Customer Reviews Smartwool Balaclava

I've been using this product almost every day for years. Originally to mitigate wind irritation while riding my bike, and now I wear it casually as an added layer to my face mask. I've worn it in every season; when people ask if it makes me too hot, I tell them it insulates and breathes. In foggy weather, it would build up condensation over the mouth, but with my facemask on, the condensation goes to the sides. Not only does it comfortably prevent my facemask from slipping, it does a great job of keeping hair out of my eyes and reminding me to not touch my face. In general, I just feel more comfortable and confident with it on. To quote Wesley, from Princess Bride "It's just that masks are terribly comfortable. I think everybody will be wearing them in the future."

Came on time. It's my go to wear when I cycle in the winter time. Helmet goes on top of it so goes through some harsh service. I had one from 2012 that finally wore out. I replaced it.I have 5 or 6 of them. Maybe I'll get another.

Light weight protection from the cold. Can wear additional head protection without knowing you have it on. Washable.

Great for biking in cold weather. Not bulky under helmet- Thanks!

Warm & comfortable! Excellent for hiking in the winter here in Utah. Wash & dry really well

Keeps my head warm when when I am biking in the winter. Can adjust to cover my mouth and nose if it is really cold.

skiing as a covid mask for waiting in chairlift line perfect thickness dosnt get wet breathing into the wool unlike neck gaiters plus it will work great on cold windy days keeping wind out of neck area front and back well made

I purchased this balaclava as a layering piece for running in colder weather. It's very well made and light weight. Feels great next to my bald noggin, and is capable of being worn in several different ways, from neck gaiter to full face balaclava. I'm running in the low 30's with this beneath the hood of an R1, and sometimes a beanie atop that and it's really comfortable and warm.

I've been wearing this for morning walks fitted over my mask, and with a headband over it. Snug plus I can still hear the birds! Ii is soft, light, and doesn't itch!

Well, we have reached the end of the ski season, so my new balaclava will have to wait until next year to get used. The quality of this item is high, and it is comfortable to wear, unlike any synthetic balaclava I have used. I switched to a Smartwool balaclava after using a neck warmer that was warmer, more comfortable, and more high breathable than synthetics - a great combination of functionality and tough to beat.

Use two (2) Underneath porous helmet. Keeps Head,neck, chin, face Warm. Sweat but ok. Wear w shades. Tight fit. Not bulky . Light. Covers lips and nose...avoid wind or sun burn. easy wash. Roll up put in rear pocket or Pull into neck Gaiter. Wear all winter. Mashes hair. Does job Does not itch.

I have an average-size head, thick hair, and a long neck, and it fits me perfectly. Thin but very warm. Fits nicely under a hood and keeps my neck and face warm on the coldest days.

Another gift to hubby! He fell in love with the warmth this gives his bald head during the coldest days. Yay!

Soft, warm and thin (fits nicely under my snowboard helmet).

My son rides his bike to work every day regardless of weather in Minneapolis MN. I bought the balaclava for him to wear and hopefully it will ease my mind regarding his health!!! You know, mothers always worry!

Excellent product for skiing in cold weather

I ordered this for my recent ski trip to Utah to wear under my helmet. It was comfortable and served as a great base layer.

Originally bought this for my son to wear during marching band at the Santa Parade in Peoria Illinois. 12 below windchill. It was great. So I bought one for myself to wear when walking in to work from the parking lot

This is a great balaclava- it fits comfortably under my helmet and keeps me extra warm on cold days. The seams lay fat and are comfortable.

Love this balaclava! I bought it a couple years ago, and don't know how I lived without it. I live in USDA zone 4, where it gets down to -25F in winter. Mainly use it for trail-hiking and snowblowing on cold winter days when a single hat and scarf layer isn't warm enough. I wear it as a base-layer, underneath a wool hat and neck gaiter. This balaclava is high quality, in design and construction. Generous in size, even fits my husband's big head, and the neck length is excellent. Good quality merino fabric, a smooth durable knit. Note that it's not wind-proof. As another reviewer mentioned, the material is too thin to wear on its own in cold weather. I prefer the thin material, as it dries fast, fits underneath a hat, and is easy to breathe through without creating a thick breath-vapor-ice-block (if you hike in the cold you know what I'm talking about). It's comfortable to wear, and seams are in non-irritating locations. Has held up fine through a few washings (machine wash and line dry), with no shrinkage. The style can be described with one word: Ninja. The reason I'm writing a review is, my husband stole my balaclava. I let him wear it "just once" on his walk to work, and now he won't give it back. So I ordered another one directly from the Smartwool website. It arrived fast, in perfect condition, and is the same exact excellent balaclava as my old one. Woohoo!

This is a standard part of my winter fishing gear. It allows me to either wear a baseball style cap over it to help keep the sun out of my eyes, or on those very cold days a knit hat on top. It fits well and I like it enough to have bought 3 of them. 1 for work, 1 for home, and one in case I loose one.

Awesome. Just the right fit and weight material. Super comfortable.

The wind in winter is really bitter. That is necessary to take care of your face and head. With this face mask, it totally fine when I walk in the winter night with cold wind. But maybe it needs more design to prevent the hot air from my nose and mouth to make my glasses foggy in winter.

Great balaclava for cold ski days. Just wish the face hole didn't stretch out so quickly. It was perfect when I first put it on, but after one use the hole was stretched out and less form-fitting.

I bought this to help my face from getting so cold when walking my dogs and it accomplishes that objective. Further, it works reasonably well when wearing my glasses. This balaclava was the only one I could find that is made of wool. Most of the others out there are polyester based and contain no wool. I would have given this balaclava 5 stars but I think it is a bit pricey for what you get. I haven't washed it yet but the garment tag states it can be washed in your washing machine.