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Imported.
Item 769694
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Reviewed by 3 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-3
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Outdoor Research Gorilla Balaclava:
I've tried three different balaclavas and they all seem to accumulate too much moisture and aren't adjustable enough to be comfortable. The face mask on this one tents well even when skiing down the hill at full speed so you don't have a wet cloth always sticking to your face all day. It also breaths well, blocks wind, sheds water and dries quickly. I use it for skiing, snowshoeing, climbing 14ers and anytime I plan to be in cold wet weather. It took me a while to learn how to properly adjust the various Velcro strips, but now that I have been using it for a while I wouldn't go with anything else. I may even buy a second one just to make sure I have a replacement when the time comes. It would be nice if it didn't rely so heavily on Velcro which wears out and looks weird, but it is effective and I haven't found any other balaclava that is more adjustable. I would recommend that you try one of these on before purchasing though. I used the online sizing guidelines to order one, but had to exchange it in an REI store for one size smaller to get the right fit.
Service and delivery comments:
I purchased this item in an REI store.
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Outdoor Research Gorilla Balaclava:
Most of the time you will never use this piece, but when the weather turns mean it is your ticket to saving your face from the brutality of the elements. It is designed to be used with goggles, for full frontal face coverage. The breathing vent will ice up on you, and so far there is no design on the market that I am aware of that gets around this reality. But the beauty of the Gorilla is the fact that it has a detachable face cover that you can Velcro off and warm up under your armpit whenever you take a break. The ideal situation would be to have two of these detachable pieces, of course, but that would mean buying two of them
Pros
Cons
Best Uses
Comments about Outdoor Research Gorilla Balaclava:
I brought one of these down to the interior of Antarctica about 10 years ago. It was warm then, and 10 years later I still love it. Its thin enough that I can wear a hat for extra warmth when needed. It packs down really small, so I carry it for emergency cold weather gear when I'm backpacking. Its also great on the bike when commuting in cold weather. I lost the piece that covers the mouth and nose a while ago and never missed it. I supposed that piece is about the only weakness of the design. I also like that it can be warn in a variety of ways with the Velcro adjustment.
Displaying reviews 1-3
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