Innovation Polartec Ultra Clava

After many winters and many balaclavas, I finally found one that does it all in the most extreme cold!I took this balaclava out today at -4°F and 15MPH winds for over two hours. With goggles and a bicycle helmet I enjoyed excellent breathing (even under heavy exertion) and NO GOGGLE FOGGING/ICING! I'm only one person but this is the first product I have tried that kept my head warm by itself, allowed full breathing, and did not fog up my goggles in <5 miles on bicycle. Contrary to other posts, it also stayed tucked in at the neck but allowed full motion to turn both ways at intersections (see pictures for details of how it was worn).For me, it turns out the two key attributes are the additional breathing holes at the mouth (compared to many similarly designed balaclavas), and the opening for the nostrils. Previous designs provided good breath-ability through the mouth but didn't have the nostril opening. This causes breath from the nose to exit and travel up the sides of the nose into the goggles (even when trying to breathe only through the mouth). Tightening the goggle strap can reduce this but has never eliminated the problem (perhaps my nose is too big??). I tried the CTR Howler Multi Tasker and it keeps my head warm but fails to eliminate goggle fogging/icing - even with the mouth mesh cut out. Other than this, I love the Howler as well. I have used the PSolar BX for many years as well but it causes fogging as well, and the polar fleece is a bit chilly below 0°F.The stretch material with fleece lining is extremely comfortable yet impervious to wind. I didn't get too hot, but never felt cold. Any breeze that filtered into my goggles through the vents felt refreshingly cool.It will be -14°F for my 9-mile commute tomorrow in Minneapolis. I'll post if I have any issues but assume it will work.I'm just delighted to have found something that allows me to breathe AND see at the same time, while covering everything preventing potential frostbite, even during wind chill advisories/warnings.Thanks also to Amazon for quick shipment and the USPS for delivering it on Sunday!

This is the second Seirus Innovation Polartec Ultra Clava I have owned. They do a great job of keeping me warm and dry. I snowblow commercially in MN with an open cab tractor. I can spend up to 14 hours outside in sub-zero temps and this keeps me warm. It's not magic, if the wind is blowing hard and it's -25 windchill, you may want to add a beanie over the top of it, or whatever you can think of because it's stupid cold out, but for the most part, it does a very good job.There are a couple of cons however. One, the face mask can lead to googles fogging up if you breathe hard. (Like when shoveling for a while). Two, these things are not made for people with really big heads (Me) They are tight on me. But, to be fair, I wear it for 10,12, 14 hours at a time. If you only wear it for an hour or two, you may think differently.The pros, are simple. It keeps you warm when it's really cold outside. It keeps you dry even when you are hot from shoveling and it's snowing on you.

Really snuggly fitted ski mask. Microfleece lined on the inside, smooth no snag finish on the outside. When im hitting the slopes and the temperatures drop under the 20's or the wind picks up, I swap out my thinner balaclava for this one. Does not have the same benefits of being as flexible as my thin one where its easy to pull the mouth/nose coverage on and off. Again, this one is really snug, but that snug fit is what helps it work more efficiently against the chill. As a more heavy duty full coverage option, that is reliable in colder conditions and not bulky, thin enough to wear under your helmet, breathable, yet offering plenty of protection from wind and cold elements, this is a top choice.

this thing is great. i live in central illinois and the weather is crazy here. the day i initially bought this i used it for 5 hours outside on an atv at high speeds with constant snow falling (3 inches cumulatively) and temps in the lower 20's. my face was dry as a bone and my glasses fit perfectly with this on. i went inside and took it off and my dad picked it up and put it on. needless to say that was the last time i got to wear it. so i jumped online and ordered another, because i initially bought the last one at gander mountain. i ordered it and it arrived 2 days early. just in time for the 2" of ice we got today and the 13"-20" of snow we are expected to get over the next 48 hours. when i visit with my dad we use these for year round shooting of sporting clays, trap and skeet. they work very well in all of the conditions i've used them in so far.it's fleece lined so it keeps my face and ears very warm. the outside is neoprene and has withstood sleet, snow and cold rain with no issues for me. the only improvement i would recommend to the manufacturer is to make the neck piece longer. it tucks nicely into my fleece zip-up's collar and stays in my coat. but from time to time the back of the neck portion does come up when i'm moving my head around a lot. it's not a fatal flaw by any means but something to consider if you are doing something that requires 2 hands at all times.

I would recommend this to anyone dealing with seriously cold weather, or to SWAT team enthusiasts.Protects the neck well and works great with my ski goggles (no real fogging issues, maybe a little in the corners). Gets a little warm with a ski helmet, but again... that's why I'm recommending it for truly cold weather. It covers my nose well and is very breathable.The fit is snug, but I prefer it that way with a helmet. I chose the larger size and I wear "large" baseball caps.