Hood SK11 review | Still the best fully-lined motorcycle jeans

First reviewed: April 2021, updated Ju;y 2025 | Tested by: John Milbank | RRP: £189.99 | www.hoodjeans.co.uk

Having worn Hood jeans on rides throughout the UK, Europe and USA – on some very fast and unpredictable rides – I can honestly say that I find the double-layer design of family-owned Hood jeans extremely comfortable in all weathers, and very confidence inspiring.

The K7s I’ve worn over many thousands of miles are a relaxed fit, but the new SK11s are a slim design with a more narrow leg, typically intended to be worn with casual-style ankle-height bike boots. I’ve been testing them on a BMW S1000XR, a 1999 Kawasaki ZX-6R and a Honda MSX125 for the past two months…

High-quality stitching and flat rivets are just some of the well-thought-out details that go into Hood jeans

Construction and Fit

Since Hood jeans was started by Chris and Julie Easterford in 1998 (with family roots in jean-making going back to 1955 at Lee Cooper), the principle has always been to make the safest, most hard-wearing and stylish motorcycle jeans possible.

Like its other jeans, the SK11s have a para-aramid lining sandwiched between a denim outer and airflow mesh inner, but the denim here is a new stretch fabric; still extremely tough (in fact, even more so), but with that extra give that makes them more suited to a slim fit.

The SK11’s hems are 14” (as opposed to the 18” of the K7s), so meant to sit outside an ankle-height boot, though you can of course wear them inside a traditional high motorcycle boot.

Available in stonewash blue, dark navy or black, the SK11s – like all Hood jeans – can be adjusted for length at no extra cost. There’s also a free exchange service if you find the sizing isn’t quite right, but I’m a 34” waist (just) with 32” leg, and I’ve never had a problem with the fit of any Hoods – the sizing seems consistent and in line with other trousers, whether motorcycle-specific or not. You can check the Hood jeans sizing guide here.

Besides being extremely well sewn together with double stitching, the Hoods are also rivetted with flat rivets that won’t scratch your bike.

Protection and certification

Hood jeans was one of the first companies to comply with the new personal protective equipment standards that became law in 2018, and the SK11s were also the first motorcycle garments of any brand to be certified to the new UKCA legislation this year. Which is even more impressive when you remember that it’s a small, family-run business.

With the jeans on inside-out, I’ve highlighted in yellow where the para-aramid lining is. Sitting underneath the very high-quality and already tough denim, it’s what helps give these AAA approval... and how they go well beyond those minimum requirements.

During independent lab testing, Bennetts BikeSocial proved that the Hood lined jeans offer more than double the abrasion resistance of a pair of AAA-rated single-layer jeans.

The SK11s I’m reviewing are the AAAs and come with D3O Ghost armour in the knees and hips, which is rated to Level 1 for impact resistance. It's the Type A template, which is the smaller size – I'd like to see Type B ideally for a bit more coverage, though the Hood redeems itself to some extent with the ability to perfectly set the position.

UPDATE 2025: Level 2 Ghost armour is now available as an option for £10 more.

The D3O Ghost armour is really unobtrusive

While Level 2 armour gives more protection, Level 1 is certainly the right compromise in a pair of casual-style jeans, and this new Ghost armour is incredibly thin. Also as these are a relatively snug fit, that armour is held in place extremely well, so it stays where it’s needed.

The Hood jeans are lined with an airflow mesh, which also minimises sheer-force injuries; when the outer lining of any garment is in direct contact with the skin, it can cause serious burns during a high-speed slide as it moves around on the flesh. The mesh lining used here creates a barrier between the moving outer and your body; something Dr Roderick Woods – the man behind the original Cambridge test machine that formed an integral part to the original EN 13595 standard – identified as a real danger many years ago.

