Fleece vs. Neoprene balaclava for cold day

[MaineSkiLady]

Neoprene I think would be my last option for using under a ski helme

It doesn't actually go under helmet - it's more of a mask kind of deal. Can be a make-or-break-day kind of item....

We had a long weekend trip there this April, it was bitterly cold!

We had a good April up here. Wish I'd known - would have been glad to meet up with you. My favorite month, and I generally ski more days in April than any other winter month.

 

[Xinga]

I almost always wear a really thin balaclava, and carry another in my pocket. If it's wet I can swap them, and if it's super cold, I wear both of them.
I have a new half buff to try this season... Haven't decided how to get it in the mix yet.

 

[Gloria]

It doesn't actually go under helmet - it's more of a mask kind of deal. Can be a make-or-break-day kind of item....
.

OP is asking about balaclava which they do make. I owned a neoprene face mask 25 years ago or so - I personally think neoprene is an old school solution with the newer fabrics though so you don't see much beyond the face masks anymore. Neoprene is designed to trap a layer of water next to your skin that warms from your body heat and then the neoprene insulates the water layer and keeps it warm. It was a decent solution before we had windproof polartecs etc but now that we have those I would rather have something that breathes better, drys faster and is easier to wash myself.

 

[maggie198]

We had a good April up here. Wish I'd known - would have been glad to meet up with you. My favorite month, and I generally ski more days in April than any other winter month.

It was a rather unexpected, unplanned trip! I had thought of trying to contact you, but didn't have access to a computer in the condo we were in (no internet on phone either). I was looking around, wondering, "could that be MSL? How about that lady - MSL?" Thought of yelling out, "is MaineSkiLady here? Lol...

I too would ski more days in April, than any other month, if I skied Sugarloaf regularly. I like the mountain and the terrain, but the cold and wind - you need to be pretty stoic up there! Sugarloaf and Jay, love them from March onward.

 

[BethL]

I'm a big fan, on snow days, of bringing a second face thing in my pocket for after lunch. Otherwise, after you take the thing off, it is just so miserably cold and wet putting it back on again.

My kids (ages 6 and 9) do this on cold days too. They ski with a group part of the season, and they'll change their balaclava at lunch without a reminder from me.

 

[Inoffensive Nickname]

My gear bag looks like a lost and found. I keep extra gloves, masks, hats, goggles, poles, etc that I pick up during season end sales. I agree with everyone else that wet gear is miserable after a warm-up break. I think out of every head/face/neck warming doodad that I own, I prefer my Seirus balaclava that's thin enough on the cap part to go under my helmet and polar fleece on the gaiter part, so when it's colder out, I pull it up over my face more.

 

[Ringrat]

I always wear a Turtlefur skullcap under my helmet, as my helmet is sized to have it there. For necks, it's usually:

Nothing, down to about -5
Thin synthetic buff-type thing down to about -10 to -15 (Full review)
Fleece neck gaiter (MEC Kids Neck Gaiter, so it's small and not too bulky in my collar) below that (Full review).

That was always sufficient for me down to about -35, though usually when it's that cold I take 2 breaks in a day instead of the usual 1. I dry out the fleece neck gaiter under the dryer in the bathroom at lunch.

Last year I got a Seirus balaclava/mask thing that is both a skullcap and covers the back of my neck and has a neoprene mask (fuzzy inside) with a nostril hole and breathing holes. That was nice for staying in place while I was skiing (my neck gaiter slips down), but seemed colder while skiing. Mixed feelings (Full review).

In short, I think I like fleece better.

 

[ZealouslyB]

I wear a buff or, on exceptionally cold days, a wool scarf. I can't do neoprene, it gets so cold and wet and nasty. My Buff and wool scarf dry super fast when taken off during a stop in the lodge.

BTW Buff lovers, they now make a wool Buff!!! Saw them at LL Bean

 

[bounceswoosh]

BTW Buff lovers, they now make a wool Buff!!! Saw them at LL Bean

Orly ....

 

[DanniAB]

I found a "thermal buff" with a polyester & a fleece lining sewn on 1 side together. Seems like a combo of what everyone likes the best. Maybe I'll skip the neoprene for now. Thanks for your opinions everyone!!

 

[Blondeinabmw]

I am intrigued by the idea of icebreaker flexi chute. I have an extra long turtle fur neck gaiter that is warm for about 15 minutes then gets pretty soaked. I typically flip/reverse it a few times a day. But it grosses me out. Wondering if the icebreaker is warm enough. It looks nice and long, which is what I like about the long turtle fur because I can pull it up to the crown of my head and under my chin, then up over my nose on the lift. Does the icebreaker or other wool gaiters stretch out a lot?

 

[bounceswoosh]

I used a smartwool gaiter for several years without any stretch. It is just a tiny bit more abrasive than fleece, so I ended up with a chapped chin every day, but other than that very nice. These days I wear Buffs bandannas, and swap at lunch if it's a snowy day.

 

[litterbug]

Sorry, deleted an unfinished hopelessly rambling post.

 

[2ski2moro]

I got frost bite a few years ago, so I try to be very careful now. A Buff just doesn't do it for me.

Most days I wear a fleece, but on very cold days I need something more. This past season I found this and it's great:

https://www.facesavermask.com

Anyway, it looks kind of weird, but it covers up most of your face -- except for your mouth -- so you don't get the condensation problems you get with conventional face masks. I wear a neck gaiter as well, and I really stay warm.

I had a look at the website and the concept is interesting.

I wish someone out here carried it so I could try it on before I buy.

My problem with a neoprene mask is that it never really fit my face well, leading to air gaps that made it colder than just with a Turtle Fur. The cheek size with a fleece looks interesting.

 

[Jilly]

There used to be a similar type of one you could buy at Tremblant. Company went under and I never was able to get one. I loved the idea that your mouth was open, but your nose was covered. Like 2ski, I would like to try one on first.

 

[bounceswoosh]

I had a white spot on my nose Sunday afternoon. I decided that moment that I would buy a nozewarmer - but - the site is down! In fact, doesn't resolve at all. Are they out of business?

It's this fleece strip that velcroes to the goggles.

 

[altagirl]

I had a white spot on my nose Sunday afternoon. I decided that moment that I would buy a nozewarmer - but - the site is down! In fact, doesn't resolve at all. Are they out of business?

It's this fleece strip that velcroes to the goggles.

I bought my first one, but have made several since. Just go buy a little square of fleece, cut it so it covers nose and cheeks. Buy a piece of velcro with the self adhesive on the back and cut a narrow strip so you can attach to your goggles. Voila!

Seriously, that's all they are. Just make it.

 

[altagirl]

I started making them because once I tried it, I wanted one in each jacket pocket just in case. Same scenario you went through. Don't need frostbite, even very minor, on my cheeks and nose again.

 

[Xinga]

The NozeWarmer.com version is neoprene, BTW, and not fleece.

 

[bounceswoosh]

The NozeWarmer.com version is neoprene, BTW, and not fleece.

My DNS is not resolving Nozewarmer.com =/