Alpinestars Stella Bionic Action V2 Protection Jacket Review

Back in the mid-1980s, when I rode lots of dual sport events, including the classic LA-Barstow To Vegas two-day soriée, I wore a proper helmet, boots, and gloves, of course, but not any upper body protection. Granted, the Alpinestars Stella Bionic Action V2 Protection Jacket didn't exist then.

Looking back, it's surprising that I would venture onto a paved back road going highway speeds with nothing more substantial on my upper body than a cotton jersey—not to mention what would happen if I took a fall when tearing down a rocky dirt trail. Happily, I never paid the price for my lack of protection. There are more options now, and I’ve gotten wiser.

The Alpinestars Stella Bionic Action V2 Protection Jacket is not just for cross-country or motocross racers. Everyday riders on average trails and dirt roads can ride fast enough to get into trouble or make a mistake that results in a fall. If you wear a plastic roost guard, thinking it has you covered, think again. Yes, it deflects rocks that a riding buddy kicks back at you, justifying the roost guard name. However, it doesn't provide legitimate impact protection—it's not designed to. If your dirt riding adventures include asphalt stretches, legit body armor makes even more sense.

Pretty much any time you’re riding without a body-armor-equipped riding jacket, protective gear such as the Alpinestars Bionic Action V2 Protection Jacket under your riding jersey is the way to go.

The Stella Bionic Action V2 Protection Jacket earns a CE level 1 rating (level 2 is for road racers) for all four protective elements—chest and back pieces, shoulders, and elbows. That's the same protection rank as its male counterpart. It is super lightweight; the size S I was testing tipped the kitchen scale at just over two pounds.

The Bionic Action V2 looks formidable in photos. That might lead you to think it's distracting and uncomfortable to wear while riding—it's not. Straight off the rack, you can feel how light and flexible the jacket is. It's constructed from hard and soft materials held together by a body-hugging stretchable mesh polyester fabric. Although it's called a jacket, it's more like a zip-up compression top with body armor.

The jacket is easy to put on and secures with an asymmetrical zipper on the right side that runs from the hem to the collar. There, the zipper slider tucks into a protective padded fold. This shields your neck from chafing and prevents your jersey from getting snagged by the metal YKK zipper. A Velcro-closing kidney belt wraps around your waist; its stretchable side sections allow you to choose how tight to cinch it up.

Sliding your jersey over the Stella Bionic Action V2 Protection Jacket is not quite effortless, as the shoulder and elbow protection make the fit in the sleeves snug. It's worth the half-minute to straighten the lay of the sleeves so there's no binding.

The chest and back armor use thermoplastic elastomer, a firm, rubbery material that provides impact protection. Both pieces have foam padding on the sides that touches your skin, so they’re comfortable when snugged up against your body. For your shoulders and elbows, the Bionic Action V2 has Alpinestars Nucleon Flex protectors installed. This super flexible and thin armor moves with your joints seamlessly, absorbing impacts in falls.

Anatomically designed to follow the lines of the female body, the form-fitting Bionic Action V2 jacket feels fantastic once everything is in place. It doesn't impede my movements in any way—once I’m geared up and riding, I don't think about it. I am aware of it, though, in the same way I’m cognizant of the Pod K4 2.0 knee braces I wear. I feel supported and fortified, which adds a thick layer of confidence to my riding, allowing me to ride faster and more challenging trails.

The chest and back protectors are honeycombed, allowing airflow across my body, with the elbow and shoulder pads also designed for ventilation. Of course, the close-to-the-body fit means the jacket does hold in some body heat, despite Alpinestars’ Cell Technology design. During winter rides in the desert, this is a bonus. However, the flip side is that it is warm in the summer. I have not found it uncomfortable with temperatures in the 90s. Certainly, the Alpinestars Stella Bionic Action V2 Protection Jacket gets sweaty at the end of the day, even more than the rest of my gear. Conveniently, the Bionic V2 Protection jacket washes up easily and looks brand-new after a gentle-cycle spin in my washing machine—I air-dry it on its hanger.

As with all protective gear, no matter how well-designed or flexible, the V2 Protection Jacket adds a layer that changes the fit of anything worn over it. You will also have to minorly adjust the straps of your hydration or backpack. However, I didn't have to go up a jersey size. The fit is flattering, fortunately.

One ride was enough to make me a convert to this latest protection jacket from Alpinestars. I have worn previous iterations, and the Alpinestars Stella Bionic Action V2 Protection Jacket is an improvement over past models from A'stars. Thanks to the high-quality fit and essential protection the jacket offers, it's unfathomable that I would go dirt bike or dual-sport riding without first zipping into this base layer—it's part of the uniform. Alpinestars makes it easy to properly protect yourself with-form fitting body armor, and the Stella Bionic Action V2 Protection Jacket is the perfect addition to any female's gear bag. Don't worry, guys; there's a male version, though it's quite different.

Alpinestars Stella Bionic Action V2 Protection Jacket Fast Facts

Alpinestars Stella Bionic Action V2 Protection Jacket Price: $170 MSRP