EUROBIKE 2015 | Alpinestars Paragon Vest
A good backpack is considered part of the uniform for a mountain biker, but there are times when you may not wish to ride with the burden of a pack, perhaps for a short home trails ride or racing. On these occasions all you need to carry is a few essential tools and enough water to keep you hydrated. The new Paragon Vest allows you to carry the essentials with the added safety of a CE certified backplate. We thought it was worth a closer look.
Lifting up the vest one thing was immediately clear, the new Paragon Vest represents a fresh new approach from Alpinestars, using lightweight and comfortable fabrics to produce garments and protection suitable for the aggressive trail rider. The vest will retail for €114 and offers a full length CE rated back plate for protection, with the provision for integrating a hydration system (not provided). The hydration system hose can be routed either over or under the shoulder and the hose is retained with a neat clip just under the collar.
The Paragon Vest features three pockets, two on the side with an elasticated tops which are suitable for an inner tube, CO2 and some trail snacks, and a small zipped pocket on the rear for keys or phone. All the pockets have a thick pad between you and the contents, protecting both in the case of a crash.
The Paragon Vest will be available from March next year, and could be an ideal solution for those looking for some protection for short rides or racing, without the need to carry a bulky pack.
For more information check out the Alpinestars website
Words: Trev Worsey Photos: Christoph Bayer
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