Biographical Information
Name:                        Chuck Carnes
Age:                           35
Gender:                      Male
Height:                       6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight:                       175 lb (79 kg)

E-mail address:           ctcarnes1(at)yahoo(dot)com

City, State, Country:   Greenville, S.C. United States

Report Date:               March 28, 2005

Backpacking Background
        I love the outdoors – I’ve spent time camping in the outdoors since I was born, and have been actively hiking and backpacking for the past ten years. I consider myself a lightweight hiker, usually carrying 20 – 30 pounds (11-13 kg) for hikes up to a week in length. I hike at an easy pace, averaging 2 mph (3 kph). I am a one-man tent camper for now until a lighter two-man tent comes along and will give me more room. I like to carry a single trekking pole when I hike to help relieve stress to my legs and knees. I like to get out on the trail as often as I can.

Product Information

Manufacturer	Outdoor Research
Model	Motion Fleece Balaclava
Year of Manufacture	2004
URL	http://www.outdoorresearch.com
Size	Large
Color	Black
Listed Weight	1 oz (28 g) (web site)
Weight as Delivered	1 oz (28 g)
MSRP	$27.00

Product Features

Taken from the web site:

This one-piece balaclava is a superb base layer, providing breathable, moisture-wicking protection for active adventures in chill conditions. Wear it as a helmet liner on long winter ridges or as an outer layer on a spring trip into the backcountry. A versatile, all-day piece that adapts to your activity, this design also functions as a neck gaiter or hat when conditions don’t demand full coverage.

Features:

+ Motion Fleece™ fabric   + One piece design   + Works as a neck gaiter, balaclava, or a hat

Initial Report

Field Information
        During these first few weeks of testing the OR Motion Fleece Balaclava, I have used it on a long weekend (March 3-6) backpacking trip in the Smokey Mountains. The elevation according to my Casio altimeter ranged from 5900 ft (1798 m) to 6500 ft (1981 m). The temperature during the day according to my Casio thermometer was an average of 30 F (-1 C) and at night the temperatures dropped to the 20s F (-6s C). I hiked in at least 5 in (12 cm) to 18 in (45cm) of snow on every day of the trip. The weather was clear skies each day. At night I slept in shelters which kept a lot of the wind off of me but the temperatures were still cold. On the morning of our decent, I experienced 20 - 30 mph (32 - 48 kph ) wind gusts which was what I was hoping for to see if the balaclava had a good wind stopper factor.

Current Testing
       The OR Motion Fleece Balaclava has come in very handy when needing a lightweight, all-around head warming gear. It is very easy to put on and easy to adjust. There are various ways that one can wear the balaclava and meet the demands of the weather that one might face. Below are the different ways that one can wear the balaclava and my testing outcome while wearing it in that fashion.

Neck Gaiter

While wearing the balaclava as a neck gaiter, I found it to be very comfortable around my neck. The soft Motion Fleece (TM) fabric felt light but warm and at no time did it feel scratchy. The fabric is bundled up around the neck which gives multiple layers of protection from the wind and the cold. I hiked with the balaclava in this style most of the time. With it in this position it was easily accessible and it kept the wind from blowing down into my shirt.

Open Face

In the open face fashion the balaclava covers my head and neck entirely with just the front of my face exposed. The bottom portion of the balaclava is long enough to tuck down under my base layer to eliminate the opportunity for wind to slip under the edges. The bottom edge of the open face covers the chin and part of the cheeks. The seams are flat and do not cause irritation to the skin. I wore the open face fashion when the temperatures started to drop while hiking and around camp. This is when the ears and head need to be covered but still get a little bit of cool air to the face.

Half Open Face

The half open face fashion of the balaclava covers everything that the open face fashion covers plus the mouth area. Here the bottom edge is pulled over the mouth for protection from the wind to the lips. At first this concerned me, thinking I would not be able to breathe. This proved not to be the case as I was able to breathe quit easily even when the heart rate starts rising and breathing becomes more rapid on those up hill climbs. With the bottom edge covering my mouth as I breathed, my breath truly kept my lips and lower portion of my face warm and I did not experience any wetness due to condensation. I wore the half open face fashion when the temperatures got low and wind got strong. This fashion worked well while doing camp chores and any time I wanted to warm my lower face.

