Psolar.BX Balaclava, Field Report

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Name:   Carol Crooker

Age:  44

Gender:  Female

Height:  5 ft 10 in  (178 cm)

Weight:  160 lbs (73 kg)

Hat size:  7 ¼

Head circumference:  22 ¾” (57.8 cm)

I wear glasses.

Email:  cmcrooker (AT) att (DOT) net

City, State:  Phoenix, Arizona

Date:  February 9, 2004

Backpacking background:  For the past 7 years, I've backpacked about 30 days each year.  Most of my trips were three to six days long, and were in Arizona, the High Sierras, Idaho, Oregon, Utah, Pennsylvania and New York.  My three-season base pack weight varies from 12 lbs (5 kg) to 8 lbs (4 kg).  I use a tarp for shelter in all four seasons.

PRODUCT SYNOPSIS

The Psolar.BX balaclava is a stretch fleece hood and facemask containing a heat exchange module that warms inhaled air with heat captured from exhaled air.  

Manufacturer:  Psolar

URL:  www.psolar.com

Year of manufacture:  2003

MSRP:  $40 USD

Listed weight:  none

Weight as delivered:  2.4 oz (68 g) 

Weight of thermal conversion module alone:  0.7 oz (20 g)

OBSERVATIONS

Synopsis

I’ve taken two backpacking trips and a three-day vacation to colder climes to test the Psolar Balaclava since my Initial Report.  I was initially frustrated with the Balaclava because it fogged my glasses up.  Then, I learned that folding under the nose section prevented my glasses from fogging.  Wearing goggles over my glasses also has the potential of keeping my vision fog free.  However, I need to experiment with anti-fog methods and substances on my glasses to make the Balaclava, glasses, and goggles system foolproof.

I was delighted with the performance of the Psolar Balaclava in cold weather.  It helped keep me warmer, and I believe it even let me sleep comfortably with less insulation than I would have otherwise needed.  The hood opening of my sleeping bag was much dryer after using the Balaclava all night than it usually is.  The Balaclava is warm, soft, and fits nicely after a little use.  It is easy to wash.  At times, I experienced slightly more resistance when I breathed through the heat exchange module than when I didn’t.  I did not experience this effect when at a higher elevation (10,000’ (3050 m)) in colder temperatures (20 - 10 F (-7 to -12 C)).

What I like so far:

- Breathing through the heat exchange module really does make me feel warmer.

- The Psolar Balaclava now fits nicely (it may have stretched out slightly with use).

- The Balaclava keeps my head and face warm.

- My sleeping bag is much dryer around the hood opening when I wear the Balaclava to sleep in.

- It’s lightweight.

- I can throw it in the washing machine or my pack and not worry about the heat exchange module being damaged.

What I don’t like so far:

- My glasses fog up if I wear the Balaclava over my nose.      

Northern Arizona

My first chance to test the Psolar Balaclava came on an unseasonably warm backpack trip near Flagstaff, Arizona in early December.  See the Field Information section below for more details on this trip.  The first evening the temperature was 40 F (4 C).  I used the Psolar Balaclava with the heat exchange module tucked below my chin to keep my head warm.  I wore it for about an hour and a half.  I was surprised to find that this was comfortable for me.  I had been concerned that the hard plastic module would poke into my neck. 

The material of the Balaclava was warm and felt soft against my skin.  The Balaclava is available in one size only.  It pressed my ears a little too tightly against my glasses stems.  The Balaclava may have stretched out slightly since then, because I did not experience any pain from my ear on my latest trip when I wore the Balaclava all night. 

That night in my sleeping bag, I pulled the Balaclava up over my face so that my nose was covered and the module was over my mouth.  The air temperature was 29 F (-2 C).  I left the Balaclava that way for about an hour, sleeping most of that time.  At first, I was breathing through my nose, out of habit.  I had to consciously start breathing through my mouth.  My face, and nose especially, were nice and warm under the Balaclava.  When I put my glasses on, they immediately fogged up.

I didn’t feel like I was getting quite enough oxygen.  It felt a little harder to exhale, but felt more normal with a slow exhale.  I noticed on later trips that I didn’t experience increased breathing resistance when I was at 10,000’ (3050 m) and 20 – 10 F (-7 to -12 C), although I did at 7000’ (2130 m) and 18 F (-8 C).  

