1620 Workwear is an American Workwear brand that has recently gained a lot of popularity due to the durability of their products and the willingness of the company to listen to customer feedback to make improvements. Perhaps their most popular workwear items they offer are their hoodies.
1620 offers several different types of hoodies (paid affiliate links take you to 1620USA.com):
- 1620 Basic Work Hoodie (click here to view)
- 1620 Full Tech Work Hoodie (click here to view)
- 1620 Full Zip Work Hoodie (click here to view)
Recently I started using the 1620 Workwear Basic Work Hoodie, and it has quickly become my favorite work hoodie. In this article I want to detail some of the things I like the most about this hoodie.
6 Things I Like the Most About 1620 Hoodies
Length of the Hoodie
One of the things I like the most about 1620 hoodies is the extra length they provide. This is obviously important if you are constantly bending and crouching on the job. Not enough companies have appropriate length in their hoodies, and so it is nice to see 1620 provide this extra length.
For comparison, below is a photo of a Hanes size medium hoodie sitting on top of my size medium 1620 Workwear Basic Work Hoodie. As you can see, the 1620 hoodie sizing has extra length:
You can also see the extra length when I put a size medium t-shirt on top of my size medium 1620 hoodie:
Thickness of the Fabric
These 1620 hoodies also have a thicker, more durable fabric than typical cotton/fleece hoodies. This material is a heavyweight 14-ounce “Hard Face Brushed Back Fleece”. When you touch this fabric you can feel that it is more durable than typical hoodie material.
I also measured the thickness of my 1620 work hoodie and compared it to the thickness of a standard Hanes hoodie. The 1620 hoodie was double the thickness of the Hanes hoodie (1.65mm vs 0.82mm):
You can also tell this is a more durable, warmer, thicker hoodie when you compare the weight of this 1620 Hoodie to a basic Hanes hoodie. The 1620 hoodie weighs 2.11 pounds and the Hanes hoodie weighs 1.00 pounds:
The Hoodie is Water-Repellent
One issue with most hoodies is they do not handle wet weather well. This 1620 hoodie is designed to be an exception. The material is water-repellent, which means it can handle light to moderate precipitation and keep you dry.
In the video below, I tried to capture how water-repellent this hoodie is: (video coming soon)
Adds Protection Around the Neck
This hoodie provides better weather protection around the neck. Most hoodies stop below the neck, but you can button this hoodie up near the chin to keep wind and weather off your neck when needed.
Isn’t Too Loose
This hoodie has more of a slim athletic fit, which I prefer (but it doesn’t fit too tight). I don’t like a loose hoodie at work because I find that the loose material can be a safety hazard and constantly catch and be a nuisance. Here is how my 1620 hoodie fits:
Made in the USA
This is one of the few made-in-USA hoodies you can find on the market today. If you prefer to support American-made companies, this is a great option.
What I Would Change About This Hoodie
There isn’t a critical issue that stands out to me about this hoodie. The one thing I would change is to add an extra half inch of length to the sleeves.
To be clear, these sleeves are normal compared to other hoodies. They’re not short in length I just think hoodie sleeves generally run a little short, especially once you wash them enough to take on some shrinkage. So this complaint isn’t specific to 1620, just my general take on most work hoodies.
As you can see below, even though there is extra length in the body, the sleeves are normal length. Some people like this, but for me, I like a bit of extra length in the sleeves of work hoodies so the cuffs don’t restrict my arm movement when reaching above my head.
Features of the 1620 Basic Work Hoodie
- Made in USA: Ensuring quality and supporting local industries.
- Fabric Quality:
- Heavyweight 14oz Hard Face Brushed Back Fleece
- Hi Vis color option with 10-ounce 100% polyester available
- Cotton Blend Fleece with Durable Water Repellent (DWR) Finish
- Performance Characteristics:
- Dries quicker than 100% cotton
- PFC (Perfluorocarbons) Free DWR Finish
- No Melt-No Drip thermal properties
- Washing Instructions: Suitable for cold wash, tumble dry low, avoiding fabric softener, bleach, and dry cleaning.
- Special Pockets:
- Stealth technology pocket inside for sensitive items like tech/phones
- Redesigned kangaroo pocket for easy access and enhanced durability
- Safety and Compatibility:
- Helmet-compatible hood
- Equipped with YKK® Mil Spec Snaps instead of drawstrings
- Features a 3M® Reflective 1620 Logo above the front pocket for visibility
- Design Enhancements:
- Extended length for added core warmth
- Cuffs have been redesigned for improved durability and ease of adjustment