Chris and Julie made Hood the first UK motorcycle clothing brand to be UKCA certified. Honesty and transparency about their products has always been key to them

Some stores and brands claim ‘official CE test slide times’ to promote the abrasion resistance of the jeans they sell. The only CE testing that gives a time is through using the Cambridge machine, which sees samples of garments dropped onto a moving 60 grit abrasive belt, and timed to failure. However, this has only ever been considered a ‘relative abrasion time’ to compare products and MUST NOT be confused with a real-world crash protection time.

We’ve also seen times claimed by some disingenuous sellers as high as almost seven seconds and beyond, contrary to testing we had carried out by an independent notified body when looking for the best motorcycle jeans. Our recommendation would be to ignore these claims unless clear evidence is provided (it hasn't been so far), either through the Bennetts High Performance Award scheme, or through seeing a COMPLETE and verifiable test certificate from a notified body.

For everything you need to know about the safety labels in your motorcycle kit, click here.

Pockets

There are two front main pockets, a coin pocket on the right, and two rear pockets – they’re all a good size and capable of taking my wallet and Google Pixel 7 Pro, but what’s particularly notable with all Hood jeans is that they’re made entirely of denim.

Unlike most jeans, which have a thinner cotton liner inside the pocket, the denim used here means they last for years, even with keys rubbing on the inside.

Fastening

The Hood SK11s have a YKK metal zip fly, with a solidly-fixed metal button at the waist. There are six belt loops around the waist, which keep the jeans comfortable all the way around. When manufacturers skimp on little thing like this, the waistline can pull down between the loops, leaving drafty and uncomfortable gaps. Not so here.

The leg length is adjusted to suit you before being sent out

Adjustment

Any waist adjustment is of course made with your own belt but it’s great to be able to have the legs taken up to suit you before you receive the Hoods. And of course, there’s a returns label included for free exchange if you did get your sizing wrong.

The mesh lining is very comfortable, but also an important safety feature

Lining

Besides the significant safety benefit mentioned in the protection section, the airflow mesh lining is very comfortable indeed, keeping you warm even down below 10°C, but not getting too hot when temperatures rise.

Having used Hood jeans of the same construction in southern Spain, I’ve no problem spending all day in these, even in high temperatures. The extra lining is the one thing that could count against these when compared to single-layer garments, but I wear bike jeans for safety, so I’d be very reluctant to go without the additional protection. While there are AAA-rated single-layer jeans available, EN 17092 is not as tough a test as the older EN 13595 and also doesn’t give the opportunity to test materials beyond the pass; 17092 is pass or fail, whereas 13595’s abrasion test gave you the opportunity to see how far a material exceeded a pass. I know which I trust most, and our testing proved that here.

The fact that Hood jeans are comfortable and easy to wear all day long in everything but winter – whether you’re on the bike or walking around – means they’re perfect for UK riders.

Three alternatives to the Hood SK11 motorcycle jeans

There's lot of choice when it comes to bike jeans now, but not many offer fully-lined protection. Here are some others to consider...

• Roadskin Paranoid X, £199 | By combining the already AAA-rated outer shell of the Taranis Elites with a knitted Kevlar para-aramid lining, these Roadskins can promise high levels of protection. The lining is soft and comfortable, though arguably just a fraction warmer to wear than a smooth para-aramid. They have excellent, comfortable armour as standard, but the Rheon upgrade option is worth the investment. Read the full review of the Roadskin Paranoid X jeans here.

• Roadskin Taranis Elite, £180 | Superb single-layer jeans with a protective slip liner and a stretchy construction make these jeans very easy to wear and extremely comfortable. While not able to offer the protection of a quality lined pair of jeans, they’re still a LOT better than normal jeans, and a lot of bike kit on the market that in many cases costs more yet only achieves AA or even A levels of protection. There’s also the option to upgrade to Rheon’s incredibly well-ventilated armour at the knees and hips, which is worth doing in hot climates. Read the full review of the Roadskin Taranis Elites here.

• RST X Kevlar Tech Pro, £189 | These part-lined jeans are styled to look a lot more like bike kit than the other, more casual-looking kit in our recommendations, but the accordion panels help to keep the Level 2 armour in exactly the right place. The RSTs have also been tested by Motocap, where they received impressive results. Read the full review of the RST X Kevlar Tech Pro jeans here.

