Personal Information:
Name: Christine Korhonen
Age: 31
Gender: female
Height: 5'4" (1.6 m)
Weight: 150 lb (68 kg)
E-mail: chris@wormguy.com
Location: Western Montana
Date: May 17, 2005

Backpacking Background:
I'm in Montana enjoying the summers and becoming re-acquainted with winter. Now that I'm back above the snow line, I'm attempting some winter camping and snowshoeing. I'm a lightweight backpacker mentally, if not always in practice. My summer pack weight is around 19 lb (9 kg) with a tent, but my winter pack hovers around 25 lb (11 kg).

Product Information:
Manufacturer: Ibex
URL: www.ibexwear.com
Item: Neck Gaiter
MSRP: US $20
Color: Red Rock/Graphite
Size: Large

Dimensions:
Listed Weight: 2.2 oz (62 g)
Measured Weight: 2.2 oz (62 g)
Measured Size- flat: 9¾" wide x 7" high (25 cm x 18 cm)

Neck Gaiter Description:
The Ibex neck gaiter is an alternative to a scarf. It's a knit tube made from Merino wool designed to keep one's neck warm.

Testing Locations:
I tested the neck gaiter while hiking, jogging, sleeping, and at several hockey games. Temperatures ranged from 25 to 50 F (-4 to 10 C) at elevations from 100' to 7000' (30 to 180 m). I experienced quite a lot of wind, but no rain or snow.

Fit:
The size large neck gaiter is a little loose on me.   Sizing information on the website would have been nice to help me choose my size. The gaiter also seems a little short. I'm familiar with neck gaiters made of thinner material that are long enough to cover my neck, nose, and mouth all at the same time. This gaiter is thicker since it is made up of two layers of wool, and it covers either my neck or my nose and mouth. The gaiter isn't tight enough to stay up over my nose and mouth on its own, so I have to hold it up if I want these areas covered. Because of this and the warmer conditions where I've been testing, I've primarily used the gaiter over my neck only.

Comfort:
I find the neck gaiter really comfortable. It's soft and not itchy. The gaiter tucks nicely under a jacket collar and looks like I'm wearing a turtleneck. The gaiter blocks the wind nicely. I haven't had any problems with wind coming through the gaiter while I'm wearing it. The gaiter tends to stay put when it's on my neck and not turn or twist around. I was able to sleep while wearing the gaiter without it bunching up under me. In fact, I forgot I was wearing it at all.   My neck stayed nice and warm while I slept in temperatures down to 25 F (-4 C).

Wicking:
I've had more experience wearing the gaiter in 40 to 50 F (4 to 10 C) temperatures, when it was almost too warm for the gaiter. I would usually wear the gaiter at the beginning of the hike and then take it off. My neck doesn't sweat much, but the sweat the gaiter did experience seemed to be quickly wicked away. The gaiter hasn't developed any odor from this sweat, and has withstood machine washing.

Packing:
The neck gaiter is a fairly small item but thicker than expected because of the two layers of wool.   Folded, the gaiter is larger than a pack of cards. Closer in size to two packs of cards. I find the gaiter a little bulky to fit into my pockets, but it folds neatly to fit into my pack. Because of its heft, the gaiter does not seem to wrinkle easily and always looks crisp.

As a Headband:
When I wore the neck gaiter running, I usually got too warm to wear the gaiter by the middle of the run. When this happened, I wanted the gaiter off my neck, but I didn't know where to put it. Wearing the gaiter like a headband solved this problem. As a headband, the gaiter held back my hair and kept my ears protected from the wind. The gaiter works well as a headband. It's wide and loose so it doesn't pinch my ears, but it's tight enough not to fall off. I was told that I look European wearing it like that.

Test Plan:
I will test the neck gaiter along the trails of Montana, Wyoming, and Michigan.   During the long-term phase, I will test the gaiter for durability. I will see if the seams and fabric hold up over a longer time frame and after several washings.

Like:
Soft feel.
Doesn't bunch.
Dual use as headband.

Would like:
Sizing information on website.
Could be a little longer.

Read more reviews of Ibex gear
Read more gear reviews by Christine Korhonen

Field Report

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