Alpinestars

History

In 1963, Sante Mazzarolo started a company in Asolo, Italy, making hiking and ski boots. It soon switched focus to producing motorcycle boots for motocross and road racing. The name Alpinestars comes from the English version of Stella Alpina, the Italian name for the Edelweiss flower that grows in the nearby mountains. The brand backed motorsport world champions like Nicky Hayden, Roger DeCoster, Kenny Roberts, Mick Doohan, and Marc Márquez.

In the 1990s, the company moved into making a wide range of technical motorcycle protective gear, including gloves, jackets, and full leather suits. Since 1993, Sante’s son Gabriele Mazzarolo has been in charge. There are offices in Los Angeles and Bangkok, but the original headquarters and main research and development center remain in Northern Italy. MotoGP World Champions Marc Márquez, Casey Stoner, and Jorge Lorenzo, along with World Superbike Champions Ben Spies and Troy Corser, wear Alpinestars leather suits and protective gear.

AMA and World Motocross champions Marvin Musquin, Tyla Rattray, David Philippaerts, Christophe Pourcel, and Ryan Villopoto use the company’s motocross gear. In 2011, Alpinestars created the Tech Air Race System, an electronic airbag safety system with a data logging unit and dual charge inflation module, used in MotoGP and World Superbike. In June 2013, Marc Márquez crashed at about 337 km/h (209 mph) while wearing the airbag suit and came away without serious injuries.

The company also made flame and heat resistant Nomex fire suits, footwear, gloves, and underwear for Formula One and NASCAR, worn by champions Michael Schumacher, Jenson Button, Fernando Alonso, and Jimmie Johnson. Top Gear’s the Stig wears a white Alpinestars race suit, shoes, and gloves. Alpinestars produced mountain bikes until 1996. In 2023, it introduced its first full-face road helmet for motorcycling, the Supertech R10.