Alpinestars SMX 6 V2 Review: 2 Years, 5 Track Days, 2 Crashes

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Welcome to my Alpinestars SMX 6 V2 review. I bought these riding boots in June 2022 and rode them hard until 2024 - five track days and thousands of kilometres across Australia and Indonesia, including two low-side crashes they shrugged off. When I left Indonesia I handed them to a mate who races out there, and as far as I know he’s still riding in them. If you want to know what these boots are actually like to live with, you’ve come to the right place. Let’s dive into the review.

I bought them for one reason: I wanted to take my RC 390 on the track, and track rules mean full motorcycle boots - my Alpinestars Faster 3s were never going to cut it. So protection came first. What I didn’t expect was to end up with the most comfortable boot I’ve ever worn.

Key points

• Comfort: I’ve tried on almost every current boot from the top-tier makers - Dainese, TCX, Sidi - and none came close to the comfort of the SMX 6 V2.
• Value: surprisingly affordable next to the other top-tier brands. You’re not paying flagship money, and for the comfort and durability you get, that’s a bargain.
• Protection: CE certified to EN 13634:2017, track-day legal, and proven in two real low-side crashes.
• Style: clean and understated. No adjusters, wires or other bits hanging off the boot - just a simple, minimalist shape that looks good without shouting, especially in black. They function as well as they look.

Protection

Protection is the whole reason I bought these boots, so this is where they have to earn their keep. Here’s what you actually get, zone by zone.

Shin protection

The shin is protected by hardened, injection-moulded TPU. The protected area isn’t quite as large as the Supertech R, but the boot is CE certified to EN 13634:2017. Alpinestars certifies the whole boot to that standard rather than publishing a single headline level, and the exact per-zone ratings are stamped on the boot’s own CE label - worth a look if a specific level matters to you.

Ankle bracing

Like the shins, the ankle is braced with high-modulus TPU. A feature you don’t see on many boots is the TPU lateral ankle brace, which reinforces the area between the top calf/shin and the ankle. Alpinestars set the brace so it moves as you pivot your toes up and down to shift - a small detail, but you feel the difference out on the road.

Reinforced toe box and sole

For durability and feel, Alpinestars layered the internal toe box under the upper. TPU where your toe meets the shifter gives a firm, confident shift. The compound rubber sole grips well and the heel is shaped for the pegs.

Toe slider

Same injection-moulded TPU - thick, durable, and removable with a single hex bolt. Being a popular brand, replacement sliders are everywhere.

Comfort

I wasn’t thinking about comfort when I went shopping. The reason I wanted these was the track. But after trying on full boots from Dainese, TCX and Sidi, I changed my mind.

The biggest problem with the others was that I couldn’t fit my calves into them. I don’t have huge calves, but I couldn’t do up most of the boots I tried. If you have chunky calves, the SMX 6 might be your saviour.

One thing I’ve found is that Alpinestars boots tend to run a bit more generous in the calf. That matters if you like wearing your boot over your suit (or over your jeans or pants) rather than tucked underneath - Alpinestars seems to be cut for that riding style. When I tried the other brands, I couldn’t zip their boots up at all with the boot worn over my suit; I could only get them done up with the boot tucked under. My own preference is to wear the boot over the suit, and of all the brands I tried, only the Alpinestars boots would fully zip up that way.

Even without the calf issue, the SMXs simply felt more comfortable to wear and walk in. That’s probably the velcro fastening, which is more like a sports-touring boot - not as fancy-looking as a ratchet-and-wire system, but more comfortable, and far easier to get on and off. They also use accordion flex panelling, normally a sports-touring feature, which makes walking long distances a breeze.

Ventilation

The standard model offers minimal ventilation - good if you ride somewhere cool. There are two small vents at the rear of the calf and one at the outer ankle. I learned the hard way that it’s not enough for real heat: riding around Bali and Lombok in 40°C+ heat that climbed higher again out on track, the standard boot was a sweat-box. If you ride somewhere hot, the vented version is the smarter pick.

Materials and closure

Most of the upper is microfiber for durability and abrasion resistance.

Waterproofing

The SMX 6 V2s are not waterproof. I’ve since ridden them in the wet, and they soak right through - water pools in the base of the boot, which is as grim as it sounds. They dry out fine afterwards and were good to go, but avoid wet riding where you can. If you specifically need a waterproof boot, Alpinestars makes one: the SMX-6 Drystar, which adds a waterproof, breathable Drystar membrane (there’s a V2 Drystar and a current V3 Drystar).

