Smartwool Merino 250 Balaclava
For cold, windy days, don't forget to cover the exposed bits of your face. The Smartwool Merino 250 balaclava helps keep your face warm while still enabling good peripheral vision.
- Soft merino wool knit insulates, breathes well and resists odors—naturally
- Single-layer interlock knit construction creates a comfortable, functional fit
Imported.
View the Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino Product LineView all Smartwool Men's Balaclavas| Best Use | Snowsports |
|---|---|
| Fabric | Merino wool |
| Moisture Wicking | Yes |
| Quick Drying | Yes |
| Gender | Unisex |
| Sustainability | Contains ZQ merino wool |
| One Size | |
|---|---|
| Head Circumference | 21.5 - 23.5 |
Sizing Notes
Measurements are stated in inches.
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Great balaclava for the cold!
I love to winter hike and snowshoe...and I'm always froze. I really need to bundle up to keep warm. Stuffing my face down in my jacket or wrapping a scarf around my face was getting old, so I did some research and ordered this balaclava. I love it! It's all wool (which does rub your face a bit but isn't enough so to drop a star) and it keeps my face/nose VERY warm. When I get too warm, I can slip the face portion down under my chin and it stays there. It also stays up on my mouth nose the whole time - it doesn't ride down. I can't get over how warm it keeps me versus how lightweight it is. This is a piece of gear that I'm very glad to have.
Quality and warmth in mid-30s temps
Agree the SmartWool balaclava is perfect for cool-weather cycling - I bought my first one over a year ago after trying several other products - this was by far the best! Fits under cycling helmet, and adds a nice layer of warmth cycling in weather 35-60 degrees. Still allows ventilation and when really cold can pull up over my chin. Just bought 2nd one on sale, and this morning doubled them up in 35 degree weather, then rode home with only one balaclava since the weather warmed slightly. Never stinks, dries quickly, and stuffs easily into pocket when not needed.
Comfortable and warm
I originally bought this for cycling but used it on a recent hiking trip. It was warm and comfortable. I even slept in it since I like keeping my head outside the bag, even on cold nights. My only compliant is that the wool doesn't recover as quickly as synthetics when you stretch it. For example, many times I would keep the front panel material tucked under my chin instead of over my nose. When I finally decided to go back to having my nose covered, the material was stretched out (obviously). It eventually recovers though.
Comfortable but cut night right for my head shape
Nice material, fit not right for my noggin compared to other balaclavas I own that offer less comfortable feel vs. fine merino, but greater warmth and the shape of the opening fits me better. To be exact, the cheaper ones I own have a seam for the nose/mouth covering that is separate (overlapped) from the overhead covering, so you can comfortable open the nose/mouth while retaining the head section; or vice-versa. This cut is really one integrated design so you really have to pull down the head cover to relieve the chin pressure if you want to lower the nose/mouth.
Surprisingly Warm for its Weight
Just over a year ago I purchased a Smartwool headband for running during cold weather. I discovered the headband worked great for my daily bicyle commute to work, but I really needed something warmer for colder days. I liked my Smartwool headband so much, I decided to try the Smartwool balaclava. This balaclava is wonderful. It is very thin which works great for cycling as it easily fits under my helmet. It is surprisingly warm considering how thin it is. One morning this week was 23 degrees, and this balaclava kept my head and ears warm, and I am not a warm-natured person. I use this balaclava for commuting when the temperature drops below the low 40s. I use my Smartwool headband for temperatures in the mid-40s to low 50s. The low 20s is the coldest I have ever ridden with this balaclava, but I believe it would be comfortable into at least the low teens.
Warm nose
This balaclava was purchased to wear during any unusually cold nights spent outside during a month of travel by campervan in the south island of New Zealand's winter. Honestly I could have done without bringing this for my trip. That is not to fault the product, it just never got cold enough to justify wearing it. The times it did get worn were for sleeping outside when it got down slightly below freezing, in those cases it was worth it. Pack size really is irrelevant because this product can be rolled down to just about the size of a pill bottle. In the future I would leave this at home however unless routinely expecting to sleep when it is down WELL below freezing and/or near freezing temps with wind blowing right in my face.
Great Balaclava - just what I needed
I purchased this balaclava to use while riding my bicycle in weather in below freezing (32F) temperatures. It is light enough to easily fit under my helmet and provides just the right level of protection from the wind that I need. I've also used it while shoveling snow and it is just the right thickness to provide protection while not being too heavy while doing moderate physical activity. One of those purchases that after I got it I kept thinking, "why didn't I get this sooner?"
A Little Loose But Does The Job
I picked up this balaclava to replace a light weight helmet liner I had been using as protection for twenty to fifty degree days when cycling seven miles to and from work. I needed something that would be warm while also fitting under a cycling helmet. I chose SmartWool as a brand because I use their socks and the fabric feels great while doing all of the things a wool fabric is meant to do. Overall, the balaclava feels good. It slips on just fine, has plenty of lenght to cover the neck, and fits under my helmet nicely. However, the opening was loose on my face. I'd like it to be a little bit more snug and snappy when I pull it up over my nose. Also, I'm not crazy about the seam that runs down the middle of the front of the balaclava. My previous piece had this short-coming and frayed threads right where my mouth met the fabric were annoying. I'm hoping I don't run into that occurance. I ordered the balaclava through the REI site, as the local outlet was sould out. I'd reccomend trying one on before deciding if it's right for you. I still give the item four stars for warmth and weight.
Very warm but gets wet in front
This has kept me warm on winter bike rides and ski days and fits nicely under both my ski and bike helmet. What I don't like is if I am wearing it over my mouth/nose, it gets wet from the condensation of my breathing. On a snowy ski day, this became annoying and I didn't like the way the wetness felt against my mouth. I have this in pink so it is quite noticeable. Not the biggest complaint but I'll be looking for one that is a different material. I would use it in dry weather only.
Poor quality, doesn't stay up on the face
I was excited to use this as I love all smartwool products, but this one was disappointing to say the least. I used it for a full day of skiing and was constantly adjusting it. The face hole is too large for this to sit snugly against the nose, the front of the mask gets very wet and collects moisture. And worst of all, it developed a hole in the fabric after ONE DAY of use! Would not recommend