Alpinestars Bogota Pro | Waterproof jacket and trousers tested

Date reviewed: August 2023 | Tested by: Andy Shewbridge | Price: £359.99 & £269.99 | eu.alpinestars.com

The Alpinestars’ Bogota Pro Drystar jacket and Bogota Pro Drystar 3-season trousers on review here make an adventure combination that claims to deliver enough flexibility to suit a wide range of conditions. I wore this suit in all weathers from April through to August 2023. I’ve spent many hours in the saddle of my BMW S 1000 XR and a Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special to discover whether the suit is worth buying…

Construction and fit

As you might expect from a brand with a reputation like Alpinestars has, the Bogota is a high-quality garment with some superb features.

The three-layer 'liner to drop' system has removable waterproof and thermal liners inside the jacket so it can be configured to the conditions. The waterproof layer can be worn either inside the main jacket or over the top of it.

The jacket is equipped with strong zips with good zip tabs and there are excellent ventilation panels. It also has a back pocket large enough to store the waterproof liner when you’re not wearing it.

I usually wear an XL, and the jacket fitted me well in that size. However, the trousers were a little snug around the waist, despite being my usual XL with a 32” inside leg. The arm length of the jacket and leg length of the trousers were perfect for me and I’m around 6ft 2in tall, weighing in at 15st 7lb on a good day.

Protection and certification

The Alpinestars Bogota Pro Drystar has been certified to Level AA under the CE protection standard, EN17092.

The suit is equipped with Alpinestars’ Nucleon Flex Pro armour in the shoulders, elbows and knees, with Bio-Flex hip armour. The Nucleon armour is excellent; it’s certified to the higher CE Level 2, is slim, lightweight, flexible, extremely comfortable and it stayed in place perfectly for me.

The jacket does not come with any back protection. It has a pocket in the back lining to accommodate an Alpinestars Nucleon KR 2i back protector, which is an extra £59.99 at the time of writing.

The jacket was so lightweight that I felt my back was exposed without the additional back protection so I purchased an insert to add to the jacket.

The jacket is also Alpinestars Tech Air ready, which means it can accommodate either an Alpinestars Tech-Air 5 or Tech-Air 3 electronic airbag, which detects a crash in progress and inflates to add extra impact protection.

All motorcycle clothing sold in the UK and Europe is deemed to be Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This is a good thing for riders as it can help them choose kit that has provable levels of safety because, to meet this legislation, it must be tested to a recognised standard. To fully understand the labels found in all bike kit, click here.

Pockets

There are four pockets on the front of the jacket, two that are accessed via horizontal zips and also two large pouches with flaps secured by popper and Velcro. My only issue was the pockets being very close together, which meant I often found myself searching the wrong one. There are also two chest pockets on the inside of the jacket and a waterproof compartment that’s easily big enough to accommodate my iPhone 13 and wallet. Another feature I like is the large back pocket, which is big enough to hold the removable rain shell, making it easy to access if you’re caught out by the weather.

Fastening

The main zip is easy to use and has a large, robust metal puller. The collar fastens with a popper that’s adjustable, and it can also be pinned back in an open position for use in warm conditions.

The jacket and trousers can be connected by a zip that’s mounted on a band of elastic, a simple but very clever feature that makes it easy to connect the two while wearing them. I’ve spent many hours wrestling myself into suits in the past and this made my life a lot easier.

I’d always recommend joining the jacket and trousers, particularly for long journeys or touring. It will be less draughty, dryer and safer.

The cuffs are fastened by Velcro and were large enough to go over my Held Twin II gloves. However, they would sometimes catch the rain shell and thermal layer when I had them fitted. I’d suggest trying the jacket with your gloves on just to make sure everything sits comfortably.

Adjustment

The Bogota suit has excellent adjustability. There’s the innovative adjustable collar closure, poppers at the upper arms and Velcro straps for the forearms, which allow you to position and secure the elbow armour in place perfectly.

The waist can be adjusted with a belt and there is a shock cord at the base of the jacket to tighten the lower hem.

The trousers have fully adjustable braces, which can be easily unhooked if you’d rather remove them. The waist has a fly zip, which is secured by a metal clasp and a popper.

Adjustable Velcro bands on the calves help you position and secure the knee amour. The base of the trousers has a large zip and an expandable panel that’s big enough to go over the chunkiest of boots. When the zip is done up there is a Velcro tab to allow further adjustment.

