Alpinestars vs Dainese: jackets, boots and airbags compared with CA$ landed prices

Alpinestars gives Canadian riders more choice and a slightly lower median price; Dainese is the brand to buy from Europe. In stock to Canada, ALLR lists 904 Alpinestars jackets with a median lowest landed price of CA$452 and 405 Dainese jackets at CA$510. On boots they are level (CA$370 and CA$380). On three comparable jackets the Dainese version cost CA$91 to CA$243 less from a European store than from the cheapest Canadian one, while the Alpinestars versions were cheaper in Canada on two of three. This guide compares jackets, boots and the two airbag vests as of 2026-10-21, and links the Alpinestars and Dainese brand pages.

Jackets

These pairs match ALLR's own compare pages: T-GP Plus R vs Air Fast Tex, Bogota Pro vs Gullfoss and Atem V5 vs Racing 5. The class column matters more than the logo: an EN 17092 class A jacket passes a lighter abrasion test than a class AA one, and the Alpinestars Blacktrack leathernotifications_active, from CA$640, is tagged A while the Atem V5 is AA. Our EN 17092 guide explains the classes. The lowest figures are often overseas, so check the median and the store count, and confirm the class on the garment label.

Dainese is sold by fewer Canadian stores in this sample: three for the Air Fast Tex and the Gullfoss, against seven to eleven for the Alpinestars jackets. Both brands sell direct in Canada, since the Alpinestars CA and Dainese CA listings appear among the stores. Across the whole catalogue, Alpinestars jackets sit at a median of CA$452 (middle half CA$350 to CA$634) and Dainese at CA$510 (CA$390 to CA$785). Dainese also owns the helmet maker AGV, which our AGV vs Shoei guide covers.

Boots

Boots are close: Alpinestars boot pages have a median of CA$370 and Dainese CA$380 (Alpinestars 423 pages, Dainese 105). For like-for-like checks use the SMX-1 R V2 vs Metractive Air and Faster-4 Drystar vs Suburb Air pages. The Dainese Metractive Air and Suburb Air are the cheaper pair, with medians of CA$320 and CA$300; the Torque 4 Air at CA$648 is in a different price tier. Pick on fit, because boot sizing varies by brand and an online return costs shipping both ways.

Airbags: Tech-Air 7X vs Smart Air

The Tech-Air 7X is the same CA$1,299.95 at Alpinestars Canada, FortNine and MotoHut, which matches the CA$1,299.95 Canadian list price ALLR records; a US purchase lands at CA$1,913 and an Italian one at CA$1,628 (Motostorm). The Smart Air has a wider spread, from CA$600 at GPbikes in sizes S to L, to CA$800 at MotoHut and CA$807 at FortNine; the Italian Motostorm price lands at CA$862 and the US stores at CA$1,030. Check the size runs before chasing the CA$600. Alpinestars also lists the Tech-Air 10 V2 race system (CA$1,437, one Canadian store) and the Tech-Air 3 V2 (CA$750, one store), and Dainese the Smart Jacket LS (CA$832 lowest, CA$979 at FortNine). ALLR has no compare pages for airbags. See our back protector and airbag guide for how these systems work.

Buying in Canada, or importing

The pattern is consistent: US stores are never the cheapest route to Canada for these items, because the US price plus shipping, duty and brokerage lands above the Canadian price. European stores win on every Dainese jacket and the Smart Air, and on the Atem V5 by CA$36, but lose on the Alpinestars T-GP Plus R and Bogota Pro. Overseas buying adds returns and warranty risk; we found no maker statement on overseas cover, so ask each brand before relying on it. See the Canada buying guide and the sizing guide.

Which should you buy?

Prices are a dated snapshot (ALLR data, 2026-10-21); the method is on the methodology page.