Which Size Alpinestars Ride Tech Winter Top Should You Buy When You Are Between Sizes?
A customer asked us which size of the Alpinestars Ride Tech Winter Top to buy for his son, because the lad's chest and waist both fall between sizes on the chart. It's easy to get caught out on this top, as it's sold in three paired bands rather than single sizes. Below are the bands, the Alpinestars chest and waist figures behind them, and how we'd settle it.
- Price read from the live site, inc VAT
- Chest and waist figures taken from the Alpinestars size chart
- Listed Non-FIA: a thermal base layer for karting and track use
Go by chest, then use the waist and his growth to break the tie
£82.80inc VAT
This is our advice on reading the chart. Send us the two measurements if you want a second pair of eyes on them.
- Measure the chest first: the fullest part, under the armpits, tape level.
- The top is sold as XS-S, M-L and XL-XXL, so each size covers two steps of the chart.
- If chest and waist point to different bands, we follow the chest.
- If the chest sits right on a boundary, the choice comes down to whether he is still growing.
Three size bands to choose from
The Ride Tech Winter Top comes in black only, in three size bands: XS-S, M-L and XL-XXL. There’s no single S or single L to pick. Each band covers two neighbouring sizes on the Alpinestars apparel chart, so a lad who looks like a borderline S or M on paper usually only has one band to choose from.
Where it gets awkward is the join between bands. The chart runs in steps with no gaps, so a chest that measures exactly 35 3/8 inches is the top of the S and the bottom of the M. That’s where XS-S meets M-L, and a chest right on that line could go either way.
| Band on the listing | Chart sizes it covers | Chest (inches) | Waist (inches) |
|---|---|---|---|
| XS-S | XS and S | 32 1/4 to 35 3/8 | 26 3/4 to 29 7/8 |
| M-L | M and L | 35 3/8 to 38 5/8 | 29 7/8 to 33 1/8 |
| XL-XXL | XL and XXL | 38 5/8 to 41 3/4 | 33 1/8 to 36 1/4 |
Figures come from the Alpinestars men's apparel size chart. The Winter Top listing gives the band names and not a chest and waist chart of its own, so reading each band as the two chart sizes it names is our interpretation.
How to take the two measurements
Alpinestars give two instructions for the figures this top depends on. For the chest, measure around the fullest part, under the armpits, with the tape horizontal. For the waist, measure around the natural waist line, in line with the navel, again with the tape horizontal.
Do it over a thin layer or bare skin, not over a hoodie, and take each measurement twice. A tape that dips at the back can put the chest reading out by half an inch, which matters if he is close to a boundary.
If the numbers still come out borderline, measure again on a different day with the tape held level in a mirror before you do anything else.
What to do when the numbers point two ways
Chest and waist in different bands
We follow the chest. The top has to fit across the torso and around the arms, and the waist is a smaller part of that. The listing says the stretch lets the top follow arm and shoulder movement without pulling away from the waist, so a waist a touch above or below the band is usually forgiven by the fabric.
Chest on a boundary
Take the figure that is exactly on the line and look at the rest of him. A slim lad with the chest at the top of the lower band is happy in it. A broad lad whose chest is just over the line belongs in the upper band, and the waist reading will tell you which of those he is.
Still growing
A top that fits today and is tight by the spring has done one winter and no more. If he is still shooting up, Garreth's tip is the larger band, and you'll find his reasoning and Cameron's fitting view in the verdict below.
Getting the band right matters on this top because of how it works. The listing describes a compression-fit knit with no seams that holds the fabric against the skin for maximum thermal transfer. Too loose and the fabric stops touching the skin, which is the part that does the job. Too tight and a compression garment gets uncomfortable for a young driver sitting still in a kart through a long session.
If you’d like us to look at the numbers, drop us an email or click to open a chat, and tell us his chest, his waist and his height.