Ventilation

Comprehensive venting options mean this suit impressed me the most in dry and hot conditions. There are large zip vents on the forearms and extensive ventilation panels on the chest and back.

These vents can be opened partially by undoing the zip, or the panels can be folded back to reveal either half of the vented section or all of it, depending on how much airflow you want.

The trousers have large ventilation panels on the thighs, which can be unzipped or fully opened for maximum cooling.

The Bogota Pro’s lightweight construction, highly breathable material, excellent ventilation and the ability to remove the rain shell and thermal layer make it a superb suit for warm, dry conditions.

Warmth

The thermal layer in the jacket is lightweight and not substantial enough to keep me warm in cold conditions. Despite wearing winter base layers and a windproof top underneath the suit I found myself feeling cold quickly, with cold air penetrating the areas where the large ventilation panels are located. On cold days of around 4-10°C I would become uncomfortable after 30-40 minutes of riding.

There is no thermal lining in the trousers I wore, the Bogota Pro 3-season, but Alpinestars has a separate model called the Bogota Pro 4-season. These have the same main construction, but they come with a removable thermal layer. At the time of review they cost £299.99, which is £30 more than the trousers I wore.

Liner

With the thermal and waterproof layers removed, the Alpinestars Bogota Pro jacket has a lightweight mesh that’s comfortable against the skin, even in very hot conditions thanks to the high level of ventilation.

Having two removable layers, the thermal and the rain shell, can be a bit of a pain. It takes time to get them secured properly and in position so that everything is comfortable.

I also found the method of fitting the liners a tad confusing until I got used to it. For me, wearing the waterproof membrane inside the trousers was annoying. Not helped by the trousers being a bit snug on me, they get very tight with the waterproof liner fitted. This could be a sizing thing personal to me, but I found it a compromise to have liners that are meant to be used both over and under the outerwear – it’s just too long inside for me, but also awkward to get on over the top. Make sure you try for yourself in store.

Waterproofing

Having tested the Bogota suit in all formats in wet conditions, the waterproof membrane provided excellent protection and was fully waterproof, whether worn inside the suit or over the top.

I also wore the suit in wet conditions without the waterproof layer fitted and unsurprisingly I got wet in anything more than a very light shower. I experienced a downpour when riding without the rain layer and quickly felt damp patches on my forearms, chest, groin, and bottom.  

Three alternatives to the Alpinestars Bogota Pro

The waterproof textile clothing category is hugely competitive. Here are three alternatives to the Alpinestars Bogota Pro that have all been reviewed by the BikeSocial team…

• The Spada Alberta Modular is a £229.99 pick-and-mix jacket where you choose which layers you need from a protective mesh main jacket, a thermal gilet and a waterproof over-jacket. Add a pair of matching Alberta trousers for £134.99 and you have a whole suit for £5 more than the Alpinestars Bogota Pro jacket alone.

• For more frequent riding in the rain, the Oxford Hinterland is outstanding value for money. It’s discontinued now, but Oxford has really proven itself as being very capable of making excellent laminated kit. We’ll shortly have a review of the new Stormland…

• The Furygan Brevent jacket and Apalaches trousers combine a removable waterproof membrane in the jacket with a fixed liner in the trousers. We found the vents and waterproofing were both a little lacking, but that they offer a good blend. Together, the combination adds up to a few pence under £500 at 2023 prices, £130 less than the Alpinestars Bogota Pro combination reviewed here.

These are just three of many alternatives – you can find all the motorcycle textiles we’ve tested here and be sure to regularly check for the discounts available through Bikesocial membership.

Alpinestars Bogota Pro review: Verdict

While it proved to be completely waterproof, I couldn’t recommend the Bogota Pro to any UK rider looking for kit they can use all year round as it’s wasn’t warm enough in cold conditions, and though effective, I found the waterproof liners to be a hassle. Having found it uncomfortable to ride any distance on cold days in April this year, I feel riders would need to layer up significantly to have any chance of making life bearable in deep winter.

Where the Bogota excels, however, is in warm and hot conditions thanks to superb breathability and ventilation. If winter riding is not on your agenda then this Alpinestars kit could be perfect for you, so think carefully about how you’ll use it, then check it out as there’s a lot to really like about it.