10 points to Gryffindor if you caught my GalaxyQuest title reference. But in all seriousness this is going be about my Scorpion Sports USA XDR (Xtreme Distance Rider) Commander jacket. Seeing as how this jacket is long out of production this will be more of a love story then a review. So grab some popcorn.
I bought this jacket several years ago and wish I could remember exactly when. It was over five years, of that I am certain. Since then it has been my constant riding companion. I don’t even take it off when the temps jump to triple digits. And yes there is a bit of regret at that point, but I’m still alive so nah nah.
Being an atgatt (all the gear all the time) kinda guy takes some dedication and good equipment. I consider my helmet, jacket, gloves and boots to be a must wear for every ride. Over the years I acquired overpants and thank goodness I added them to my must wear list before my first accident. But lets start from the beginning
It was January of 1985 and my mother . . . Oh, too far.
I remember when my jacket arrived in the mail. I had been using a bargain riding jacket for two or three years and had started to commute to work via bike. If you’ve ever ridden in Washington you know that quality gear is a must. So there I was with my very own Scorpion XDR jacket. Decked out with that new jacket smell, it was love at first sight.
The Commander has all the hallmarks of a right fine jacket of its era. Included are a quilted liner and a wind/rain proof liner. Scorpion put thumb loop cuffs on their XDR jacket liners which was a brilliant stroke. That extra bit over the hands has been a welcome treat over the years. It also works pretty decent as a standalone shell. The quilted liner is admittedly underwhelming and spent most of its life lost in the closet. Last year I turned it into a heated liner and breathed knew life into it. The rain liner goes where the jacket goes, wether in the jacket or a case or bag. Be prepared.
The main body of the jacket has more pockets than I can use, some of them water resistant. Several of them are very spacious. There is also a pouch on the back that houses some plastic bags and my Scorpion balaclava. All this and they found room for a hydration bladder and clip for the hose. The jacket does suffer for want of ventilation when the temps are above the 80’s, but I haven’t died yet so they do work.
The shining star of this jacket, (other than the super cool looks!) is the amount of custom adjustment the jacket provides. I am roughly the diameter of a tetherball pole with biceps like the incredible hulk. I doubt you believe the bicep thing, and if you are under 25 you might have to google tetherball. I am slender with an athletic build as it is sometime referred to, and the jacket is well fitted with the amazing side adjustment strap system.
I was wearing this very jacket when I got t-boned by a white Chevy pickup. I was also wearing it when I had a low side crash on my San Diego trip. There is, to this day not so much as an abrasion mark on this jacket. It’s like voodoo magic, or some other kind of magic, you choose.
So, is it love or something else? I think it is love.
UPDATE 2021: The end has come, and gone, for The Commander. Time for a new chapter in the riding gear archive.