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Reviews > Clothing > Hats, Caps and Visors > Hoo-rag > Test Report by Andrea MurlandHoo-rag Tester Information
I began hiking frequently in 2006 and have since hiked in Western Canada, Australia, and spent two months backpacking in the Alps. I spend most weekends either day-hiking or on 2 to 3 day backpacking trips, with some longer trips when I can manage them. I also snowshoe and ski in the winter, but don’t have a lot of experience with winter in the backcountry yet. Elevation is typically 500-3,000 m (1,600-10,000 ft), in the Canadian Rockies and the Selkirk, Purcell, and Monashee ranges. I try for a light pack, but I don’t consider myself a lightweight backpacker. 
Initial Report – September 2, 2012 Product Information
Description & Initial Impressions The Hoo-rag is a tubular bandana made from a soft polyester microfiber. It is intended to be worn in a variety of styles, depending on the need of the wearer at the time. The Hoo-rag is seamless, with no hem on the edges and no stitched seam connecting the fabric into a tube. I can visually see where the fabric is connected lengthwise on both sides; there is a crease in the fabric and the pattern doesn’t quite line up. I can feel the connection as a crease, but not on the inside of the Hoo-rag. The Hoo-rag has very little stretch length-wise, but stretches a lot width-wise; I’d guess it stretches to about twice its original width. It springs back to the original shape, but I’ll keep an eye out for permanent stretching as I test. The fabric is soft and smooth, with no loose threads or other imperfections.The Hoo-rag came nicely packaged in a cellophane wrapper with a label on the front. The label detailed the care instructions (machine wash warm, hang to dry), and on the back of the label were a series of pictures and small text showing the different ways the Hoo-rag can be worn. Unfortunately, these images, viewed from the back of the package, were backwards, which made for challenging reading. The Hoo-rag website has a video showing some of the styles, and I’m pretty sure I can figure most of them out. Trying It Out I promptly started fiddling with my Blue Vortex Hoo-rag when I got it out of the packaging. I tried it as a beanie (a toque for the rest of this review), and found that it was easy to get on and comfortable. If anything, it’s a little big for me, as I have a very small head. I also folded it up as an Alice Rag, and found it to be a bit bulky behind my ears but otherwise fine. I wore the Alice Rag style around the house for a while and it was comfortable enough that I forgot I was wearing it.
Summary The Hoo-rag appears to be a well-made tubular bandana, and I can’t wait to try out all the styles on the trail. I am also looking forward to seeing how it performs in the elements, especially as the temperature drops through autumn and early winter.Long Term Report – January 7, 2013 Field Conditions During the testing of the Hoo-rag, I used it on four backpacking trips and ten dayhiking trips. In addition, I used it for five trail runs, two cross-country skis, and four days of resort skiing. Temperatures ranged from 20 C (68 F) down to -15 C (5 F), and I wore the Hoo-rag in sunshine, clouds, and snow.I used the Blue Vortex and Nu Blue Hoo-rags, and washed them each about 5 times. I washed them with my regular laundry and hung them to dry.
Observations The Styles:
The Hoo-rags show no major signs of wear. They don’t appear to be faded and have no frayed edges or other indications of wear. The edges are starting to roll, which I can feel while I’m wearing them, but doesn’t really affect the function. Summary The Hoo-rag is a versatile piece of gear. It easily switches between styles as conditions change. The durability seems to be good, and it is comfortable to wear.Thumbs Up: Versatile Easy to carry once removed Decent amount of warmth Thumbs Down: Fiddly to fold into an Alice Rag Rapidly gets damp with condensation when breathing into it Edges rolling Thanks to Hoo-rag and BackpackGearTest.org for the chance to test this bandana! It has earned a place in my pack as a multi-functional item. Read more gear reviews by Andrea Murland Reviews > Clothing > Hats, Caps and Visors > Hoo-rag > Test Report by Andrea Murland | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