These are just three of many alternatives – you can find all the motorcycle jeans we’ve tested here and be sure to regularly check for the discounts available through Bikesocial membership.

Hood SK11 motorcycle jeans review: Verdict

Clearly a lot of thought has gone into the design and construction of the Hood SK11s, but combining that with decades of experience in getting such a great fit and style is what so often sets Hood apart.

Hood’s jeans have always been a fantastic fit for me – and in women’s sizes for my wife – and I do like the fact that the SK11s hug your body, keeping the armour pergectly in place. If you prefer a more loose fit though, check out the Hood K7s, which are just as protective but a more casual cut.

Outstanding build quality, top-class protection and great value from a family-run business mean the Hood SK11s are thoroughly recommended.

July 2025 Update: Still the best fully-lined motorcycle jeans

I’ve had my Hood SK11 jeans for four years now, and while I don’t get to wear them regularly as I’m constantly testing other kit, they’re still very much a riding staple.

Since I got them Hood has made some minor tweaks, so when I had the chance to test these newer ones, it seemed a shame to simply replace what were my still excellent existing SK11s. After shooting them I gave them to BikeSocial member and regular long-distance tourer Roger Carlisle to test. 

The new Hood SK11s have the same excellent build quality and para-aramid fibre lining (Kevlar is a brand-named para-aramid), with great details like the fully denim pockets that are far more hard-wearing than those in most other jeans.
They’re still designed and developed by Chris and Julie Easterford – the husband and wife team that have worked in tailoring for many years – and Julie will still take them up to the leg-length that suits you when ordering. Pretty much whatever length you want, Hood can do it.

What’s changed is simply that the insides of the knees now have a clever marking system printed on the lightweight mesh comfort lining, making positioning the armour even easier.

Hood uses an infinitely-adjustable Velcro system to hold the armour, which means you can set it exactly where you want. This is great for getting the best fit, but it does take a little more time to set up. Having the markings makes it much easier to get them both the same – just turn the trousers inside out, then pull the lining down tight towards the hems before placing the armour in at the position of your choice.

Hood jeans now come with the choice of D3O Ghost Level 1 hip and knee armour

for £189.99, or Ghost Level 2 for just £10 more. There’s little difference in the thickness, and Ghost is very slimline, making for a minimal impact to the profile of the jeans. Having spoken to Professor Chris Hurren at MotoCAP in Australia, it turns out that D3O’s Level 1 Ghost performs much better than many of its competitors, though the higher-spec protectors will of course offer more safety.

Hood is slightly limited with the armour it can use due to the way it’s held inside the jeans. With any kit using Ghost, if it’s very tight this armour can feel a little hard on your joints, but it will of course always depend on fit. The amour used here keeps the jeans looking great, but I do sometimes prefer something a little softer as it can be more comfortable on my knee-cap when my knees are bent for a long time.

“I did about 1,200 mile on my recent Scotland run in the Hood SK11s, in temperatures of about 25°C,” says Kawasaki Z1000SX owner Roger. “Combined with a mesh jacket I was wearing I found them absolutely great in the heat. That wasn’t as hot as it’s been recently, but I’ve no concerns with these jeans at any temperatures as even though they don’t have vents like my textile kit, the air moves through them wonderfully. They’re just so comfortable.

“I’m a 34” waist and the sizing of these is spot-on. I sometimes wear the Hoods with my full-height touring boots, then tuck the bottoms of the jeans in. When I’ve got my ankle-boots on they sit great over the top without flapping about.

“I adjusted the armour position a few times to get them just right and found it pretty easy to use. They’re perfect now both for when I’m riding and when I’m walking.

“The only tiny thing I can complain about is that my heel sometimes catches on the mesh lining, meaning I have to shuffle them down a touch more and tilt my ankle. But that’s it – it’s certainly no deal-breaker and Iove riding in them”