The Montbell Down Balaclava is insulated with 800 fill energy down and can be utilized to reinforce an insulated jacket or as part of a backpacking quilt sleep system. Weighing 3.1 oz (87 grams) it’s a extremely adjustable piece of headgear with two rear quantity adjusters, two elastic cords to manage the scale of the face opening, and three snaps that shut over the face and neck. In contrast to a fleece balaclava, it extends properly beneath the neck to cowl your higher chest and neck, offering seamless integration with hoodless jackets and quilt draft collars.
Specs at a Look
- Weight 3.1 oz (87 g)
- Fill weight: 1.1 oz (30 g)
- Insulation: 800 fill energy down
- Building: Sewn-through
- Cloth: 10-denier rip-stop nylon
There are two fundamental methods to make use of the Montbell Down Balaclava. The primary is to reinforce a hoodless jacket and the second is to reinforce your sleep insulation system, akin to a sleeping bag or backpacking quilt. Each of these situations are facilitated by the balaclava’s neck which covers the complete neck in addition to the highest of your shoulders and chest. This ensures a decent seal between the neck of a jacket or the draft collar of an ultralight backpacking quilt. It may well additionally act like a draft collar in case you have a quilt that doesn’t have one to stop warmth loss round your neck.
I desire sporting a hoodless insulated jacket in three-season climate as a result of it layers higher with a light-weight rain jacket than a hooded insulated jacket. There are occasions although once I do want I had extra head heat and a garment just like the Montbell Down Balaclava may serve that operate. I additionally like the additional down within the neck space and higher shoulder areas as a result of it’s even higher insulated than a few of the hooded down jackets I exploit. There’s a number of blood flowing close to the pores and skin of your neck and protecting it well-insulated is without doubt one of the keys to staying heat. I usually carry an insulated Polar Buff for simply this function.
The Montbell Down Balaclava can be properly suited to sleeping insulation with a down quilt as a result of it’s so adjustable, with a number of methods to regulate the inside quantity and protection it supplies. I’ve a small head, so this is a matter that I’m conscious about. However do you really want a down hood when sleeping with a quilt? Corporations like Enlightened Tools and Therm-a-Relaxation base the temperature rankings they assign their quilts on that assumption (see Backpacking Quilt Temperature Rankings). In addition they assume that you just’ll be sporting lengthy underwear and sleeping on a pad that has an R-value of at the least 5. So for those who’ve been chilly in a quilt, which will clarify why.
There are two methods to regulate the inside quantity of the balaclava, each on its rear. The primary is a velcro tab that controls the place of the panel over your brow with the Montbell emblem stenciled on it. You’ll be able to increase or decrease it relying on how a lot visibility or brow insulation you need. There’s additionally an elastic wire that you would be able to lock in place with a wire lock. It controls the scale of the hood’s crown, simply above the ears, so you possibly can forestall drafts from blowing into the hood’s sides. There are additionally two elastic cords on both aspect of the face opening. These allow you to management the scale of the opening and the way a lot cheek protection you need.
Comparable Insulated Hoods
Advice
The Montbell Down Balaclava is a extremely adjustable down hood that can be utilized with a hoodless jacket or a backpacking quilt. It’s amazingly heat and suitable with all head sizes and hairdos. Whereas it may be used to reinforce a hoodless jacket, it does really feel a bit of awkward to put on for those who’re lively and climbing onerous. I desire sporting a down hat or fleece balaclava in these circumstance. However my favourite method to make use of the Montbell Down Balaclava is with a backpacking quilt as a result of it boosts my heat and received’t come off at night time if I trash round. I particularly like the way in which that the lengthy, wraparound neck and higher chest insulation complement the quilts and hoodless sleeping luggage I personal. Should you’re pulling collectively an ultralight, quilt-based sleep system, I can strongly suggest utilizing the Montbell Down Balaclava for that function. It’s additionally fairly priced, well-constructed, and available.
Disclosure: Montbell donateda pattern garment for this evaluation
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