I‘ve never been one to shy away from cold-weather rides, but The Weatherneck has made me even less timid. It’s an innovative, bandanna/face shield/neck gaiter with an emphasis on performance and enhancements for the active outdoor lifestyle.
I‘ll admit I never knew what I was missing until I tried The Weatherneck. I own two balaclavas. They are the least used winter gear that I have. There are several shortfalls to them that make them just not worth it for the winters here. My full-face balaclava has two major shortcomings. It moves the warm, moist air I exhale straight onto my glasses, which makes it almost impossible to ride while wearing it with glasses, and it is hard to drink when I wear it. My open-face balaclava doesn‘t have these issues, and would be adequate for most of my cold rides, but I don‘t like that it can‘t be easily removed or adjusted mid-ride. Plus, I‘m not a big fan of its constriction on my neck (remember the Mitch Hedberg turtleneck commentary?).
The Weatherneck addresses all of these issues and is going to be a staple of my cold-weather riding kit. Unfolded, it has a triangular shape tapering towards the bottom. It can be put-on and removed quickly and easily due to its magnetic closure system. This closure system also allows you to set the sizing of The Weatherneck. It can be worn loosely or cinched tight. The material is fairly thin, meaning it won‘t interfere with helmet straps, but even this light layer makes a big difference in the cold. There‘s a lot of blood pumping through the neck, so keeping that area shielded can really change how cold you feel. The bandanna design also means I have the choice between using it as just a neck gaiter or pulling it up over the nose/mouth. The material in the center is more breathable, not obstructing exhaling, and not forcing the air upward towards your glasses.
I have used The Weatherneck mostly as a neck gaiter. It is great leaving the collar of my winter coats open, yet still having protection in this area. It is also a big bonus to be able to quickly pull The Weatherneck up over my chin and mouth for fast descents. And should the weather take a change for the warmer during the ride, the closure system makes it to where a quick, one-handed removal is possible.
The Weatherneck is brought to you by Brian Davis, the same guy behind Fix It Sticks. Brian is currently funding The Weatherneck on Kickstarter, but at the time of this review, he‘s already well past his funding goal. That said, you still have until February 12th to make a pledge and be one of the first to get your hands on The Weatherneck. Your only regret will be that you didn‘t have one sooner.
– Alex (Steak Sauce)
I received my advance copy of the Weatherneck for free in consideration for review publication.