I’ve seen riders doing it, but I have never been tempted to ride in a hoodie-style sweatshirt, until now. I reviewed Scorpion’s 1909 Vintage jacket recently and noted that Scorpion Covert Hoodie is offered as an underlayer for the 1909 leather jacket. “Wow. This looks cool,” I thought.
As it turns out, while the Scorpion Covert Hoodie is a bit bulky, I can just fit a size Large hoodie under the size XL jacket—I’m a US size 46 jacket—and that could be a great combination on a cold day.
Although marketed as a hoodie, the Scorpion Covert Hoodie is more like a light jacket. As it turns out, it’s a super-hoodie. Wearing a non-technical hoodie on a motorcycle is not a smart idea from a protection standpoint. The good news is that the Scorpion Covert Hoodie is designed to ride in without a jacket.
As in the 1909 Vintage jacket, the Covert Hoodie includes hardly noticeable, thin Sas-Tec CE Level 1 elbow protection with pockets for optional shoulder and back protectors. I installed CE Level 1 shoulder protectors ($20) but did not add the CE Level 2 back protector ($45) yet—both are available from Scorpion.
I’m still a jacket guy, but the Covert Hoodie has opened possibilities such as short trips to the market, to gas up, the nearby Rock Store for lunch, and more. This hoodie is attractive, has some great features, and adds much more protection than any old hoodie.
The chassis is constructed of cotton that is much heavier than any sweatshirt I’ve seen before. It has Scorpion’s RhinoMesh proprietary lining, claimed to be five times more abrasion resistant than “typical riding hoodies.” It’s covered with 600 denier polyester at the elbows and shoulders for additional abrasion resistance.
Upon close examination, I find many features available on the best jackets. There are two external, zippered hand-warmer pockets and two zippered vertical breast pockets. The breast pockets open directly to the lining do double-duty as vents. More venting is available from zippered 8-inch underarm openings.
Internally, there is one cargo pocket with a short hook and loop closure. Scorpion calls it a concealed carry pocket. However, there is no provision for any kind of strap to secure your piece, and were you to drop your 1911 in there, it might sag quite a bit.
Each arm has the two-position snap adjusters at the forearm and bicep like you see on fancy ADV jackets. All zippers appear to be nylon-type and are YKK branded.
The cuffs and waist are knit, as many hoodies are, and it has an elastic shock cord drawstring hoodie.
As for size, although Scorpion’s size chart suggested I get XL, it was too big. Large fits nicely, with room within for another layer on cooler days, The large Scorpion Covert Hoodie fits under my XL-sized 1909 Vintage jacket. It will be much warmer on cold days than the 1909’s standard thermal vest liner.
It turns out that the Scorpion Covert Hoodie is a light-duty cotton moto jacket that I can wear on or off the bike. I will certainly rock this just hanging out for much of the winter here in SoCal.
Scorpion Covert Hoodie Fast Facts
- Sizes: SM to 3XL
- Color: Black
- Armor: CE Level 1 elbows (shoulders and back optional)
Scorpion Covert Hoodie Price: $150 MSRP ($170, as tested with shoulder armor)