How To Select A Best Face Mask For Adventure skiing?

by Mark Doner Best Balaclavas

Snowboarders are not attached to the weather and ride in a variety of conditions. The mountains higher, the more extreme the conditions, and the more often they change. When you fly from the mountain, a counter flow of cold air burns a face unprotected by a mask. As a result - frostbite, peeling and just not comfortable skating. And there are also falls, which cause not too pleasant contact of the face with snow.

To protect the face from the icy wind and to isolate it from snow, lovers of the snow slopes took over from the special services and the military a thing like a balaclava - A best face mask for skiing completely covering the lower part of the fact that the mask does not cover. Border in the balaclava looks cool, so the balaclava quickly became part of the style.

Therefore, the market is flooded with a huge number of a variety of balaclava, from Chinese trash to quite convenient things. The main thing that you need to remember when choosing a balaclava, this thing is chosen strictly individually, what you like, may not like your friend. And it is also essential to take care of buying a balaclava in advance, and not in place after frostbite of the nose.

Material of the balaclava

A cheap balaclava is made of fleece, acrylic or cotton. In balaclavas, fine synthetic and light neoprene are more expensive.

The most effective balaclava with combined structures: the part that is on the neck, deliberately makes it warmer, and where air penetration is required when breathing, make inserts from air-permeable and quick-drying tissues, or make special slots for ventilation.

Types of balaclava or Face masks

Now let's see what kinds of balaclava or face mask you can find in sports stores and board shops. From such a variety everyone can find a comfortable and cozy balaclava. The main thing is not to forget that fitting balaclava before buying is mandatory.

Balaclava Scarf

The most common type of balaclava that you will meet in any snowboard shop. This balaclava is a wide closed scarf with the possibility of fixing it in a face lifted to the face under the mask. When you feel warm, you can lower this balaclava around your neck, and when the wind blows or you start the descent, just pull it on your face and fix it. Usually, it is made of thin cotton, sometimes of fleece, which provides more heat to the face of the rider.

Since a balaclava scarf does not need a dimension row, it has become very popular. Because of the simple design, various drawings began to be made on it, and now 3D images are applied to the balaclava-scarves. So do not be alarmed if on the mountain a border with tiger fangs or a skull is suitable for you, the balaclava has long become a part of style and a way of self-expression. If from a variety of cool pictures balaclavas-scarves are in the lead, the cotton fabric quickly gets wet from the breath and dries long, so it can not be called comfortable. This Balaclava is suitable for short-term skiing in sparing conditions and, of course, self-expression among friends.

Balaclava Kerchief

It is a triangle, one corner of which covers the neck, and the other two are fixed behind the neck with Velcro. This balaclava usually consists of several inserts: where it covers the neck, use fleece, and where it is necessary to breathe - a light, breathable synthetic thermal cloth. Balaclava-kerchief is comfortable to wear, carry, slip around and take off.

Less - even thermo-cloth becomes wet from breathing after several hours spent in it. And since the wet cloth is close to the face, the cold is felt much more strongly. We have to look for a cafe and dry the balaclava on the battery. True, it dries quickly, 5-10 minutes is enough. If you crookedly fasten the Velcro from the back, it will rub your neck.

Balaclava-kerchief is suitable for use as a scarf in good weather, riding in bad weather provided that you have where to dry it from time to time.

Face Masks or Balaclava

This type of was copied from the balaclava of the firemen, tankmen, motorcyclists and the like. Balaclava-mask is well-known in films about bandits, where a balaclava is worn on the head as a stocking, in which are made slits for the eyes, nose and mouth. In snowboard masked balaclava, one large hole is made for the eyes, nose and mouth. Based on weather conditions, the rider decides whether to lower it under his chin, open his face, pull under his nose or leave only his eyes. Often such a balaclava serves as a balaclava.

They make balaclava masks from everything: acrylic, cotton, wool, synthetic and fleece. Acrylic, cotton, and wool are best not to take, as they absorb moisture and dry for a long time. Not bad options can be found from fleece and synthetic, pleasant to the touch. Take care that in the area of the nose and mouth, the balaclavas have an insert of air-permeable material.

Depending on materials, construction, and convenience, balaclava masks can be suitable for long wheelchairs in all weather conditions. However, do not expect that a cheap fleece balaclava will bring you maximum heat. Also, it is the balaclava masks that make head turns more difficult, so not every rider is suitable.

Neoprene balaclava Face Masks

The most advanced type of balaclava, at the moment the decisive maximum of problems. It is a half-mask to the line of eyes, made of neoprene foam, capable of holding a form that isolates the face from the effects of the environment. Such material is used only in the face area, on the neck, it passes into a synthetic fabric and is fixed behind the neck with Velcro, or passes into a balaclava mask.

Due to the excellent insulation properties of neoprene, the face does not feel any gusts of wind, nor frost, nor snow, while the skin does not sweat and breathes well. In the neoprene balaclavas, breathing inserts are not made, but special ventilation holes are cut through which the wind does not blow, breathing and talking through them is much easier. Since the balaclava has its shape and does not press against the face, the problem of wet tissue simply does not exist. Thanks to neoprene, this balaclava does not fall off, and if it's warm, you can turn it out from the inside out, bend it in half and run off to the jacket. It is in such balaclavas that you can ride for a long time in any blizzard and do not feel uncomfortable because everything outside is not your concern. The only negative - they do not look very nice, but here you have to choose between the steep and really comfortable

Therefore, do not be lazy to explore the online store of Balaclava, try all kinds of balaclava and buy yourself the one that suits you best, given the material and nature of the ride. And when the snowfall suddenly starts, you do not have to leave the slope because of the wind and cold: just pull your balaclava and roll with pleasure.