Fake Alpinestars GP Pro Gloves - A Review

[vyruz]

Hi guys

 

I am fortunate enough to have both original and fake Alpinestars GP Pro gloves with me today - the original is mine bought from an authorised dealer in Sydney, the fake is a mate's who bought it from a Hong Kong online seller on eBay. Original costs US$230 (~S$305), fake costs US$99+US$20 delivery (~S$170 all up).

 

No doubt you'll all want pictures for proof, so have a look at them below for key differences. All in all, the fake shares a lot in common with the original, at least in terms of how they look. However, the fake omits some important bits - no knit kevlar inside the glove, significantly thinner and odd-feeling leather, no perforations in the suede-like fabric on the palm, and some of the armour (around the pinky) is smaller and feels weaker. Also, the stitching is a little all over the place - see circled part in one of the pics where the ring finger has stitching running pretty much down the finger as opposed to along the sides.

 

The story seems to be that the fake might have been made using some of the materials that Alpinestars uses in their factories in China, but are assembled elsewhere and without authority from Alpinestars. So it misses expensive items (kevlar, quality leather) and misses quality assurances. Do these differences matter? If you're buying for appearance-sake, no. If you're buying to keep your hands in the best possible condition in a crash, absolutely! Imagine crashing, the gloves ripping apart on impact, and your palms scraping all over the road. I cannot imagine anyone who'd think 'Oh well, at least I saved $120!'. Moral of the story - get the real thing. If you're not willing to pay big money for genuine Alpinestars gloves, get some other brand that has been manufactured along official, quality-assured lines. Safety is not something to skimp on!

 

[KeraKing]

good review.. so confirm the 100+ on ebay is a fake one eh..?

[vyruz]

so confirm the 100+ on ebay is a fake one eh..?

 

Yea bro. At least for the brand new ones, and the ones originating in China/HK. A very convincing fake, but fake nonetheless! I especially don't like the flimsy leather on the palm and the absence of the kevlar liner.

 

There are some, I believe, that may be around that price that are genuine, but you can expect them to be used. I guess if you're unsure, perhaps PM the seller and ask for a picture of the inside part of the glove showing the kevlar liner.

[kaiq]

That's the scary thing about eBay nowadays - they are selling fake products but are claiming 100% authentic!! Even the ratings are no longer accurate since most fake product sellers are still getting over 99% rating.

 

If you want 100% real stuff, get it locally. At least if things screwed up you got someone to shout at.

[Sn0w_MaN]

thought of buying gloves on ebay... went to US website saw some US seller selling those. Price wise is abt the same as SG.. so dunno shld i get anot.. after reading such review..

[natgw]

thought of buying gloves on ebay... went to US website saw some US seller selling those. Price wise is abt the same as SG.. so dunno shld i get anot.. after reading such review..

 

sis, i think safety equipments best is to play safe and buy from authorised dealers in sg..

[vyruz]

so dunno shld i get anot.. after reading such review..

 

If the gloves are Alpinestars and the price is the same as I noted above for the original ones, my suggestion is to go to R*gina and buy from them. You'll get to try on the glove for size, and also possibly bargain for a lower price. And you won't have the two to three weeks of waiting in anticipation for the item to be mailed from the US.

 

My friend is seriously regretting his purchase and has today couriered the fake gloves back to HK for a partial refund. So he's lost some money there plus the cost of courier back to HK. Add all that up, and he could've easily bought the original from R*gina.

 

If the gloves you're looking for is not Alpinestars, care to share which ones they are? Most brands you will be able to find a dealer in Singapore itself, so I would recommend what natgw recommends - buy locally! If not available in Singapore, I'd only buy online if there was a clear returns policy (with full refund).

[kmax]

can we be sure Regina's alpinestars are genuine ?

[vyruz]

can we be sure Regina's alpinestars are genuine ?

 

Yes bro. I tried one on at Regina for size and noticed the kevlar liner and perforated suede layer. Make sure you check for these signs as well if you're there!

[Dafanshu]

taichi is another replacement which is worth the money. last me for 2 years and going strong

[NSRog]

wow the fake one sure look like real..

[vyruz]

bloody hell!!!!abt to purchase man online.....

 

Sorry to ruin the 'good deal' feeling you must have had! But it's good that you've realized this before purchasing. It'd be sad if you had bought it and read this review after. I'm actually waiting for a post along the lines of "Oh cr*p! I bought these two months back and now cannot return them!". This person will have my sympathy.

 

wow the fake one sure look like real..

 

It is crazy isn't it? The overall look is SO similar that without knowing the differences, it is nearly impossible to tell them apart. This is attributable to the (alleged) use of some actual A* parts but assembled without A* authority or quality-assurance, I guess. But honestly, I can't imagine anyone being happy with them. If I was going to spend S$170+ on gloves, I'd either go with Dafanshu's suggestion and get RS Taichi or even Komine (both from Motoworld and have great bang-for-buck factor), or get a lower spec genuine A* or other branded glove.

[kaiq]

Nowadays there are too many fake products out in the market, so in order to get the real stuff the best thing to do is to do some research on your own. Google it. Try searching for how a fake product looks like and use these sign to look out in your purchase.

 

If you found out a shop is selling you fake stuffs, go back and screw the shop then.

[fishermen21]

Anyway just to let u guys know that the review of the glove is good but he bought it at a much higher price if the fake gloves are really from Hk. Cos a friend of mine a hongkonger told me that the fake alpinestars there in Hk only cos abt 40 to 50 sgd on many popular model. I dun see a need to buy from eBay at such high price.

 

Just me 2 cents info.