The nighttime temperatures were warmer during the rest of the trip so I didn’t do any more testing of the heat exchange module.  I did wear the Balaclava to keep my head warm at night, and it did a great job of that.

The Balaclava spent most of the four days in my pack, stuffed into my clothing stuff sack.  There was no damage to the Balaclava after the trip.  The module still has only one plate with a slight “s” curve, which is how it arrived at my house

Northern Arizona, winter, day hikes        

After Christmas, I went north to Flagstaff, Arizona for three days of rest, relaxation, and gear testing!  The evening I arrived, I went for a 45-minute walk at 28 F (-2 C).  I used the Psolar Balaclava on the return half of my walk.  When I pulled the Balaclava on, my glasses fogged up instantly.  The module didn’t feel centered over my mouth, but with mittens on, and the tight fit of the balaclava, I wasn’t able to straighten it out.  When I returned to my hotel room and looked in the mirror, a third to a half of the right side of my mouth was not covered by module.  During the walk, the right lens of my glasses had fogged up more than my left lens. 

My nose felt a little squished by the Balaclava but I was very glad to have it on.  My nose had gotten quite cold during the first half of my walk, and the Balaclava really warmed it up.  My nose ran beneath the Balaclava but I just let it.  The area around my mouth got very wet. 

One surprise for me was that I apparently often hold things in my mouth, like my mitten when I take one off to fiddle with something.  Of course I couldn’t do that with the heat exchange module over my mouth.

I put goggles on over my glasses with the bottom edge resting on the Psolar Balaclava.  After I used an anti-fog cloth on my glasses, they did not fog again under the goggles.  The combination of Balaclava, glasses, and goggles worked well.  My face felt nice and warm.

I picked up my walking pace when I put on the Balaclava.  I noticed it was very slightly harder to breath, but didn’t know if this was from the Balaclava, or the faster pace, or a combination of both. 

The next morning, I got up early and went for a hike in the dark to take advantage of the colder temperatures.  I walked for an hour and three quarters, wearing the Balaclava for 45 minutes of that.  The temperature was 18 F (-8 C).  I put on the Psolar Balaclava midway through the walk.  I put goggles over my glasses, and I wore my jacket hood up, over the Balaclava.  My glasses fogged up instantly.  I found it very frustrating  trying to pull off my jacket hood, put my goggles on my head, pull my glasses off to clean them with an anti-fog cloth, fit the glasses back under the tight Balaclava, put the goggles back on, and pull the hood back up.  All with my bare fingers getting cold.  And then my glasses partially fogged up again.  I never did get my glasses to stay fog free.  I was frustrated enough at that point, to skip wearing the heat exchange module over my mouth on my walk the next morning.  I think a lot of that frustration was just due to not having learned the tricks for wearing goggles and the Balaclava together with glasses.  On my next snow camping trip the following month (see below), I didn’t bother with goggles and just wore the Balaclava with the nose section turned under to expose my nose.  Much better results!  I plan to try the Balaclava again with goggles next month.  This time, I’ll defog my glasses in the morning before I even leave the comfort of my tarp.

I noticed a very slight increase in breathing resistance with the Psolar Balaclava on at 18 F (- 8 C) and 7000’ (2130 m) elevation.  My nose was dripping, but it didn’t bother me.  I felt nice and warm, although moist.

Northern Arizona, winter

I took a three-day snowshoe trip in January where evening and nighttime temperatures varied from 20 F down to nearly 0 F (-7 to –16 C).  I really appreciated having the Psolar Balaclava along! 

After I ate dinner the first night, it was 10 F (-12 C).  I pulled the heat exchange module up to cover my mouth and folded under the top edge of the facemask so that my nose was exposed.  I immediately felt warmer and my glasses did not fog up.

The Balaclava was very nice to sleep in.  I am also testing a sleeping bag for BGT, the Mountainsmith Wisp.  This bag is rated to 30 F (-1 C), but I was able to sleep in it down to 20 F (-7 C) wearing a synthetic insulated parka, knickers, and socks over my hiking clothing.  Based on my experiences sleeping in a similar bag with thicker down clothing at 20 F (-7 C), I believe the Psolar Balaclava helped keep me warm with less insulation.

