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Reviews > Clothing > Hats, Caps and Visors > Mountain Hardwear Dome Perignon > Owner Review by alex leggMountain Hard Wear Men's Dome Perignon beanie
Owner Review by Alex Legg October 10, 2011 Reviewer Information: Name: Alex Legg Age: 29 Gender: Male Height: 6'4" (1.9 m) Weight: 195 lbs (88 kg) Hat size: S Email address: alexlegg2 AT yahoo DOT com City, State, Country: Tucson, Arizona, USA Backpacking Background: I grew up backpacking in the Rockies. I hike ranges near Tucson, Arizona during winter, Colorado during summer. I carry a light pack, mostly water. I tend to camp with a tarp whenever possible to reduce the weight of my two person tent. Primarily I do day hikes, but I am known to spend 5 days out. Temperatures range from extreme winter to 100 F (38 C), and elevation from 2000' (600 m) to 14,000' (4,300 m). I bag a mountain every weekend, and walk my dogs daily through deep sand and overgrown mesquite trees in our local washes. Product Information and Specifications: Manufacturer: Mountain Hardwear Year of manufacture: 2010 URL: http://www.mountainhardwear.com/ Listed weight: 2.9 oz (83 g) Actual weight: 2.8 oz (79g) Size: S Available sizes: S, M, L, XL Color: Black Available colors: Cypress, Black, Sapphire, Grill, Otter MSRP: $35.00 Product Description: The Mountain Hardwear Dome Perignon is a windproof and breathable beanie. The Polartec Thermal Pro and Airshield materials make this an exceptionally warm piece of gear. The fleece-lined ear band extends down to cover both ears completely. There are two parallel stitches that run the circumference separating the top portion of the beanie with the fleece-lined ear band. A single stitch runs parallel on the bottom of the ear band. On the inside a layer of fabric is stitched into the upper portion, providing added warmth. The Mountain Hardwear logo appears on the front so there will be no confusing it with another company. Field Conditions: This beanie has been in my possession for over a year now and it has experienced some very cold environments. It was my main head gear while in the Colorado winter at high elevation. It kept my head warm and toasty as long as the temperature did not exceed 40 F (4 C). I completed many trails and bagged many peaks in temperatures from -15 F (26 C) to 40 F (4 C), and elevation from 7,000' (2,134 m) to 13,000' (3,962 m). Performance: The Dome Perignon is a really warm piece of head gear. It is the warmest thing I have ever found. It is so warm in fact, that if water is not freezing outside, then I won't wear it. I will start to sweat while sedentary in anything over 40 F (4 C). I seem to have a lot of trouble hearing while wearing this beanie, which is not always the best thing when I'm out alone in the backcountry. I often find myself stopping to lift the ear band just to get a sense of what's going on around me. As far as the wind stopping ability that the product claims, I have to agree. It stops even the most violent of wind gusts and they whip through the mountains. I can't hear the wind whirling anymore, but at least my ears aren't turning red. The hat also fits me a bit too snug. I fall in between two sizes, so it's always a crap shoot as to whether or not a particular company's product will fit me. This hat is not too tight to wear, but I definitely notice how good it feels to take it off after a few hours. I don't know if the medium size would have been better, I just figured a little too tight is better than a little too big when it comes to winter head gear. Summary: The Mountain Hardwear Dome Perignon is an awesome beanie for super cold conditions. I had no issues with getting cold in the sub-freezing days and nights of a Colorado winter. The fleece-lined ear band is a good feature that allows my ears to be kept warm and this is nice. It also allows me a quick way to hear what's going on around me by flipping it up. The wind stopping ability is great. No issues here, it does exactly what it is supposed to do. This is not a cool weather hat. If the ice is not forming outside, then I leave this thing at home. I'm not very excited about sweating in winter. Pros: 1. Extremely warm. 2. Completely wind proof. 3. Fleece-lined ear band is great if you like the look Cons: 1. Can be excessively warm. 2. I can't hear a dang thing while wearing it. 3. Mine is a little too tight. Read more gear reviews by alex legg Reviews > Clothing > Hats, Caps and Visors > Mountain Hardwear Dome Perignon > Owner Review by alex legg |