[Dnish]

Anyway just to let u guys know that the review of the glove is good but he bought it at a much higher price if the fake gloves are really from Hk. Cos a friend of mine a hongkonger told me that the fake alpinestars there in Hk only cos abt 40 to 50 sgd on many popular model. I dun see a need to buy from eBay at such high price.

 

Just me 2 cents info.

 

Definitely too much. You can go to that Womens street on mainland side of HK and they have a stall selling all kinds of fake bike gear, including gloves. The uncle said these come from factory, but just have some imperfections. But you try the zippers and stuff and its all crap and leather is very heavy and imperfect. Would not trust ebay - HK.

[ahcaibiker]

haha... this thread makes me even more hesitant to go gear shopping at LAB or re**na...

 

I heard of fake Shoei helmets being sold online, looks like the real deal....

 

i wont be surprised if there are any rogue local merchants importing fakes in at low cost and selling them as originals...

[Sn0w_MaN]

well not that i dont want to head to regina to buy... but everytime i call or go down they forever tell me shipping havent arrive... no stock for this design and this model.

 

I have ask a few differernt model already most not available so that why i decide to turn to ebay. I hope the next time i go down will have stock.. cause i will need 1 soon...

[vyruz]

Cos a friend of mine a hongkonger told me that the fake alpinestars there in Hk only cos abt 40 to 50 sgd on many popular model.

 

Really? Wow. That would ring some serious warning bells in my head. S$40 for gloves that normally are around the S$300 mark - one would be mad to believe they are anything but flagrant and frankly useless fakes.

 

In any case, do note that the GP Pro is one model down from the best A* leather glove you can buy (GP Tech). There are lower spec A* leather gloves like the GP Plus and SP8 that naturally are a lot cheaper. I wouldn't be surprised if the $40 ones were either one of these models, or older/outdated leather models or even textile A* gloves. Do you know if the $40 ones are actually GP Pros?

 

The uncle said these come from factory, but just have some imperfections.

 

On one hand, that sounds reasonable to explain the lower price. On the other hand, it's not exactly selling the product because who'd want to buy safety gear with inbuilt "imperfections" in the first place?

 

Some young SBFers may not agree with my view because S$40 for A* gloves are too good a deal to pass on. For their sake, I hope the gloves fall apart well before they can be tested in a serious fall. I'm sure as you guys get older, you'll begin to appreciate how fragile your health and safety is, and how risky it is to be out riding. At that point, the idea of $40 rip-off gloves will anger you as much as it does me. Until then, try your best to get gear on the basis of how well they will protect you, not what label they have.

[vyruz]

well not that i dont want to head to regina to buy... but everytime i call or go down they forever tell me shipping havent arrive... no stock for this design and this model.

 

I have ask a few differernt model already most not available so that why i decide to turn to ebay. I hope the next time i go down will have stock.. cause i will need 1 soon...

 

This is a very accurate explanation of how it feels to buy A* from Re**na. I find it very odd that as the authorized distributor of A*, they keep the store closed and won't let you in unless they believe you're a genuine buyer. I had a LOT of trouble getting in at the start. Since then, I've bought an A* jacket and recently boots from them. Now it's fairly easy to be let into the A* store to buy something.

 

My suggestion? Do your homework and be fairly certain that you will buy from them if they have your size/colour in stock. I'm certain if you go in, try things on and walk away without buying, you're most unlikely to be able to get in again easily next time (from my impression, at least). If they really have no stock, and you're not willing to wait, turn to online sellers from the US/UK rather than from China/HK. I hate to sound country-ist, but you have to admit the chances of buying a fake reduces significantly when you buy outside of Asia. Finally, buy from someone who has a good returns policy with a full refund. That'll give you piece of mind, not only if it's a fake, but also if you ordered a size too small/large.

[KeraKing]

quite confusing to shop at regina if u like to compare overseas prices.. Some items are good bargain but some are marked up quite a lot. Haha.

[ahcaibiker]

quite confusing to shop at regina if u like to compare overseas prices.. Some items are good bargain but some are marked up quite a lot. Haha.

 

they are well-known for their rubber-band prices arent they? hahaha...

[KeraKing]

they are well-known for their rubber-band prices arent they? hahaha...

 

yah.. any idea how to get the best price?

1. walk in wear chinchai, give out a "budget-face" look..

2. walk in wearing/bring some "branded" gear, give out a "serious-buyer" look?

3. any other recommendation..?

[CSV]

when it comes to safety, never compromise on anything. including brand.

 

i rather pay more and be assured that it will protect me when needed rather than saving that 100 odd bucks.

 

i dont think ebay is a good place to buy unless it is from authorised and proven stores. eg, sbtg (sportbiketrackgear, they post reviews in youtube.)

[kaiq]

Usually when I buy something from eBay I'm usually prepared for the following:

 

1) The item arrived might be different from the pic they shown

2) So called "100% authentic", "genuine" items can be fake products

3) There is not going to be any warranty

 

Still, I turn to eBay because:

 

1) The item I'm getting is cheap

2) I dun have relatives or friends there

3) These is still a chance it's authentic, although it can be a factory reject.

 

There are pros and cons, so in the end it's to up to you to decide what you want.

[rockies]

i think the fake also have their safety standard bwahaha ...

yeah i saw this fake one,if you dont have the original beside then i think will very hard to describe this fake.This fake is not only on GP Pro model,almost all model duplicated.Bag,caps,all,boots etc.Even SIDI they make the fake

 

http://u.kaskus.us/12/mjp2qm7u.jpg

http://u.kaskus.us/12/07dcdkrl.jpg

http://u.kaskus.us/12/16rj38jy.jpg