REI Co-op  Power Wool Balaclava

Great hat for warmth. Ive been using it in my predawn hikes and after dinner hikes. The temps have been in the low 20's with wind chills below 10. Keeps my head warm and my air isnt sweaty when i remove it. Thats a big plus in the cold. Only down side is that it doesn’t have holes in the mouth are for breath to escape. I wear a clear lense face shield so that the wind stays out of my eyes. When the breath escapes it goes up amd under the glasses. I would recommend this but just be aware of this one issue if you wear glasses.

Purchased this in store. Saw it had wool and bought it. I love wool. This has a great fit and looks really nice. Nice and long to protect the neck. As with all balaclavas it depends on what you wearing over your it. Ski helmet, 4 wheeling helmet, beanie etc. This one is fairly thin but has a nice “fleece” inside. Brushed wool? Not quite as warm as my serious polar fleece, it’s a bit thicker. Took on a ski trip and wore under my helmet. 10-15 degrees F. 10-20 wind chill. Got a bit cold in the face so put on my serious polar fleece and was fine. I definitely recommend for the great fit. As for warmth I’d rate about 2-3 out of 5.

I bought this to help keep me warm on a 7 day hike in west Texas in December. My old balaclava was getting worn out and was too thin to keep me warm at night in my sleeping bag. This balaclava was reasonably priced and worked great. It fit me very well and was very comfortable for both sleeping or wearing while hiking. I found I could even supplement it with a wool cap, wearing it inside or outside the balaclava, for the several mornings when it was in the low 20's. I could even roll up the bottom part to make a cap as I warmed up while hiking in the mornings. Yes, it will get wet from condensation if you pull the bottom up over your mouth or nose, but I have yet to see any balaclava that won't.

Received this today and tried it on. Love the material, seems to be well made. The fit around my head, nose and mouth is ok. For that portion I gave 2 stars. BUT… this balaclava is WAY too short in the neck. With it properly fitted on my head, my entire neck is exposed. The neck part of the balaclava doesn’t even touch my neck or shoulders anywhere, front, sides or back. This needs to be at least 6 inches longer to be minimally functional. So I probably won’t be able to use it, too short to be of any use. I have been an REI member for a long time and am usually very satisfied with their gear but this piece is a fail. It’s probably not worth the time or effort to return it. I’m thinking maybe I can find a neck gaiter and sew it on the bottom of this thing. Will see how that goes.

Just spent five days skiing Whistler in a range of conditions....cold, snowy, very cold and the moisture wicking and fast drying was phenomenal! Also, when we went in on our late lunch, I could quickly dry the mouth on our coldest days with the hand dryer in the bathroom. Very comfortable to wear. Bought one for myself and my son. Now buying one for my jealous husband. Best pick to add to your ski gear arsenal. Make these in more colors please REI! This is a hit item and so reasonably priced.

I was looking for something to wear during a recent winter backpacking trip. This fit the bill! I wore it at night when temps dropped into the low 30's, while I slept, and the next morning when the wind really picked up (I added a light wool hat in the morning to up the insulation). I wear glasses and it fit over them pretty well. The material is also super soft!

Wore this while camping in 15 degrees (F), snow, and sustained 30 mph winds. Kept my face, neck, and head warm. After a few hours the mouth area was damp from talking, but I pulled the mouth area down below my chin for about 30 minutes, and it dried quickly. Not too tight on my nose either. Comfortable enough to sleep in.

This is a great balaclava. It fits both my big head and my fiancee's smaller one. Comfortable material, not itchy, quite warm. Easy to adjust position on nose/face and it stays still. Resistant to bad odors (read: your own stinky breath). I've used it skiing (xc and downhill) and just walking around in the cold. Thumbs up all around.

This balaclava fit me the best of all the numerous models carried by REI. Others were too tight (one-size-fits-all). Wool makes this a warm head cover with yet thin enough to fit under bike helmet. I've worn this on days with below zero wind chills and been comfortable.

All I hoped. Love the double seam (as opposed to single seam which left a red mark on forehead under bike helmet). Have worn it twice biking. Length good as if fits under jacket collar far enough. Soft and warm in 30º weather. Look forward to colder biking to come.