N3WMAN
Well-known member
[video=youtube;t6y_cTEs4OE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6y_cTEs4OE[/video]
A* kijiji ad... Fake?
- Thread starter SFer
- Start date
awyala
Guest
According to the vid posted, the guy is selling fakes. I had a chance to inspect them today. But they are damn good fakes! To be honest they are probably worth the asking price, considering the real AStar GPpros are $320!!!
I have now tattered my original GPpros after having had them for 4.5 years, and they eventually started to bust through on the pad of the thumb and the seems of the index finger. That being said, they have also been soaked through in the rain quite a few times...which weakens the leather (remember to moisturise after drying!). Not the stitching mind you, but rather the leather around the stitching...the leather itself thins and weakens and breaks free of the stitching. Considering I have used them everyday (excluding rain) for 4+ years they are thee best glove I have ever purchased. I even slid on the palms in a track day crash too!
Question is, can these fakes hold up? They are double stitched as good as the AStars, but it is impossible to confirm the type of thread or quality of leather used. The kevlar lining mentioned is only on the top of the hand in the original AStars lining. I'm wondering how necessary that is considering the plastic knuckle protection is mounted right above where it should be.
Also note the more expensive GPtechs (authentics) has less protection on the top of the hand than the GPpros do, despite it being the top of the line model. The techs seemed to focus more on the pinky finger and the palm slider.
The original GPpros are also made in China, along with the fakes.....so I gotta wonder....how bad can the fakes be (not an ethical question of course).
I once spend $350 on top of the line Spidis, and top of the line Frank Thomas and both had them bust through the leather at the finger tips under 6 months. I have also had a pair of Joe Rocket Speed Masters for $150 that took over 3 years to bust through the finger tips despite being soaked through in down pours several times! I also currently have a pair of Dainese full metals I have babied for 4 years (never seen rain), probably only putting a year or less worth of riding on them, and still cannot quite judge how good the quality is at the fingers. I have a feeling I could bust through them too with normal wear and tear.
Not sure what to make of these fakes.
I have now tattered my original GPpros after having had them for 4.5 years, and they eventually started to bust through on the pad of the thumb and the seems of the index finger. That being said, they have also been soaked through in the rain quite a few times...which weakens the leather (remember to moisturise after drying!). Not the stitching mind you, but rather the leather around the stitching...the leather itself thins and weakens and breaks free of the stitching. Considering I have used them everyday (excluding rain) for 4+ years they are thee best glove I have ever purchased. I even slid on the palms in a track day crash too!
Question is, can these fakes hold up? They are double stitched as good as the AStars, but it is impossible to confirm the type of thread or quality of leather used. The kevlar lining mentioned is only on the top of the hand in the original AStars lining. I'm wondering how necessary that is considering the plastic knuckle protection is mounted right above where it should be.
Also note the more expensive GPtechs (authentics) has less protection on the top of the hand than the GPpros do, despite it being the top of the line model. The techs seemed to focus more on the pinky finger and the palm slider.
The original GPpros are also made in China, along with the fakes.....so I gotta wonder....how bad can the fakes be (not an ethical question of course).
I once spend $350 on top of the line Spidis, and top of the line Frank Thomas and both had them bust through the leather at the finger tips under 6 months. I have also had a pair of Joe Rocket Speed Masters for $150 that took over 3 years to bust through the finger tips despite being soaked through in down pours several times! I also currently have a pair of Dainese full metals I have babied for 4 years (never seen rain), probably only putting a year or less worth of riding on them, and still cannot quite judge how good the quality is at the fingers. I have a feeling I could bust through them too with normal wear and tear.
Not sure what to make of these fakes.
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The stitching in my gp pro's lasted one year (8 track days, 6 races, 2 mild crashes). John Bickle has been patching them up for the last 3 rounds to get me through. A friend of mine bought the knock offs and they lasted around the same amount of time but didn't fare so well in a crash. These are probably the last pair of $280 gloves I'll buy. My new Bickle's were awesome last weekend, top notch quality with a great price.
SFer
Well-known member
I had a friend buy a pair simply because for $140 he couldn't find a glove that looked as good or looked as well built as the fakes.
All the parts are real, it really is just a question of what kind of thread was used and unfortunately there's only one way to know how well they'd hold up.
All the parts are real, it really is just a question of what kind of thread was used and unfortunately there's only one way to know how well they'd hold up.
N3WMAN
Well-known member
I had a pair of (real)GP Tech's a few years back. Was not impressed. Wore them out in a season without even crashing them. Wore right through the leather in the palm with just regular use.
Definitely would never buy an A*Star glove again.
Been rocking the Velocity VR-Pro since then. 3 seasons across 2 pair and 2 crashes and haven't needed a repair.
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i bought a pair of possibly fake a-star gp-pro gloves. crashed multiple times and still are in decent shape. crashed em at the track a few years ago the first week i got em at cayuga and got them wet. my hands were all blue from dye running. but they are still great gloves to this day.
SFer
Well-known member
That's weird cause mine are 8 yrs old and in fairly good condition. (For 8yrs IMO)
Don't "need" a new set of gloves but I can't help but wonder how well an 8 yr old pair of gloves will hold up in a low side. :shrug:
eljay
Well-known member
Probably worse than you think.
N3WMAN
Well-known member
chunkeager
Banned
Is it these ones?? http://www.bickleracing.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=80&products_id=320
Looks like an insane deal for $89! Sucks they only come in one colour
lator-illa
Well-known member
So it's been determined that these are for sure fakes? Has anyone else purchased a pair? Any reviews of quality? I'm in the market for new gloves and these fall within budget.
awyala
Guest
I have. Returned them. Bought Dainese Druids for $189 the next day.
Quality is deceptive even when I brought my legit A*s to compare. It wasn't till I got home and watched the video did I know. They are damn good fakes, but I don't like the feeling of being dooped and I will spring for quality. I just thought there may have been a legit deal there. I was wrong.
lator-illa
Well-known member
good lookin' out. Thanks for the response. Agreed on buying a legit pair of gloves rather than cheaping out on saving $100 on fakes.
