Product Review: Astar SMX-2 Air Carbon
The Alpinestars SMX-2 Air Carbon gloves replace my Axo Pro Race gloves that I've been using for the past year. The SMX-2s are quite a bit more expensive â" double the cost to be precise and we'll get to whether they are worth the money in a bit. First off- a brief description. These gloves are neither short cuff like the Axos or a full race style gauntlet but sit somewhere in between which is perfect for the street use they are intended for. They look the part too with an all black leather and mesh construction with some white detailing. The top of the gloves are a mix of fabric mesh and leather while the palms consist of synthetic leather along with clarino reinforcements.
The main knuckle protector is a large carbon fibre guard that looks the part, both in terms of form and function. The finger tips feature small silicon globules to give you more traction on the levers but I wonder how long they will last. I also like the large and firm Velcro wrist clasp that's easy to use with a gloved hand gives you a firm fit. Overall the gloves are light and provide excellent ventilation when on the move. However I wasn't exactly thrilled with the fit. The gloves don't sit as comfortably on the hand as I'd have liked and despite being snug when first worn I found the gloves tighten around the little finger and webbing of the thumb when actually riding.
The gloves have opened up in the past ten days that I've used them and I expect them to get more comfortable as they stretch but I'd advise you to try a size larger before you make a decision. Overall the gloves look good and are practical for city run abouts but you will get much better options at the rather high price point.
Available at planetdsg.com for Rs 4350
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