inserts. I don't understand why AlpineStars can't standardize on the sizes and shapes of their optional armor. This is the fifth AlpineStars jacket I've owned, and this is certainly not the first time I've had problems mounting their optional armor into their jackets.
The mid-section zipper mates perfectly with my A-10 Airflow pants, which I'm very glad about. Some combinations of my older AlpineStars pants and jackets do NOT mate well due to unequal-length zippers.
One last comment. Wherever it was manufactured, incense must be quite prevalent. 1000s of miles of riding later, my jacket still reeks of incense.
Yes, I recommend this product.
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+3points
3of 3voted this as helpful.
MilesPrower's Review Comments
MilesPrower has not submitted comments on any reviews.
MilesPrower's Questions
Klim T5 Pro D3O Hip Pads
Klim T5 Pro D30 Hip Pads Replacement T5 Pro D3O hip armor for Klim Pants. Sold as set of 2 pieces of armor.
What are the dimensions?
What are the dimensions of these hip pads?
1 year ago
MilesPrower's Answers
Klim T5 Pro D3O Hip Pads
Klim T5 Pro D30 Hip Pads Replacement T5 Pro D3O hip armor for Klim Pants. Sold as set of 2 pieces of armor.
What are the dimensions?
What are the dimensions of these hip pads?
Well, lo and behold -- soon after posting this question, I found the answer in the Q/A section for Firstgear Hiprotec Comfort Armor.
As posted by an unnamed Revzilla staff member:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We took measurements on three different hip pads that we offer. The results were as follows:
Firstgear Hiprotec Comfort Armor Size Large: Height: 9", Width at the top: 5.75", Width in the middle: 7.5"
D30 Hip Pads: Height: 7", Width at the top: 5.25"
SAS-TEC Replacement Hip Armor: Height: 7.75", Width at the top: 5.23"
Both the D30 armor and the SAS-TEC armor have a triangle shape to them while the Large Firstgear armor has a flare in the middle. For Reference, the large Firstgear armor is the second picture on our product page.
As posted by an unnamed Revzilla staff member:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
We took measurements on three different hip pads that we offer. The results were as follows:
Firstgear Hiprotec Comfort Armor Size Large: Height: 9", Width at the top: 5.75", Width in the middle: 7.5"
D30 Hip Pads: Height: 7", Width at the top: 5.25"
SAS-TEC Replacement Hip Armor: Height: 7.75", Width at the top: 5.23"
Both the D30 armor and the SAS-TEC armor have a triangle shape to them while the Large Firstgear armor has a flare in the middle. For Reference, the large Firstgear armor is the second picture on our product page.
1 year ago
Alpinestars Frontier Gore-Tex Pant Multifabric shell construction. Hydrophobic micro-twill fabric. Textured, highly abrasion resistant inserts External 100 Waterproof cargo pockets. 4-in-1 system incorporating the removable Gore-Tex and thermal liners allows the user to configure the jacket to their own preference. Jet ventilation system incorporating large ventilation panels. Removable CE certified GP-R knee and shin protectors. Integrated high visibility reflective stripes. PE protective padding in the hips. Internal waist connection zipper for attachment to riding jackets.
Alpinestars Frontier as an overpant?
Are the A* Frontier pants amenable to being worn as overpants?
Are the hip pads within accessible pockets, and, if so, is there an upgrade option for a more substantial armor for the hips?
Are the hip pads within accessible pockets, and, if so, is there an upgrade option for a more substantial armor for the hips?
With the liners out, I've worn my Frontier pants over lightweight Arcteryx pants (Rampart) to attend meetings. But in general, I would not consider the Frontier to be overpants. With the liners in, it would be very difficult to get even lightweight trousers into the Frontier pants. The liners are so tight, it's difficult to pull a bare leg out of the Frontier pants!
The hip pads are in velcro-closed mesh pockets. You can pull them out. The hip pads that are included with the pants are completely useless pieces of lightweight open-cell foam. My previous AStar pants had high-density foam hip pads that would have offered *some* protection in a crash, but the Frontier's hip pads would offer absolutely zero protection.
I asked about an upgrade option, but was told there isn't any.
The hip pads are in velcro-closed mesh pockets. You can pull them out. The hip pads that are included with the pants are completely useless pieces of lightweight open-cell foam. My previous AStar pants had high-density foam hip pads that would have offered *some* protection in a crash, but the Frontier's hip pads would offer absolutely zero protection.
I asked about an upgrade option, but was told there isn't any.
1 year, 7 months ago