Galibier Ardennes Headband

Think hat without the bulk, warmth without a weight penalty, a secure fit, and less risk of overheating, and that about sums up the Galibier Ardennes Headband. Inexpensive, comfortable and warm, and it doesn't impede your hearing.

Cold ears can be annoying at best, painful at worst. Stick a skull cap on and it can cause a helmet to become a little tight or for those with plenty of hair it can quickly result in a sweaty and overheated noggin. This is where a headband steps in: a lightweight, low-bulk option to keep the ears warm without interfering with a helmet.

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The Ardennes Headband comes in two designs and is made from Carvico Dolomiti stretch thermal fabric with a single flatstitched seam housing a reflective strip.

The fabric has a brushed interior and is designed to be effective for temperatures between 0 and 8°C. It's incredibly soft and stretchy, and the raw edges mean it can happily stretch to fit any head without any interference from seams. It's quite broad and sits well over the forehead and covers the ears nicely, while being easy to position at the rear. For those with long hair, it's good for use with or without a ponytail.

It covered my ears really well, keeping out wind and cold nicely. It didn't cause any problems fitting under my helmet, and stayed put when I was riding.

One of the main points made by Galibier is that the headband should stop wind penetrating the ears without interfering with your ability to hear road noise. It's true – I found there wasn't any great reduction in my ability to hear; I was still happily aware of the sounds of traffic and pedestrians around me.

I like that the lightweight fabric is cosy but without the bulk of a hat; I often find that a beanie or similar under my helmet can quickly give me a hot head, but this headband allows heat to escape from the top of the head, so you can keep a steady temperature.

The headband is incredibly light and pops easily into a jersey pocket, making it a great option for cold-start rides that then warm up.

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It's hard to argue with the price for the extra little bit of warmth this headband gives with no weight penalty. There are much pricier headbands available that do a similar job, like the Rapha Merino headband at £20 or Sportful's Matchy Headband at £16. The Van Rysel 500 Seamless Cycling Headband offers incredibly value at just £4.99, but £9 still feels like a good buy for the quality fabric, nice looks and lightweight bit of extra warmth.

If you are too hot-headed for a hat or simply want a minimalist warmer for your ears that doesn't cut out your hearing, this is a good looking, good quality option at a good price.

Verdict

Warm, light, stretchy and made from good quality thermal fabric