Velcro and zip

The SMX 6 uses a simple velcro + zip system, and it’s a genuine trade-off worth understanding. On the plus side it’s more comfortable, and far quicker to get on and off than the ratchet-and-wire closures you find on dedicated race boots. The downside is crash security: in a big, high-speed crash a velcro strap can potentially peel and let the boot start to unfurl, whereas a ratchet-and-wire system is mechanically ratcheted closed and is far less likely to open up. So in theory the velcro setup may give up a little outright crash protection. In practice, I’ve crashed in these boots twice and the velcro never came undone - the boots stayed shut and did their job both times.

There’s also no inner bootie. A separate inner bootie (like the one in the Supertech R) is arguably the better setup when maximum protection is the priority - when you’re racing, protection in a crash is the number one thing. But if you want a street and entry-level track-day boot, and you don’t want the faff of pulling an inner boot on and off inside an outer boot, the SMX’s single-layer setup is a real convenience. Just know that this is part of what separates it from a full dedicated race boot like the Supertech R: it’s a comfort-first hybrid, not a no-compromise race boot.

How it has held up

This is where these boots earned their keep. I owned and rode them hard from June 2022 until 2024 - five track days and thousands of kilometres on road and track, across Australia and Indonesia. In that time I low-sided twice. Both crashes happened at track-day speeds, somewhere above 60 km/h and under 100 km/h - not insanely fast, but quick enough to genuinely put the boots’ protection to the test. Both times they held up fine: nothing broke, nothing tore, the zips never jammed and the leather held together. They’re scuffed and a bit beat-up from the crashes, but structurally they didn’t miss a beat.

When I left Indonesia I handed them to a mate who races out there, and as far as I know he’s still riding in them. Mind-blowingly durable for the money. The only real caveats are heat and water, covered above: minimal venting made the 40°C+ track days brutal, and wet rides soak straight through. Neither has anything to do with how well the boot is built - and on that front, I can’t fault it.

How it compares

A quick, honest caveat before the table: the SMX 6 V2 is a comfort-first street and track-day boot - really an entry-to-mid track-day boot - while the three rivals below are dedicated race boots. So this isn’t quite apples-to-apples; I’m putting a hybrid up against proper race boots. I tried all three on in 2022, so the comparison reflects how they felt to me then. Models move on (the Supertech R has had minor updates since), and all four are certified to the same current motorcycle-boot standard, EN 13634:2017 - there isn’t a newer one - so the real differences are in build, fit, closure and outright protection, not the certification standard. Prices are indicative AUD RRP and change, so check before you buy.

Factor	SMX 6 V2 (our pick)	TCX RT-Race (2022)	Sidi Mag-1 (2022)	Alpinestars Supertech R (2022)
Boot type	Street + track-day hybrid (entry-mid)	Dedicated race boot	Dedicated race boot	Flagship race boot
Certification	CE EN 13634:2017	EN 13634:2017	EN 13634:2017	EN 13634:2017
Outright protection	Strong for a street/track boot	Strong	Strong	Class-leading
Comfort / walkability	Excellent (accordion flex, velcro)	Very good	Firmer, race-focused	Stiffer, pure race
Fits larger calves	Yes	Tighter	Narrow	Yes (same Alpinestars calf cut)
Inner bootie	No	Yes (sewn-in)	No	Yes
Finishing	Very good (~5-10% behind TCX)	Class-leading	Premium	Premium
Approx price (AUD RRP)	~$369 (V2) / ~$399.95 (V3)	~$379.95	~$629.95	~$799.95
Best for	All-day comfort + durability	Race feel on a budget	Narrow-footed racers	No-compromise track

Rivals named are the 2022 versions I physically tried on; newer updates exist (the Supertech R has been refreshed). Prices are indicative AUD RRP and move - check current pricing.

How it has evolved

The SMX 6 line has moved on since I bought my V2. The current generation is the SMX-6 V3, with a redesigned upper and updated styling, sold alongside a V3 Vented for hot climates and an SMX-6 Drystar for wet weather. Alpinestars positions the V3 as a refinement rather than a reinvention - the formula (EN 13634:2017 certification, velcro + zip comfort, removable toe slider) carries through. I haven’t worn the V3 myself, so treat that as product information rather than first-hand; if you’re buying new today you’ll be looking at the V3, and the links here point to the current model.

