Fox Racing Bomber vs. Alpinestars Techstar: Hard Armor or Bar Feel?

The top two gloves in our rankings couldn't be more different. The Fox Racing Bomber, our highest-rated glove at 9.4/10 T&T Score, is built around hard armor. The Alpinestars Techstar, right behind it at 9.2/10, is a thin, pro-level race glove built around bar feel. The Bomber runs $74.95; the Techstar is $49.95.

That $25 gap matters less than which kind of riding you do. We compared protection, palm construction and fit to help you figure out which glove belongs on your hands.

Quick Comparison: Fox Racing Bomber vs. Alpinestars Techstar

Prices shown are approximate list prices and may change on the retailer's site.

What Actually Matters in a Dirt Bike Glove

Every glove is a trade between protection and feel. More material between your hand and the grips means more protection from branches, rocks and crashes, but it also dulls your feedback from the bars and levers and can make arm pump worse if you start squeezing harder to compensate. Less material means sharper control, but your knuckles are on their own when you clip a tree.

Neither approach is "better." A glove that's perfect for a supercross-style track can be the wrong call for tight single track, and the reverse is just as true.

Protection: Hard Armor vs. Padded Neoprene

The Bomber is one of the few gloves in its class with real hard armor: molded plastic knuckle and finger protection over a perforated goatskin leather top, certified to CE Level 1 (EN 13594:2015). A compression-molded neoprene cuff with hook-and-loop closure extends further up the wrist than a typical MX glove. If you ride woods, rocky trails or anywhere your hands take hits from branches and rocks, that's protection a thin race glove can't match.

The Techstar uses a thermoformed neoprene knuckle area with a padded landing zone. It's built to take the edge off roost and minor impacts without adding stiffness, which is the right call for track riding, where the biggest threats to your hands are roost and fatigue rather than trees.

Palm and Bar Feel

This is where the Techstar earns its spot. Alpinestars uses a one-piece synthetic palm with a stretch micro ripstop backhand, suede reinforcements where you grip, and silicone on the first two fingers for clutch and brake lever grip. Fewer seams and a thinner palm mean more direct feedback, and Alpinestars designed it specifically for professional motocross racing.

The Bomber's double-layer Clarino palm is thicker and more durable, and it also has silicone fingertips for lever grip. You'll feel a bit less of the bars, but you get a palm that stands up better to long days and rough terrain. Both palms are touchscreen-compatible.

Fox Racing Bomber

👉 Check Price at MotoSport  ·  View on Amazon

The Bomber takes the top spot in our glove rankings because it offers the most complete protection on the list without turning into a winter glove. CE-certified hard knuckle armor, finger protection, an extended cuff and a double-layer palm make it the glove we'd pick for trail, enduro and dual sport riders whose hands actually hit things. Stretch nylon finger gussets help keep it from feeling too stiff.

At $74.95, it costs more than most MX gloves, but it's cheap insurance compared with a broken knuckle or finger.

• Best for: Woods, enduro and dual sport riders who want CE-rated hard knuckle protection.
• Consider instead if: You mostly ride motocross tracks and want the thinnest, most connected feel on the bars.

Alpinestars Techstar

👉 Check Price at MotoSport  ·  View on Amazon

The Techstar is Alpinestars' pro-level race glove, and at $49.95 it's a lot of glove for the money. The ultra-fitted construction, one-piece palm and silicone lever grip give you the kind of bar feel that helps you ride loose instead of death-gripping, which also matters for arm pump. A seamless closure strap with a molded fastener and a sew-free cuff keep it comfortable under a jersey sleeve.

• Best for: Motocross and track riders who want maximum bar feel at a very fair price.
• Consider instead if: You ride tight woods or rocky trails where your knuckles regularly take hits.

FAQ: Fox Racing Bomber vs. Alpinestars Techstar

Is the Fox Bomber too bulky for motocross?

Not for everyone, but it's heavier and less connected to the bars than a thin race glove like the Techstar. Plenty of riders use armored gloves on the track, but if you're chasing lap times or fighting arm pump, a thinner glove usually feels better. For woods and trail riding, the extra protection is well worth the trade.

How should dirt bike gloves fit?

Snug, with no loose material at the fingertips or across the palm, since loose material bunches up on the grips. Measure your hand and check each brand's size chart; Fox, for example, sizes the Bomber by hand length. The Techstar is described by Alpinestars as an ultra-fitted glove, so if you're between sizes, trying it on first is a good idea.

Are gloves with hard knuckle armor actually safer?

For direct hits, yes. Hard armor spreads the force of an impact from a rock, branch or the ground across a larger area, and the Bomber's armor is CE Level 1 certified to EN 13594:2015. Padded neoprene knuckles like the Techstar's are good at taking the sting out of roost and small impacts, but they aren't designed to stop a hard strike.

Final Verdict

If you ride woods, enduro or dual sport and your hands take hits, the Fox Racing Bomber is the better glove and the reason it tops our rankings. If you spend most of your time on the track and want the best bar feel you can get for $50, the Alpinestars Techstar is one of the best-value race gloves around. Plenty of riders keep one of each in the gear bag.

Want more options across every price point? See our full glove rankings, covering every glove we've ranked from budget trail picks to armored enduro gloves. If arm pump is a problem, our arm pump guide covers how grip and glove choice play into it.