The Alpinestars Ride Tech Winter Top
The Ride Tech Winter Top, SKU 4752117-106, is a thermal base layer for cold-weather riding and motorsport. The listing says it is non-fireproof and not FIA certified. Its job is to hold core temperature and move moisture away from the skin in low temperatures.
The multi-layer knit traps warm air close to the body, with a moisture-wicking face. There are no seams across the knit, which the listing says removes the ridge lines that cause cold spots and discomfort over a long session. Stretch runs in several directions, so the top follows the arms and shoulders without lifting away from the waist when the arms are raised, which is useful in a kart.
- From £82.80 inc VAT
- Black, sizes XS-S, M-L and XL-XXL
- Compression-fit knit, stretch in several directions
- Listed Non-FIA, for practice and track use
-
From £82.80 Incl. VATPayPal Credit0% pay-in-3Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
Product cards show prices excluding VAT. Prices in the text include VAT.
-
From £52.80 Incl. VATPayPal Credit0% pay-in-3Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
-
From £67.20 Incl. VATPayPal Credit0% pay-in-3Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
-
From £78.00 Incl. VATPayPal Credit0% pay-in-3Select options This product has multiple variants. The options may be chosen on the product page
The Winter Bottoms are the matching piece and use the same three bands, XS-S, M-L and XL-XXL. The Ride Tech V2 Summer Long Sleeve Top also comes in those three bands and has the lighter, ventilated fabric for warm days. The Tech KX Short Sleeve Top is a different garment with single sizes from S to XL, and its own listing gives chest ranges in centimetres, so don’t carry numbers across from one to the other.
Common questions
Chest says one band and waist says another. Which wins?
We follow the chest for a top. The listing says the stretch keeps the top from pulling away from the waist, so a waist that sits slightly outside the band is the smaller worry. If the two figures are a long way apart, send them to us and we will look at them together.
Is the Winter Top sold in single sizes like S or L?
No. The listing offers three bands: XS-S, M-L and XL-XXL. Each band covers two neighbouring sizes on the Alpinestars chart, which is the source of the figures on this page.
Should I buy bigger because he is still growing?
It depends how much the compression fit matters to you. The top is built to sit against the skin, and a band too large gives some of that up. For a lad who’s growing fast, Garreth’s tip is to go up a band. If he has stopped growing, stay with the band the chest points to.
Do the Winter Bottoms use the same sizes as the top?
The Winter Bottoms are listed in the same three bands, XS-S, M-L and XL-XXL. We have not confirmed that the chest and waist figures behind each band are the same for both garments. Measure for each one, and send us the numbers if you want them checked.
Is the Winter Top the same size as the Summer Long Sleeve Top?
Both are listed in XS-S, M-L and XL-XXL, though the fabrics differ and the fit can feel different in the same band.
Is this top FIA approved?
No. The listing shows it as Non-FIA and describes it as a thermal layer for cold-weather practice and track use. If you need to know what your championship asks for, tell us the series and we’ll check it for you.
What should I send you if I want you to check the size?
Chest, waist, height and whether he is still growing is enough, in a short email or a chat message.
What we would buy
Garreth
Garreth's top tip
For a lad who's still growing I'd take the larger band when the chest is on the line. The stretch is generous. A top that fits next winter as well is worth a slightly looser first season, and it saves buying twice.
If he's stopped growing and the chest is clearly inside a band, I wouldn't fiddle with it.
Cameron
Cameron's fitting view
Once the chest is measured, I'd take the band it points to. The whole idea of this top is that it sits against the skin, and that compression fit is the reason to choose it at all. Go up a band and you get less of what you paid £82.80 for.
Send me the chest, waist and height and I'll tell you which band suits him now, and whether Garreth's tip to go up a band is worth following for a growing lad.
Still between two bands?
Tell us his chest, waist and height, and whether he is still growing. Cally, our digital receptionist, takes your details, and Cameron comes back to you with a band before you order.
