BALACLAVA !!!!!!

beastmaster · Post by **beastmaster** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:28 am

so winter is creeping up on us and i have been researching BALACLAVA, which is basically the perfect thing to rob a bank in, besides the point,, but i dont really no who (brand) or were to find a good quality BALACLAVA to go under a helmet..???

iv been looking on ebay but i dont wana get stuck with a cheap Chinese knock off any body no were to get the goods??

Lokky · Post by **Lokky** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:32 am

I use a buff headwear. It's basically a tube of cloth which can be styled in over 20 different configurations, including a balaclava. They have many different designs and different materials, I currently use a merino wool one which is great to keep me warm but doesn't cut the wind very well, I am considering returning it (bought from REI) and purchasing the polar version instead.

http://www.buffusa.com/

LunaP · Post by **LunaP** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:34 am

Not sure, but I have been wondering this myself. I think to avoid h=visor fogging as much as possible, theoretically we need one that does not cover the mouth.

I got a double layer fleece neckwarmer thing- works great but the top edge won't slide under the helmet, and the bottom edge wouldn't work with the high collar of the Corazzo jacket I returned... we'll see whether it works with the Cortech I'm getting. I think it would have been fine if it hadn't been a double layer.

But my helmet isn't FF, so my ears and chin are still cold. Makes a balaclava ideal. So, I'll be eagerly following this thread

michelle_7728 · Post by **michelle_7728** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:24 am

+1 about the Buffs. My husband and I have the Cyclone version. I just pull the whole thing over my head, arrange the thick part over the top of my shirt, and pull the thinner part up over my chin. That way the cold doesn't come in the bottom of your helmet and hit your chin & neck.

pdxrita · Post by **pdxrita** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 3:24 am

I have an Under Armour balaclava: http://www.amazon.com/Under-Armour-Mens ... B0040ZN5GC

The material is very thin, so it fits under the helmet nicely. I wore this on my coldest ride, 16 degrees, and it performed wonderfully. I wear it pretty much every morning through the winter months; any time the temp drops into the 40s or colder. You can easily tuck it under your chin for days when it's not as cold; you don't have to wear it up over your nose or mouth.

jasondavis48108 · Post by **jasondavis48108** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 11:16 am

I wear a Smartwool Balaclava. It keeps me fairly warm, it's thin so it fits under the FF helmet well, and it washes up quite well.

Rush · Post by **Rush** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 12:59 pm

I got a very thin one for $5 at the local cycle shop this weekend. They had a thicker one for $10. Did a great job of closing up the gaps where the wind would get into the helmet. Was in the upper 30s this morning going about 50mph and worked great. Yes there is an annoying seam in the middle, but hey its $5!

Think this is it here- http://www.amazon.com/Raider-Snowmobile ... B002S9V0KA

heythere512 · Post by **heythere512** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:00 pm

I have a neoprene face masque from REI, similar to this, that I wear under a 3/4 helmet. I can cover my ears, and my eye shield meets the top of the masque. I can see that I may have a fogging problem if I had a FF shield, but I don't yet.

http://www.rei.com/product/725712/seiru ... ort-masque

supermach · Post by **supermach** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:30 pm

Did anyone ever try a Scarf?

That's what I have and it works ALOUT better because it goes around my face 3 or 4 time what NEVER let the cold air in... But that's this me I would rather have my Scarf then the full face winter mask.

bluebuddygirl · Post by **bluebuddygirl** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:38 pm

I have this http://www.rei.com/product/725710/seiru ... -headliner. It is a Seirus Thick-n-Thin, It is thin on top and then is more fleece like around the neck. I LOVE it for use on the scoot because my helmet still fits and my neck is warmer. I didn't buy it at REI, but that was the link I found. I think we found it at Dick's sporting goods. Seirus is a fairly popular brand and you can find it at most bigger stores. Did I say how much I love it.

Another good option is to buy a thin balaclava and a thicker neck gaiter, but those can be harder to find.

To the person who asked about scarves, I do a scarf on top of the balaclava, but by itself there is always a gap and the wind from riding finds that gap or gaps in seconds.

KABarash · Post by **KABarash** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:51 pm

LunaP wrote:Not sure, but I have been wondering this myself. I think to avoid h=visor fogging as much as possible, theoretically we need one that does not cover the mouth.

My issue is fogging my eyeglasses!

LunaP wrote:I got a double layer fleece neckwarmer thing- works great but the top edge won't slide under the helmet, and the bottom edge wouldn't work with the high collar of the Corazzo jacket I returned... we'll see whether it works with the Cortech I'm getting. I think it would have been fine if it hadn't been a double layer.

Try putting your neck warmer thingie on first then closing up your jacket over it and putting your helmet on...

