I purchased the Smartwool Balaclava on a whim before I headed out to hike the crags one wintry afternoon. I had read about this head warmer in the past and was curious to see if it was as good as some of the other Smartwool products. I love their socks so much that they are the only brand I buy anymore, so when the opportunity arrived to buy this I made little hesitation.
The first day I used the balaclava from Smartwool it was about 25 degrees outside and there was a storm rolling in. My first impression was that the balaclava was a little small for an adult head. I personally have a rather small head, regardless the material still pulled sharply at the back of my neck. However after a little manual stretching it seems to give and when I tried it on again it felt much better. I also noticed that the material is a little thin and this seems to be one of the downsides to choosing smarwools balaclava over some of the competitors. Although despite the thickness it did do a fair job of keeping my face warm. Unfortunately It was not warm enough to keep the top of head from getting cold, so I had to wear a beanie as well.
The merino wool that this product is made from is very soft and a joy to wear against the skin. The order repelling properties also make it a very desirable option, but the fact that it’s just not as warm as it could be means that this product falls into a very niche area. I think it will be handy for me to keep in my day hiking bag do to the fact that it is very light weight and takes up a very small amount of space. That said, I will likely opte for a different balaclava when I am looking to bring a single head covering that is warm enough to do it all.
So, in summary. The Smartwool balaclava is made from some of the most exciting material available for performance clothing, but unfortunately it is a tad on the small side and not quite as warm as it could be. That said I would suggest this to anyone looking for a small light weight face and neck wrap so long as they are fine with carrying addition head protection to make up for its med-low insulating value.
I am pleased with my new REI soft-shell windproof jacket. It’s a thin layer but after moving around, it is enough to warm you up, and it also allows you to move around at ease. I like how it doesn’t get in the way especially with my backpack on. One time, I’ve forgotten to bring my hat to cover my ears, so I used my hood which was enough to keep my head and ears warm!