POC Thermal Balaclava

POC's Thermal Balaclava does a great job of keeping your face and head warm on chilly days, but it can get a bit steamy if you wear glasses.

It does double duty in both keeping your head warm and protecting your face from wind chill with its windproof front panel.

> Buy now: POC Thermal Balaclava for £45 from POC Sports

This is not your five quid army surplus shop balaclava. The main body is made from a merino/acrylic/elastane blend that's soft, warm and comfortable, as well as being thin enough to fit under a hat or helmet. The front panel, from your eyes down to your neck, is made from a very thin windproof material with holes backed by mesh for breathing.

On the whole it works really well. On a ride this morning when the thermometer was showing just one single degree Celsius, my head and face were completely comfortable, and my face was unaffected by windchill on the descents.

> Winter cycling clothing – 49 of the warmest garments you can buy

However, I've got to admit that I think I'll continue just pulling a fleece Buff up over my face; the POC Thermal Balaclava has too many niggly annoyances.

For starters, it makes your glasses steam up when you're working hard at low speeds, such as a steep climb. You can just pull it down, of course, and that helps, but it's a faff.

And while the windproof panel is great for stopping that frozen face feeling, it does get damp and clammy which is a bit unpleasant, especially if it gets cold on a descent.

Aaand it's 45 quid, which is a silly amount of money when there are merino balaclavas out there for less than £25.

I can see myself reaching for the POC balaclava if I had to ride in snow, though. In fact that's the only situation I've used a balaclava for in the past, because keeping driving snow off your face is a big improvement in comfort, and riding when it's actually snowing makes you officially a Rule #9 badass.

Value

As I said, though, it's very expensive compared with others out there. I hear good things about the GripGrab Thermal Balaclava and it gets good user reviews, and it's £27.95.

We liked The Weatherneck System breakaway balaclava when we tested it a few years ago, which was £39.99, but it doesn't seem to be available in the UK at the moment.

Probably the strongest contender for the crown of best cycling balaclava is the Sealskinz Waterproof All Weather Head Gaitor, which Mike Stead called 'a great bit of winter kit I never knew I needed until I tried it'.

The POC balaclava is quite a bit lighter, so it'll work in conditions that are just chilly rather than the Full-On Minging weather in which the Sealskinz super-balaclava excels, but the Sealskinz is £28.

Conclusions

For a cyclist, a balaclava is very much a specialist piece of kit. You're only likely to reach for it when the weather is seriously cold and you've no option but to ride. If you live somewhere that's regularly subject to icy cold, and you're determined to ride no matter what, then a good balaclava is a sensible long-term investment.

The POC Thermal balaclava fits the bill for UK conditions (folks who live in Minnesota or Alaska, where it's going to be -20°C this week, are probably smiling indulgently right now), and the windproof front panel is a nice extra detail. It's warm and comfortable while being light and unobtrusive to wear, but I suspect the price is going to be a deal-breaker for many.

Who should buy the POC Thermal balaclava

If you need to ride in crummy, cold and wet weather, then it's worth considering, though the price makes it very much a luxury option.

Or maybe if you're thinking of turning to crime... If you're going to hold up a bank, don't be like McArthur Wheeler and Clifton Earl Johnson, who thought that because you could use lemon juice as invisible ink, wearing it on their faces would make them invisible to security cameras. Hide your face with the POC Thermal Balaclava and stay warm during your get-away.

Verdict

Warm, windproof and comfy head and face protection for cold weather, but expensive