I use a fleece balaclava for sleeping, or hanging around camp in the morning.

Now i have an ultralighhtweight sleeping bag that just covers the shoulders. In colder weather i have a 900 fill down balaclava. That baby is toasty. From Nanatuk.

I have a microfibre one.  What I really like is how it works on cold & dry weather.  The moisture from my breath loads up and moisturizes the inhale.

Very comfortable.  Keeping head/face/neck warm is a key to comfort.

mastertangler wrote on Nov 13^th, 2011 at 11:53pm:

I'd say that the thermax is warmer than fleece and the silkskins are not was warm as fleece ... more for when you are facing a biting wind and you need just a little something on your face.  The silkskin one scrunches down to about egg size.

Thanks for the MM reference.  At least you didn't say Dumbo!   

dd

I am a big fan of them. I have three of different weights and thickness. The lightest one is next to nothing wadded up. All of mine have a large opening for the face so they usually circle above my eyes and below my mouth. Pulling the light one on when the chill sets in in the late night works great as it stays on while I may toss and turn.

Any notable differences DD between the two materials you have on hand? I rather like the micro fleece but have tried nothing else.

BTW.....any pics of you wearing your fleece baclava with ear flaps? Can you say Mickey Mouse .

I have two; one in thermasilk and one in thermax.  So far, my fleece head gear is limited to a stock cap (with ear flaps)

dd

HaHa! The joke is on me........actually I like baclava....at least in small amounts.

I can't stand stuff covering my face as well Bill (I can count on 1 hand the times I have wore a headnet) but the micro fleece one that I got at Gander Mountain is actually pretty dang comfy and not overly hot.

So you eaither wear greek dessert on your head or maybe mean "balaclava".  Couldn't help it - google finds nothoing for "baclava" and insists on "baklava".  So does REI.

Perasonally I can't stand face covering (knitted ones - I don't mind a good pie in the face if it's good pie) so turn up my collar or sleep with a blanket over my head, which does get pretty iced up but so does my beard - which may also be why I don't miss the face covering.  Perhaps if I was out more than two weekends a year in really cold weather - it gets to 15 below or so when we camp in Wisconsin in January - I'd reconsider my tolerance.

Opa!

Even when I was an avid ice fisherman I didn't employ this piece of headgear.......Just never got on my radar screen I guess.

On this summers past Isle Royale trip we experience almost a full week of cold, wet and rainy weather. My buddy was often encased in his baclava. I looked askance at it at first but eventually "warmed" to the idea. "Geez, that thing looks nice and warm"........."sure is" he replied.

I have since picked one up and have already had the opportunity to use it. Immediate upgrade against the sleet and wind I was in. I highly suggest one. I can also envision using it while sleeping. I have a fleece model which is extremely lightweight. Pretty sure REI or Gander mountain or I bet any ski shop would carry them.

Yes I know to many this is common knowledge, but sometimes we overlook the obvious. I know I did for the past 30 years or so.