Winter biking necessity: The balaclava
A good face protector should be in the toolkit of any winter biker.
Wed, Dec 30 2009 at 5:48 PM EST
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Photo: R'eyes/Flickr My winter biking experience was instantly made 10 times more comfortable the day I bought myself a balaclava.
I picked up a Craft balaclava (aka Pro Face Protector) at my local bike shop and have been blessing every penny of its $30 purchase price ever since. It keeps my neck and face warm and is great for saving skin when the wind starts blasting below zero. When it gets REALLY cold, I can just slap my snowboard goggles on and be completely protected against the elements.
The other night I went for a short ride to go play indoor frisbee and had to blink away the ice crystals that were forming on my eyelashes and falling into my eyes. The thermometer read 7 degrees, the wind gusts ripped another 10 to 20 degrees off of that, but I was as comfortable as can be, thanks to smart layering and the face protector ringing my face. Winter biking ain't no thang with the right gear.
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Comments
Lancelot1066
01/03/2010 15:40 PM
it's obvious that you don't wear glasses.
sgunther
01/03/2010 15:49 PM
I actually do wear glasses, I just put on my contacts when it's coming down.
Lancelot1066
01/03/2010 16:27 PM
Lucky. I can't get contacts to work for me.
I live in Ottawa, Ontario and bike most of the winter.
sgunther
01/03/2010 16:30 PM
You could still rock a balaclava and just keep it down on your chin. It'll keep your neck warm and you won't be fogging your glasses out.
wahleyed
12/31/2009 10:40 AM
...on pushing through to Uber-Commuter status. Rolled right past me!
