Alpinestars Stella C-1 V2 Gore Windstopper gloves review

The Alpinestars Stella C-1 V2 Gore Windstopper Gloves are probably the most comfortable riding gloves I’ve ever worn.

It feels almost like they are a tailored fit, which is incredibly unusual and a welcome change after so often having to make do with baggier alternatives.

Alpinestars claim these gloves were developed for women riders and I think the designers did their research before they went into production. The gloves slid onto my hand easily and my fingers each felt appropriately hugged by the material without being suffocated.

Bending my digits was a smooth operation and I managed to make each finger touch my palm independently without bringing its neighbour along. In my opinion, this kind of dexterity is crucial in a glove as being free to apply the controls quickly and with precision is a safety issue that shouldn’t be compromised.

The construction is a lightweight, textile upper with a textile/leather mix on the palm which gives good breathability. Inside, a windstopper membrane from Gore-Tex kept my fingers warm and the membrane never tried to leave with my fingers when I took them off.

I rode with these gloves across Europe from the UK to the Alps then up through Germany and they coped well with the range of temperatures and conditions, albeit aided by heated grips when it dropped to the low digits.

But for gloves not really designed for touring or extremes I found these were very adaptable and for their recommended use – town and city commuting – more than satisfactory.

Being certified to Level 1 of the CE standard only, you’re not going to get the type of protection or features available that you get on Level 2 CE-approved gloves, but you do get very nice moulded knuckle protection and a good textile/leather mix, which will give a reasonable measure of protection at low speeds.

I liked the fact that the knuckle moulding was inside the glove material, which gave the glove a more understated, classic elegance. It’s not often you get to use the word ‘elegance’ with motorcycling gloves, but it was the first word that came to mind so I have to stick with it. I think it’s the Italian design coming across.

The gloves extend a couple of centimetres up the wrist so can easily be tucked into a jacket sleeve. The cuff itself is shaped at the tip to accommodate the flexibility and movement of the wrist while riding, a nice subtle touch.

The cuff is fairly small in diameter so fastening it wasn’t doing a whole lot more for me in terms of wrist snugness, but perhaps for smaller wrists they would be more effective.

Although not waterproof, I did ride for a short while in the rain and they held out well. In short showers, these gloves will hold off the water for a time, but for prolonged downpours I would switch to waterproofs.

When they did get wet they dried out well and kept their shape and did not bleed colour on my hands.

The touchscreen-compatible fingertips also worked well, not just on the phone screen, I got it to work through another layer of thin plastic waterproof screen provided by my smartphone holder.

I would say these are two- to three-season gloves that are good for moderate climes but not prolonged cold or hot weather riding.  They’ll be great for town riding and commuting; OK for longer mileage weekends away in moderate temperatures.

For now, they are my go-to gloves if the weather conditions are right. If it wasn’t for the moulded knuckles I’d probably we wearing them off the bike too!

Fit & Comfort

Extremely comfortable and a very good fit, no baggy bits at end of fingers and moulded nicely to the contours of my hand. Easy and quick to pull on and off.

Protection

Certified to CE Level 1 only, these gloves will provide limited protection but the moulded knuckles are a welcome and reassuring feature. I felt adequately protected for town and city riding.

Breathability

My hands always felt cool in these gloves, despite the snug fit. I used them in temperatures ranging from 3°C to 23°C. Any hotter and I think I would have found them a little uncomfortable.

Build quality

Stitching looks really neat and did not fray or show signs of wear after 3000 miles. In fact, the gloves have been through a lot and still look like new.

Features

Wearing a lightweight classic glove will always require compromises but the hard knuckles, leather palms, closable cuff and strong dual-material construction provide the essentials for me.