The name Tech Aero contains two important words and they are - or what did you expect - completely justified in this case. The Tech Aero is a smart, well-made and very comfortable backpack that lends itself perfectly to the more sportive user.
Alpinestars is inevitably linked to the world of motorcycle racers and although they rarely wear a backpack, there is enough know-how and expertise to give the Tech Aero a lot of added value.
Let's start at the beginning. Polyester and abrasion-resistant nylon are the materials used. Not just any material, but 1200 and 600 D PU-coated and thus of the robust, water-resistant variety. On its own, the Tech Aero is a sturdy bag, able to withstand fast motorcycle rides in bad weather conditions. Even when filled, the sporty design creates a so-called 'low profile'. The aerodynamic bag stays close to the wearer's back. It holds 16 litres of luggage, although - thanks to a zipper - you can bring that to 26 litres of storage room in the blink of an eye. That's a firm middle ground as far as volume is concerned.
Will that weigh down on your shoulders? Well, not really. Alpinestars uses anatomically contoured and padded shoulder straps, a sturdy waist belt (with extra storage compartments) and a height-adjustable and length-adjustable chest strap to keep the weight evenly distributed. Also helpful with that is the 15 mm padding on the back. You can easily integrate a Nucleon Plasma back protector (level 2 certified) or Nucleon KR-CELLi (level 1 certified) in size L into the Tech Aero, which is an indication that you don't have to shy away from a sporty riding style.
Storage space aplenty. It may not look like it, but the large storage compartment can indeed hold about 24 litres. An internal organizer provides space for a 15" laptop, a tablet, a smartphone. Alpinestars carefully labeled each small compartment with an icon, illustrating what it's meant for. For example, the fleece lined front compartment at the top has a drawing of a pair of glasses. Below that one of a helmet, to illustrate that the storage net has a fixed location. An umbrella shows where the supplied fluorescent yellow rain cover is supposed to be stored. The label with 'H2O' obviously refers to the home of the camelbak hydration pack.
Let's leave it at that: this is a very smart, innovative and incredibly versatile backpack. Made for optimal performance on the bike, but just as useful elsewhere. Solid, sturdy, with lots of storage space and even more possibilities. And beneficial for your back.
