This page lists our picks for 7 of the best cycling balaclavas to keep your head warm when cycling in winter. All of these balaclavas will help to keep you warm during your cold-weather bike rides.
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Chart Comparing Our Picks for the Best Cycling Balaclavas
 | 10% Windshield Windproof Fleece Hinged construction allows for multi function features, wear as balaclava or neck tube Can be worn alone but also works very well under a helmet Laser cut breathing panel with mesh for superior air exchange Lycra binding around the face to seal out the elements Flat lock seams and 3D panel construction | Breathe through windproof face mask, or pull down the hinged mask |
 | (85% Nylon,15% Elastane, Insert:100% Polyester, Windstopper®Membrane,100% Polyester) | Meshed thermo-stretch panel over mouth; small hole under nostrils |
 | Small holes over the face mask make it easy to breathe | |
 | Small hole but mouthpiece can be pulled down as material is stretchy (no hinge) | |
 | Barrier panel over the forehead and ears insulates from windchill, and works in conjunction with P.R.O. Thermal to wick moisture and keep your head dry. | Medium-sized hole |
 | with reflective elements. P.R.O. Transfer fabric provides optimal stretch, recovery, compression, and moisture transfer. | Medium-sized hole |
 | 25% Polypropylene 11% Spandex Knit. Thermodynamic fabric; durable nylon face and looped polyester interior. Smooth, stretchy polypropylene fabric offers light insulation and excellent moisture management. | You can check the price on Amazon Canada here. You can check the price on Amazon UK here. Large hole |
Contents of this Post at a Glance
- Chart Comparing Our Picks for the Best Cycling Balaclavas
- Important Factors to Bear in Mind when Choosing the Best Cycling Balaclava
- Will the Cycling Balaclava keep your neck warm?
- Will you be able to breathe wearing a Cycling Balaclava?
- Some Balaclavas Make it Easier to Breathe
- Will you be able to wipe your nose while wearing a Cycling Balaclava?
- Will you be able to see while wearing a Cycling Balaclava?
- Will you be able to wear glasses with your Cycling Balaclava?
- Will a Winter Balaclava keep you warm?
- What size Cycling Balaclava should you get?
- Do you need a reflective logo?
- Here’s to Your Warm Head!
Gore Bike Wear Balaclava mask
This one has been a favorite with many cyclists for a long time. Like other more advanced products, it uses a combination of fabrics: 100% polyester with windstopper membrane for the forehead and ears, and a combination of nylon and elastane for the rest.
This balaclava has a meshed thermo-stretch panel over the mouth and nose. Most find this just fine for breathing, but I have heard of some cyclists who have increased the breathability by the simple method of sticking a ballpoint pen through the holes! It is lightweight, yet offers excellent cold protection. It can be pulled down below your mouth, once you heat up a bit on your ride. Buy it here from Amazon – its competitive price and great quality makes it an excellent pick.
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The Weatherneck System Balaclava
This cycling balaclava features premium design and materials, and is super versatile. Designed by a cyclist, it is a modular balaclava in two pieces, which you can use in various configurations. It can range from just a neck gaiter, all the way to full face coverage. The photo below shows me wearing this balaclava in two of the possible configurations. I use it for cycling and for cross-country hiking in snowy terrain.
The Weatherneck System Balaclava completely covers the back of your neck with its unique “mullet,” and the face mask completely covers your throat. It fits smoothly under a helmet, and I find it very soft and comfortable. It was invented and manufactured in the USA, and is a unique and premium cycling balaclava that is ideal for all outdoor winter sports.
You can read a full review of the Weatherneck System Balaclava here. When you buy a Weatherneck, you are supporting a small business. Below, the inventor of the Weatherneck System shows what it does:
Trendy Swede Face Mask Sports Balaclava
This is an interesting option. It’s very cheap but is extremely highly rated by many reviewers. It features a narrow slit for the eyes, and can be easily pulled downwards for air. The Trendy Swede Balaclava has an extra-long neck. It’s intended for fall and spring, rather than super cold winter days. For the price, you might want to get these as your fall and spring option, and have a thicker balaclava for winter.
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Chaos CTR Chinook Micro Fleece Balaclava with Windproof Face Mask
A great product for the price (buy it here from Amazon). It offers very good cold protection and ample neck coverage. There is a windproof face cover for complete protection, so only your eyes are exposed. In case you need more air, the mask is hinged so that you can easily pull it downwards. The microfleece makes it soft and toasty on your face.
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Pearl Izumi Barrier Balaclava
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Pearl Izumi Transfer Balaclava
This is a Polyester balaclava with reflective elements. The P.R.O. Transfer fabric provides optimal stretch, recovery, compression, and moisture transfer.
Please note that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This costs you nothing, but provides a small income so we can keep blogging. Thank you in advance for supporting our work.
Outdoor Research Option Balaclava
This is a relatively simple balaclava made out of a single piece of very stretchy thermodynamic fabric. It comes in various colors, which is refreshing, so you don’t necessarily have to go with the gangster look. It has a huge hole for the face, making it impossible to cover the nose and mouth, so I would not recommend it for below freezing conditions. However, it has made many cyclists happy for a relatively low price, so if you don’t mind the giant hole, it could be worth the relatively low investment.
Please note that as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This costs you nothing, but provides a small income so we can keep blogging. Thank you in advance for supporting our work.
