Faster. Faster 2. Faster 3 RIDEKNIT. Stella Faster. Faster-Vented. They're all motorcycle shoes from Alpinestars and the one this text is about isn't even listed yet.
All we want to say is that the Faster 3 has a big family and an impressive pedigree. Which means that expectations are high. Alpinestars themselves add to this by stating that the Faster 3 is the result of 'decades of R&D experience at the highest motorsport level'. Well, then 'a shoe' is not enough, of course.
And the Stella Faster 3 in this original colorway is not. Not if you define 'shoe' as 'a sole, a bit of leather and a lace'. The Stella Faster 3 with a dash of ocean blue is a piece of top technology, designed and made for performance, precision and protection. Disguised as 'a shoe'. And in a specific women's version.
Apart from that blue - a nice solution to the excess of pink or purple in women's motorcycle clothing - there are no big surprises. Unless it's your first encounter with 'Faster' as a family. After all, the exterior is a 'construction'. Not 'made of ...' or 'manufactured in ...'.
No, it is a carefully constructed, lightweight, durable construction. A piece of craftsmanship with a razor-sharp look. Not surprising, because Alpinestars earned its stripes in racing and on the track. You notice that when you take a closer look at the list of features of the Stella Faster 3. The welded microfibers to have better contact with your motorcycle. A cutout at the Achilles tendon for mobility. Despite that, plenty of support and soft padding on the ankle. An external TPR toe slider. An external TPR heel guide. The asymmetrical toe which allows - even without shifting reinforcement - firm passage through the gears. We haven't even mentioned the very prominent protection in the form of ankle protection or the reinforced toe and heel. We haven't even mentioned the abrasion-resistant sole with integrated metal strip. Or the attention paid to comfort and detail everywhere.
The Faster 3 is - as a family - a topper in the making and that makes this waterproof offspring a phenomenon. One that you can pull a sprint with both on and off the bike and can appear stylish anywhere. The Alpinestars Stella Faster 3 opens and closes with laces, of which you hide the loops under the velcro closure. That combination allows you to adjust the shoe perfectly to size, necessary in the case of top technology.
Careful: a little water can't hurt, but ankle-high shoes are definitely not 100% waterproof. The Stella Faster 3 Drystar might be a solution.