Balaclava

[Marc Bigos]

I’m considering a balaclava for mountaineering. Ideally I’d like to carry a balaclava only and no hat. This would require that the balaclava be warm enough and afford me the option to not cover my face. Is the OR gorilla balaclava a light weight model or are their lighter weight options I should consider?

http://www.orgear.com/home/style/home/headware/cold_hats/balaclavas/83990

[larry savage]

Balaclavas are pretty nifty, you can always roll one up as a hat. My personal preference is not windstopper but something along the lines of patagonia’s r1 balaclava. Again it’s just a personal preference, I find windstopper just to “steamy” around my head.
Somewhere in the heap I’ve got an old wool one that is so increadibly itchy I could never wear it. Things have really gotten much better mate.

[John S.]

Some report windstopper as affecting hearing too. WindPro is said not to affect hearing.

[David White]

As an alternative to a traditional balclava, you might check out Buff headgear (http://www.buffusa.com). This is a very versatile piece of clothing available in different weights for different seasons.

[Douglas Frick]

>Is the OR gorilla balaclava a light weight model or are their lighter weight options I should consider?

OR Gorilla, size M: 3.8 oz. Not the lightest, but I like it. (I think the OR Windstopper version is a bit lighter, if thinner.) It is somewhat breathable, and with 40+ mph wind and +10F temp I considered adding a windstopper headband over my ears. I like that you can configure face coverage in steps–I especially like the optional nose cover. I wear it with ski goggles and a Buff to cover my mouth. I wear it day and night in cold weather and it hasn’t been itchy.

[Author]

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