Quarter Open Face

The quarter face fashion of the balaclava covers everything that the half open face fashion covers plus the nose area. This fashion worked  and felt the same as the half open face. Breathing is still free flowing through the material. The material again kept my nose and full cheeks warm and blocked the wind from getting to my skin. I wore the quarter open face mostly at night while sleeping. This fashion simulated the hood of a sleeping bag covering the head. This gives me the option of tightening the hood of my bag around my head but leaving enough opening at the face to be able to wear the balaclava in the quarter open face fashion and still keep my head, neck and face warm and not feel claustrophobic.

Skull Cap

The skull cap style of the balaclava offers warmth to the head as well as the ears like a normal cap or toboggan would. When the balaclava is in any of the open face fashions, simply pull the lower neck portion up to the nose and ear level and then fold the front portion up to the forehead area and keep the ears covered. This fashion can be worn at any time and not look like a robber. This style keeps the head and ears warm.

Questions and Answers
        Here are some questions about the specific features of the OR Motion Fleece Balaclava that I was able to answer up to this point. Answers that read "NA" means no answer at this time but should have an answer by the Long Term Report. All other answers will be noted in red.

Does the material make my face or head itch? No, the Motion Fleece fabric is has a soft, silky feel to it and it did not make my face or head itch.

From the picture on the website, it appears that the opening at the face is a pretty large opening. To what extent will it keep my face warm? The opening can actually close as tight as the Quarter Open Face style. When in the Open Face fashion my head stayed quit warm but my face obviously gets cold. However, in the Quarter Open Face style my whole head and face stays warm.
 
Can I pull it all the way up and over my nose and will it stay there? Yes, see the Quarter Open Face style above. I found the seam to slip off of the tip of my nose on several occasions. It feel as if the seam has been stretched in the face area causing the seam to loose some of its elasticity. I will further monitor this for the Long Term Report.

I would like to see how water proof or resistant it is. Will it keep a light misting rain from soaking my head? NA

Will a hat fit on my head while wearing the balaclava? My fitted baseball cap would not fit on my head while wearing the balaclava but was able to wear an adjustable baseball hat with the balaclava.

Is it comfortable to sleep in if the temps drop real low? Yes, as mentioned in the Quarter Open Face style description, I enjoy wearing the balaclava while sleeping it is very comfortable and does not cause my head to itch.

Since all of the body’s heat escapes through the head, will the balaclava keep this heat at my head to keep me warm? Yes, as long as I was wearing the balaclava, my head stayed warm as well as my body.

At what point will the balaclava not be warm enough for my head? NA

Will my breathing be hindered by the material in front of the mouth and nose? No, not at all. I am able to breathe as well with it in front of my mouth as without it.

Will it keep the cold air out of my ears to prevent an ear ache? Yes, the balaclava is a very good wind stopper and keeps the wind from penetrating to the face.

Will the neck portion be long enough to tuck under my jacket or base layer to continue the protection from my body to my head? Yes, the neck portion extends well under the collar for the continued protection.

Will it feel constricting? No, the fabric is loose enough to turn the head and the bottom edges stay under the collar.

Can I wear sunglasses while wearing the balaclava? NA

At the mouth area, will my breath cause condensation to build up and get wet and cold and possibly freeze depending on the temperatures? At this point, No.

Future Testing
        I will be going on several  trips to the Smokey Mountains and Pisgah National Forest during the rest of the Winter and into the Spring and Summer. I will wear the OR Motion Fleece Balaclava every time that I hit the trail as long as the temperatures are low enough to permit me to do so. There will be more field testing to come for my Long Term report. The questions that I was unable to answer in this Field Report will be answered in my Long Term Report along with others that I may come across between now and then.

Summary
        Overall I have been very happy with the OR Motion Fleece Balaclava. It has kept my head warm when I needed it and it is light and compressible enough to stick in my pocket to have when the need arises. The only drawback that I have found is the lack of coverage that I get on my forehead. Although my forehead does not typically get cold, when I pull the top portion of the opening over my forehead the fabric tends to slide back up to its original position. The lack of coverage does not bother me but it might bother other users.  Thank you again Outdoor Research and BGT for giving me the opportunity to test the OR Motion Fleece Balaclava.