LunaP wrote:But my helmet isn't FF, so my ears and chin are still cold. Makes a balaclava ideal. So, I'll be eagerly following this thread

I wear a 3/4 I put my neck thingie on my head covering my ears, neck, chin and mouth. I try to avoid covering my nose as that will cause me to fog my glasses. Then I put on my helmet and close my jacket.....
I've been wearing one of these, http://www.rangerjoes.com/Spec-Ops-Reco ... P1111.aspx once it started getting below 50* It's also good for filtering dust and etc as my son can attest to as he wore one while he was in Iraq.
Heaver weight fleece or poly-pro takes up too much space in my helmet and I have concerns with it changing the over all 'fit' of the helmet, stretching or compressing its padding.

siobhan · Post by **siobhan** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 4:10 pm

Schampa makes balaclava specifically for the moto market. I picked one up at a show and I like it because it's thin enough to wear comfortably under my helmet, does a decent job of blocking cold wind, and has the seams in places where they don't cause pressure points on my head.

I'll give another thumbs-up to the Cyclone buff. It has Gore Windstopper fabric...that stuff is truly amazing. Air simply does not get through.

Fogging glasses: I have a Respro Foggy that goes over my nose and mouth which channels the air downwards and out of my FF helmet. Another amazing product. It takes some getting used to, especially pulling the helmet on because of how it attaches, but it's worth the minor inconvenience.

beastmaster · Post by **beastmaster** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 4:14 pm

pdxrita wrote:I have an Under Armour balaclava: http://www.amazon.com/Under-Armour-Mens ... B0040ZN5GC

The material is very thin, so it fits under the helmet nicely. I wore this on my coldest ride, 16 degrees, and it performed wonderfully. I wear it pretty much every morning through the winter months; any time the temp drops into the 40s or colder. You can easily tuck it under your chin for days when it's not as cold; you don't have to wear it up over your nose or mouth.

+1 i think im sold

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 4:17 pm

When buying something to be worn under-helmet, keep in mind the seams. A good balaclava made specifically for under-helmet will have flattened seams so they don't dig into your head. For a regular balaclavas this would not be a consideration. Might not be an issue for everyone, but personally, I hate arriving somewhere with those big red lines across my forehead.

LunaP · Post by **LunaP** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 9:36 pm

KABarash wrote:
LunaP wrote:Not sure, but I have been wondering this myself. I think to avoid h=visor fogging as much as possible, theoretically we need one that does not cover the mouth.
My issue is fogging my eyeglasses!

LunaP wrote:I got a double layer fleece neckwarmer thing- works great but the top edge won't slide under the helmet, and the bottom edge wouldn't work with the high collar of the Corazzo jacket I returned... we'll see whether it works with the Cortech I'm getting. I think it would have been fine if it hadn't been a double layer.
Try putting your neck warmer thingie on first then closing up your jacket over it and putting your helmet on...

LunaP wrote:But my helmet isn't FF, so my ears and chin are still cold. Makes a balaclava ideal. So, I'll be eagerly following this thread
I wear a 3/4 I put my neck thingie on my head covering my ears, neck, chin and mouth. I try to avoid covering my nose as that will cause me to fog my glasses. Then I put on my helmet and close my jacket......

I haven't had an issue with fogging my glasses... yet. I tried putting the jacket collar over the neckwarmer, exactly as you described- with my last jacket, this was impossible, the neck closure was too small for my fat neck AND the double layer fleece

I don't put it over my nose- I *know* that would make things fog, and in any case, because it won't slide under the helmet, it won't go that far up my face- it's just too thick :/

Skootz- good point about seams.

Supermach- I love scarves, I have a ton, but for scooting they suck- they don't go under the helmet (have all the same problems as with the neckwarmer) AND they let the wind right through.

I really like the idea of the thick n thin one that bluebuddygirl posted, but again... but I am wary of fogging problems. The dish soap works, but it makes me visor a little blurry and it bugs me.

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 10:15 pm

I have 3 100 % silk ones that ride in my coat pockets. They come from the motorcycle biz. Helmet House, or tourmaster (same thing)...They are super thin and work great. The shampa ones are nice too, although a little bit thicker.

Cotton is JUNK IMO, need to be synthetic or silk

lilguy · Post by **lilguy** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 10:58 pm

I use the Corazzo underhoody and I actually really do like it. It's a balaclava sewn onto a warm, super soft hoody. It fits well under my helmet and my Corazzo jacket.

amy · Post by **amy** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 11:04 pm

I just bought a Seirus one at REI too. Its nice, and my hair still looks great after I take it off, but its too snug with my helmet.

I think I'll return it and get the thinner Under Armour one instead.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 11:28 pm

Because someone had to.

AWinn6889 · Post by **AWinn6889** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 11:49 pm

TVB wrote:

Because someone had to.