One boot further up the range I have worn is the SMX Plus. I rode a track day at Phillip Island in the current SMX Plus, and it felt very much like my old SMX 6 V2 - the same easy comfort and fit. The main thing that sets the two apart is the closure. The SMX 6 uses velcro and a zip; the SMX Plus adds a micro-adjustable ratchet around the back of the calf on top of that, so it cinches down more securely and gives it a more race-focused feel. It does not run a separate inner bootie. So it’s a step up in closure over the SMX 6, but if you get on with the SMX 6’s comfort, the Plus will feel familiar straight away.

Who it’s for / who should NOT buy

Buy the SMX 6 if:

• You want a track-day-legal boot that’s comfortable enough to wear all day, on and off the bike
• You have calves that won’t fit narrower race boots, or you like wearing your boots over your suit
• You want tough, dependable protection for street and entry-to-mid track-day riding without flagship money

Do NOT buy the SMX 6 if:

• You need a genuinely waterproof boot for wet riding - get the SMX-6 Drystar instead
• You ride in serious heat and want airflow - get the vented version
• You want a dedicated race boot with maximum outright protection and an inner bootie - get the Supertech R

The scorecard

These are my own scores. Weighted by the percentages above they come to 4.15 out of 5, which rounds to the 4.2 headline. Comfort and build score top marks; the boot loses ground on outright protection and on value against dedicated race boots, and the clean, understated styling is a solid four rather than a standout.

FAQ

Is the Alpinestars SMX 6 V2 comfortable?

Yes - unusually so for a track-capable boot. Accordion flex panels and a velcro closure make it comfortable enough to walk in all day, and it fits larger calves that narrower race boots won’t.

Is the SMX 6 V2 waterproof?

No - and I can confirm from experience the standard boot soaks through in the wet, with water pooling in the base. If you need a waterproof boot, Alpinestars makes a dedicated version: the SMX-6 Drystar, which adds a waterproof, breathable Drystar membrane (available as a V2 and a current V3). The standard and vented SMX 6 are not waterproof.

Is the SMX 6 V2 good for track days?

Yes - it’s CE certified to EN 13634:2017, which meets typical track-day boot requirements, and I’ve done five track days in mine. Always confirm your specific circuit’s rules.

SMX 6 V2 vs Supertech R - which should I buy?

They’re really in different classes. The Supertech R is a dedicated flagship race boot - higher outright protection, better finishing, and an internal bootie - and it costs roughly double (about $800 vs $369 when I bought mine). The SMX 6 is a comfort-first street and track-day boot: most of the everyday usability with far more comfort and value, but not the same outright race protection. For most road and track-day riders the SMX 6 is the smarter buy; if you’re chasing maximum protection for serious track or race use, step up to the Supertech R (the boot I’m eyeing myself).

What size SMX 6 should I get?

Alpinestars tends to run large. I’d try your normal size and one below (for me, a 42 and a 43) before buying.

The bottom line

So there you have it - my Alpinestars SMX 6 V2 review. Overall this is one of the best pieces of motorcycling gear I’ve bought. It’s comfortable enough to wear all day, on and off the bike, and it proved seriously durable - I crashed in them twice (both low-sides between 60 and 100 km/h) and they didn’t miss a beat. What you give up against a dedicated race boot like the Supertech R is outright protection, an inner bootie, and any wet-weather sealing.

Top pick: the SMX 6 (now V3) for all-day comfort and durability. Best alternative: the Alpinestars Supertech R if you want a dedicated race boot with the highest protection and finishing - it’s what I’m looking at upgrading to myself. The honest cons stand: not waterproof (there’s a Drystar version if you need it), minimal venting, and not a full race boot.

If you want an entry-to-mid track-day boot that doesn’t sacrifice comfort, consider the SMX 6.

Do you own the SMX 6? What do you think of them? Let me know in the comments below.

Updated 28 June 2026: rebuilt on the new review template (verdict box, pros and cons, comparison, durability, scorecard and FAQ); confirmed the certification as CE EN 13634:2017; added the long-term durability verdict, including two low-side crashes (both at 60-100 km/h) and a wet-weather soak-through finding; clarified the boot as a comfort-first street and track-day boot, with the dedicated race-boot comparison being the Supertech R; explained the velcro-and-zip versus ratchet-and-wire closure trade-off and the inner-bootie point; added that Alpinestars runs generous in the calf and zips up over a suit; added real AUD RRPs and a boot-class row to the comparison; noted the SMX Plus (worn at Phillip Island) and the waterproof SMX-6 Drystar; set the heat figure to 40°C+; refreshed pricing and the current-model (V3) note. Comments kept open - thanks to Margus for the earlier CE correction.

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