Facemasks

Phate
Phate Posts: 121
edited November 2010 in Road beginners
Now the snow is upon us I've been looking at some of the winter facemasks on the market but just wondered what folks thought about them, Are they actually breathable enough or do you need to sacrifice breathability for warmth?
exercise.png

Comments

  • Ben6899
    Ben6899 Posts: 9,686
    I wear a buff to keep the air entering my lungs as warm and damp as possible. I have no bother breathing through it, but some have reported they do.

    I have considered a proper mask with the filter though - to eliminate irritants such as pollutants and late season pollen.
    Ben

    Bikes: Donhou DSS4 Custom | Condor Italia RC | Gios Megalite | Dolan Preffisio | Giant Bowery '76
    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ben_h_ppcc/
    Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/143173475@N05/
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    I pull up the buff to cover my nose and mouth when the temperature plummets. As Ben says, it helps warm the incoming air (and stops my teeth aching). Only downsides seem to be that it sends some of the exhaled air up under my glasses and fogs them up, and after a couple of hours the bit you're breathing through becomes pretty wet and cold.
    I wear a second buff under my helmet to cover my ears/ forehead. Once I add the specs there's very little skin exposed.
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    +1 for buff worn round neck - it's easy to pull up over the mouth, nose or even ears for fast descents into the cold (40mph at -7 is my personal best, which on sporadically gritted country lanes sounds pretty stupid on reflection), but you can pull it down when you're generating steam going uphill.
    Cheap, simple and effective.
  • ++ on the buff ;o)

    Best ever purchase for winter riding!
  • MichaelW
    MichaelW Posts: 2,164
    edited November 2010
    I used a synthetic buff (army style Headover) for years but switched to a superfine merino wool version (From Chocholate fish). It is thinner, warmer and better.
  • As a longtime skier and cyclist, I suggest a neoprene ski mask, such as http://www.proline-sports.co.uk/acatalog/face_mask.htm. at £11.50. Warm, no fogging of glasses/goggles, normal wash, does me down to -37 in the Arctic circle. You just look like a bank robber when you wait at traffic lights, everyone stares!
  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    1 buff under helmet and covering ears.

    2nd buff round neck and pulled up if its really cold to cover lower face.
  • eyebee
    eyebee Posts: 257
    edited November 2010
    I do use a buff but find the Gore face warmer much better in colder conditions. It has holes for breathing through the mouth and a slit to allow breathing through the nose.This prevents any clammyness and doesn't get wet as a buff does , if you cycle with any intensity.It also protects the ears.
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    Phate wrote:
    Now the snow is upon us I've been looking at some of the winter facemasks on the market but just wondered what folks thought about them, Are they actually breathable enough or do you need to sacrifice breathability for warmth?
    Facemask? Do you mean a cycling balaclava?

  • £1.25 for sign up http://www.quidco.com/user/491172/42301

    Cashback on wiggle,CRC,evans follow the link
    http://www.topcashback.co.uk/ref/MTBkarl