...ugh. Hungry now.

LunaP · Post by **LunaP** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 3:52 am

TVB wrote:

Because someone had to.

Wth is that?

Based on this discussion and some reviews, I think I'm ordering a Schampa balaclava, and some silk glove liners by Tourmaster (unless somebody can link me to ones cheaper than ~13 dollars).

EDIT to add- don't go looking for balaclavas on ebay, all you will find are sketchy creepy photos of half naked girls showing off sideboob wearing balaclavas and looking like they walked out of a S&M comic

do not want

beastmaster · Post by **beastmaster** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 4:08 am

a baklava it a greek crispy honey desert , its Delicious ,and who doesnt love a little side boob with there balaclava

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 6:24 am

LunaP wrote:

Based on this discussion and some reviews, I think I'm ordering a Schampa balaclava, and some silk glove liners by Tourmaster (unless somebody can link me to ones cheaper than ~13 dollars).

^^^ Tourmaster...Thank you. Thats the ones I have. They are worth the cash, silk, thin and warm!. Their balaclava i the best ultra thin one I have found ,too. There are other nicer balaclavas, but I wear a xxl helmet so I don't have the extra room

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 6:40 am

LunaP wrote:Based on this discussion and some reviews, I think I'm ordering a Schampa balaclava, and some silk glove liners by Tourmaster (unless somebody can link me to ones cheaper than ~13 dollars).

Here ya go. $7.95
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/ ... clava.aspx

And another one for $5.95
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/3/ ... clava.aspx

They might not be as warm as the Schampa Warmskin though.
http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/ ... clava.aspx

AWinn6889 · Post by **AWinn6889** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 3:17 pm

LunaP wrote:
TVB wrote:

Because someone had to.
Wth is that?

Probably one of the most delicious desserts ever, BAKLAVA!
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/baklava/detail.aspx

LunaP · Post by **LunaP** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 5:25 pm

HAHAHAHA I'm dumb

I'm sorry Skootz, I should have made that statement more clear, I meant glove liners- for some reason the balaclavas are cheaper, the tourmasters are the cheapest/ only liners I have found that specifically say they are silk and have great reviews to boot.

k1dude · Post by **k1dude** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 5:55 pm

You can get silk glove liners for $9.99 here:

http://www.wintersilks.com/viewproduct. ... ove+liners

But shipping at $5.99 isn't cheap.

LunaP · Post by **LunaP** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 6:18 pm

k1dude wrote:You can get silk glove liners for $9.99 here:

http://www.wintersilks.com/viewproduct. ... ove+liners

But shipping at $5.99 isn't cheap.

No but silk sock liners are damn tempting (I hate wool and my mum is HIGHLY allergic). I bet adding to the order wouldn't make shipping go up that much. Hmmmmmmmm

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Tue Nov 01, 2011 7:19 pm

LunaP wrote:HAHAHAHA I'm dumb

I'm sorry Skootz, I should have made that statement more clear, I meant glove liners- for some reason the balaclavas are cheaper, the tourmasters are the cheapest/ only liners I have found that specifically say they are silk and have great reviews to boot.

^^^ The tourmaster are GREAT..THIN comfy and warm, they are well made too.

And When I hunt and its extremely cold I do silk sock liners under the wool, no itch AND warm and toasty!

Tocsik · Post by **Tocsik** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 1:56 am

I have the Arctiva Windblock.

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/1/ ... clava.aspx

Comes in 2 sizes so you can get a better fit. Love it.
It might be a little thick for some folks but I've never had a problem with my helmet liner foam re-expanding after cold weather season.

viennacoup · Post by **viennacoup** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 4:21 am

I just got a very nice balaclava at Costco for 9.95.

I like it.

Uncle Groucho · Post by **Uncle Groucho** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 6:21 pm

REI has been getting a lot more money out of me the last few weeks with 34 degree mornings.

+1 on the Seirus fleece masque but it makes my glasses fog like a mutha...

Fortunately I can yank it down at red lights to let things clear up before I move again and pop it back in to place. $18 and I'm sure to get a few years out of it.

Uncle Groucho · Post by **Uncle Groucho** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 6:25 pm

REI has been getting a lot more money out of me the last few weeks with 34 degree mornings.

+1 on the Seirus fleece masque but it makes my glasses fog like a mutha...

Fortunately I can yank it down at red lights to let things clear up before I move again and pop it back in to place. $18 and I'm sure to get a few years out of it.

viney266 · Post by **viney266** » Wed Nov 02, 2011 9:09 pm

^^^ Learn to "control" your breathing.Breathe down if you know what I mean, and only through your mouth and down at the lights. See if it helps

Also, pick up some slipstreamer polish at your local bike shop. Best antifog spray on cleaner I"ve used. Lasts a week or 2.