A chunky, manly and superfly reversible zip up hoodie with purpose! Up close and personal, the new Hoodie X by Graphene X has an imposing figure with a 15cm tall high neck hood which sits at chin level. 

A high neck hood is a feature you typically find on a winter jacket and, it's a useful addition to the Hoodie X to protect the neckline from the elements. The main zipper runs all the way up to the top of the high neck but does not rub against the chin, thanks to a small fly over flap, which covers and conceals the zipper neatly. 

 

Another extra feature you get with the Hoodie X high neck collar, it's breathability. Unlike most high neck hoodies, the Hoodie X high neck collar has holes perforated across it, which allows the hoodie to evaporate sweat faster.

 

The Hoodie X hood also integrates a drawstring cord capped with silicone heat shrink tubing to prevent fraying. The thick oversized drawstring cord really adds to the manly look of the Hoodie X. The drawstring cord stick out about 27cm on either side. 

 

The total length of the drawstring cord is about 1 meter long (3ft). The Hoodie X hood measures 32cm tall and, it's a three piece hood with two centre seams, instead of one centre seam like on a two piece hood. The extra piece on the hood really makes a difference, allowing the hood to sit a lot better on the head without looking like Little Red Riding Hood! 

 

For the main zipper, Hoodie X uses an RBR waterproof zipper, which spans vertically across the entire height of the hoodie - about 78cm long. To make it waterproof, the zippertape has been coated with PVC and the plastic teeth hidden (from the front) using a reverse coil RBR metal slider, which is also reversible, allowing you to slide it over when turning the Hoodie X inside out. While the main zipper isn't YKK like on the Alpha Series II jacket, it glides smoothly and works without issues.

 

As far as pockets, you get a total of 3 external pockets mirrored on each side - same pocket access and placement. One of those pockets, it's a small zippered waterproof chest pocket, which measures 17cm high and 12cm wide. The zip opening is only 10cm wide. Inside this pocket, you will also find sewn in label tag.

There is also a sleeve pocket (near the cuff). This pocket uses a YKK invisible metal slider, which conceals the zipper neatly. While the zipper does not have waterproofing (like the other pockets), the zipper is tightly concealed by the invisible seam, which helps slow down water ingress. 

 

The dimensions of the sleeve pocket are 14.5cm high and 11cm wide. The zip opening is 9cm wide. The length of the sleeve is 56cm long - measured from the armpit to the cuff. The length from armpit to armpit is also 56cm. Remember though, these measurements are for the large size of the Hoodie X.

 

The Hoodie X features a large split kangaroo pocket with waterproof zippers on each side. The zippers have YKK metal sliders and thin fabric cord pull tabs. The zip opening is 15cm wide, while the dimension of each side pocket is 20cm high and 17cm wide. All pockets feature sewn black inner lining to prevent pulling out the liner by accident.  The bottom end (hem) of the hoodie has a thick and wide finish - similar to a thick hem crop hoodie - and reinforced with double stitching. The hem really feels solid and durable.

 

In terms of construction, the Hoodie X is similarly constructed to the Alpha Series 2 jacket. It features 3 layers with a TPU waterproof membrane middle layer with the same 10,000mm waterproof rating as the Alpha Series 2 jacket and Omega Pants. 

 

Because of the reversible feature though, the Hoodie X does not have taped seams, which means the Hoodie X water and wind performance isn't as high. Under sustained rain, the Hoodie X does keep you dry but not for quite as long as the Omega Pants and Alpha Series 2 jacket. 

 

On the plus side, the lack of taped seams makes the Hoodie X a lot more breathable (12,000 gsm) and better for high output activities. The outer layer (soft grid side) is made of 88% nylon and 12% spandex, while the smooth black side is made of graphene polyester blend. 

Being a zip up, Hoodie X is more convenient and easier to take off than a pullover hoodie. Hoodie X is comfortable to wear, thanks to the 4-way stretch construction which allows the Hoodie X to stretch and recover in all four directions (up, down, left, right), moving freely with your body without restriction. The large size of Hoodie X weighs 1kg, making it a lot more heavier than the average hoodie (500 grams approx.). 

When it comes to care, you won't have to wash the Hoodie X as often as a regular hoodie. The Hoodie X can be machine washed in lukewarm cycle (30C) and ironed too at low temperature. Not only the Hoodie X looks great, it also feels premium. Everything from the materials used and yarn pattern to the stitching and thickly reinforced cuffs and bottom hem has top notch craftsmanship. 

 

The branding has been kept to a minimum with "Graphene X" text heat printed on the rear top right side of the hoodie. The branding is very subtle so, it doesn't make you look like a walking billboard ad. You can buy the Hoodie X directly from Graphene X. Check out the review of the new All Rounder Shorts.