In the morning, I had the tiniest bit of moisture on the hood opening of my bag near where my mouth had been.  I normally wake up with the bag dripping with moisture.

I kept my glasses on all night.  They were completely soaked as expected.  My eyes were also very moist.  I usually wake up with dry sand in the corners of my eyes.

After wearing the Balaclava all night and halfway through breakfast, I did not get sore ears from the Balaclava pressing my ears against my glasses stem, like I felt during my first trip wearing the Balaclava. 

After breakfast, I packed up and headed on a 6 mile (10 km) uphill snowshoe to my next campsite with the Psolar Balaclava tucked into my pack.  I put it back on at 10,000’ (3050 m) elevation and 22 F (-6 C) air temperature.  Once again, I folded the nose material under to leave my nose exposed.  My glasses did not fog up.  I snow shoed the last half mile into camp and continued to wear the Balaclava while I set up camp.  The Balaclava really warmed me up.  At this temperature and altitude, the Balaclava did not add any extra resistance to my breathing.  My glasses fogged up a couple of times throughout the evening when I put my head down with my chin near my chest.  They cleared up on their own when I brought my head back up.

I slept most of the night wearing the Balaclava with the heat exchange module over my mouth.  The night was colder than the previous night; temperatures were about 10 F (-12 C).  Once again, the Balaclava helped me keep warm, although I finally had to add a down liner to my sleep system at 6:00 a.m. because my feet were too cold.

Midway through the night, I tried breathing through a Buff made of thin microfiber stretch fabric to see how it compared to breathing through the Psolar module.  I noticed that the heat exchange module warmed the air more than when I breathed through the Buff.  

At one point during the night, I noticed that my breathing felt a little difficult.  I pushed the module below my mouth and there was no difference in breathing resistance.  Could be my body adjusting to the 8800’ (2680 m) increase in elevation compared to my home.

My nose did not feel uncomfortably squished on either night.

After I returned from this trip, I washed the balaclava with module inserted in my home washing machine.  I used cold water and the delicate cycle and line dried it as per the manufacture’s instructions.  There was no damage to the module or Balaclava from washing.

FIELD INFORMATION

Since my Initial Report, I’ve gone on two backpacking trips and a three-day vacation where I could test the Psolar Balaclava in colder weather than occurs in my hometown of Phoenix, Arizona.  See below for more detail on those trips.

Northern Arizona

Four-day backpack trip in early December in the Sycamore Canyon Wilderness in northern Arizona.  Elevations from 6600’ (2000 m) to 4,600’ (1400 m).  Temperatures were unseasonably warm, with highs into the low 70’s F (low 20’s C) and lows to just below freezing.

Northern Arizona, winter, day hikes

Three-day vacation in Flagstaff, Arizona in late December.  Elevation was 7000’ (2130 m).  I tested the Balaclava on an evening walk at 28 F (-2 C), and an early morning walk at 18 F (-8 C).

Northern Arizona, winter

Three-day snowshoe backpack trip in late January on San Francisco Mountain in the Kachina Peaks Wilderness near Flagstaff.  Starting elevation was 8000’ (2400 m) and turn around point elevation at Doyle Saddle was 10,800’ (3300 m).  The terrain was snow covered with day time temperatures up to the 60’s F (16 C) and night time temperatures down to near 0 F (-18 C).

TEST PLAN

Time permitting, I’ll do another snow camping trip in Arizona in February or March, most likely in the Blue Range Primitive Area in eastern Arizona.  I’ll be going on a four-day snowshoe backpack trip in Montana in late March. 

The following are particular areas I’ll be checking out: 

- Does the Balaclava help keep me from getting a dry throat?

- Can I learn the secrets of wearing the Balaclava with goggles and glasses without fogging up? 

- Durability.

- What temperature range is the balaclava useful over?

- If I get a chance to test the Vapor Shield accessory, I will see if it really does keep my glasses and goggles from fogging up.

- At what elevations and temperatures is breathing resistance the same with and without the heat exchange module over my mouth?

- How easy is it to talk and be understood with the balaclava on?