Mar 24

Mar 24 Alpinestars Venture R Off-Road Motorcycle Jacket

Off-Road jackets are a critical piece of equipment when it comes to every variety of riding on and off-road. To be regarded as one of the best jackets available, there are several key features that must be included. Alpinestars’ Venture R Off-Road Jacket is one that deserves a detailed look and some initial testing in demanding circumstances.

I’ll start off by saying to even be considered an off-road oriented jacket, you need to start with one mandatory feature- removable sleeves. If you can’t remove the sleeves, you will have a tough time in most off-road situations, especially single track. There are too many days where the ride starts in the cold/wet of the AM and a couple hours into your ride the temp. climbs and the sun comes out. The versatility of removable sleeves exceedingly increases the enjoyment and quality of the days events. If you plan to pick up a jacket for off-road situations and are looking at jackets that do not have this feature, take into consideration the type of riding you are doing. There are plenty of excellent jackets geared more towards dual sport type riding or even ADV type scenarios with features specific to that category of off-road. We’re looking at this jacket as an option for technical off-road, racing and more intensive riding.

Removable sleeves, cargo pockets galore and a hydration bladder compatible pouch.

I took the Alpinestars Venture R Jacket to Eastern Washington for a 6 hour race. Relatively chilly-mild temps and reliable winds made it a great testing platform to see if this jacket will be sticking around. This race is set in a high desert type region with rocky dirt, rough terrain and higher average speeds. A little bit of a recent dry spell made conditions dusty and unfortunate for those not on team races and in the Ironman class (me).

The Jacket has some cool features that I took advantage of. There is an internal hydration pack pocket that I was able to fit a 3 liter full side bladder in. This eliminated the need to carry a backpack or waist pack for the entirety of the race which was great. Obviously the sleeves are removable and was crucial to surviving this race. It was too cold to not wear the jacket, but keeping the sleeves was too much. It made it just right in terms of a happy medium. There are a few pockets that worked out well for a transponder and spare gloves. There is a rear larger cargo pocket that can be utilized and would be a good place to stash the removable sleeves if you took them off while out on the trail. Zippered air intakes both front and back make this jacket something that can be worn year-round.

Hydration bladder shown in use. I’m also wearing Alpinestars’ Sequence chest protector underneath.

I’m a bigger guy (6’3”) and the fit seems to be on par with US sizing, maybe running more slim. I wouldn’t think a hoody would fit well underneath and at that point would put on a thermal layer anyway. Overall the jacket works well, is comfortable and of high quality like most of Alpinestars’ offerings. I certainly intend to continue using this jacket and can’t wait to run it through some forested single track. The materials used are rugged yet flexible and should hold up well.