Important Factors to Bear in Mind when Choosing the Best Cycling Balaclava
Mrs. Average Joe Cyclist wanted me to get her a good cycling balaclava, and I didn’t want to get her anything but the best, so I spent many, many hours researching how to choose the right cycling balaclava. I discovered that there are several key issues to take into account when choosing the best cycling balaclava. I have listed these below.
Will the Cycling Balaclava keep your neck warm?
The most common complaint about cycling balaclavas is that the balaclava was too short and did not fully cover the neck. For me, this is the most important aspect to consider. Your neck is full of very important, very big veins. If these get cold, YOU will get cold. Usually you can easily assess this aspect from the product pictures.
If the cycling balaclava is not long enough to tuck into the neck of your winter jacket, then it’s not going to keep you warm. You’re going to have freezing air hitting your neck, which is NOT going to be fun. Or you will be forced to wear a scarf as well. However, the whole point of a cycling balaclava is to be an all-in-one solution to keep your head and neck warm. So look at the neck length first and foremost.
Alternative Option: A Snuggly Neck Gaiter
For those who don’t like wearing balaclavas, or for times of the year when it is not cold enough to need one, a neck gaiter is a great alternative. It functions like a scarf to keep your neck snuggly and warm, but does not have any dangerous dangly bits (you do NOT want to go the way of Isadora Duncan!).
The best neck gaiter I have tried is the Heat Holders neck gaiter. It is super warm, and also very soft against the skin, thanks to the fleece lining. Heat Holders also makes super-warm, super-soft socks, scarves, gloves, tights and toques.
Will you be able to breathe wearing a Cycling Balaclava?
The second-most common complaint in reviews of cycling balaclavas has to do with breathing. Many people complain that they cannot breathe well enough to cycle while wearing a balaclava. The main reason for this is that people wear balaclavas for different activities. The same balaclava that works very well for a motor cyclist might not work very well for a cyclist, because the cyclist needs to breathe much harder. So the second aspect to consider when picking your cycling balaclava is whether you will be able to breathe enough to ride your bike.
Different manufacturers approach the issue in different ways. A common method is simply to cut out a giant hole for the nose and mouth. While this is effective in enabling you to breathe, it may be less than effective for keeping your mouth and nose warm in super-cold conditions. Some kind of compromise between nothing and an impermeable cover seems to be required! Manufacturers use various sizes of holes for breathing and eyes, ranging from very large to extremely small. Choosing among these will come down to a balance between how cold your ride is, how well you want to be able to see, and how claustrophobic you get.
Some balaclavas have a hinged nose and mouthpiece that you can pull down to enable you to breathe deeply from time to time. This sounds like quite a simplistic solution, but I must say that in my experience this simple solution works really well. Given that most balaclavas are made with a stretch fabric of some kind, you can do this with most balaclavas, pulling them down when you need more breathing room.
Some Balaclavas Make it Easier to Breathe
Will you be able to wipe your nose while wearing a Cycling Balaclava?
Another problem that cyclists may experience while wearing balaclavas is that they cannot wipe their noses. This might not sound like much of a problem – until the extreme cold is causing your nose to run, and you have frozen snot stuck to your upper lip. Trust me, this is NOT fun.
If this might be a problem for you, look for a hinged mask that enables you to access your nose, such as the Chaos-CTR Chinook Micro Fleece Balaclava. OR go with something super slim and stretchy (and cheap) such as the Trendy Swede Face Mask Sports Balaclava.
Will you be able to see while wearing a Cycling Balaclava?
Some balaclavas have relatively small holes for the eyes. This will keep you warmer, but it may mean that you have a limited range of vision. So think about this as well. Look at the size of the eye holes, and think about how much you move your eyes around while cycling.
For example, if you ride a road bike your eyes you need more flexibility: you need to be able to look in different directions, depending if your hands are in the drops or on top of the handlebar. So that would mean you need bigger eye holes. On the other hand, if you ride a hybrid your eyes will not need to move around as much, as you will usually stay upright all the time. So you might be able to get away with smaller eye holes. However, for safety reasons, I have not included any of the balaclavas with tiny eye holes in my top picks.
Will you be able to wear glasses with your Cycling Balaclava?
A lot of cyclists complain that if they wear a balaclava, their glasses constantly fog up. This can be a real problem. The balaclava may funnel warm air straight upwards and cause serious fogging problems. Consider this aspect if you need to wear glasses while cycling. One solution (but not cheap) is to buy cycling glasses with air vents. Read my review of the excellent Adidas cycling glasses here – they work incredibly well with a balaclava.
Will a Winter Balaclava keep you warm?
This is of course a key question. And this is where choosing the right balaclava can get really tricky. A wide variety of different textiles are used to make balaclavas, ranging from cheap polyester blends to state-of-the-art especially designed synthetics.
With Winter Balaclavas, You Get What You Pay For
This is where price often becomes a factor. There are thousands of cheap balaclavas available, and most of these are made from a simple polyester blend. They will keep you warm – but they may also be so non-breathable that they will keep you way TOO warm. They may also have no wicking ability at all, so that your head will soon be soaked in sweat. And you do NOT want to be stopping in freezing conditions to take your helmet and gloves off so that you can rip off your soggy balaclava.
Many of the more expensive ranges, such as Pearl Izumi, offer a choice of balaclava for differing levels of cold. For example, their Pearl Izumi Barrier Balaclava is intended for colder conditions than their Pearl Izumi Transfer Balaclava.
What size Cycling Balaclava should you get?
This is definitely not a problem for me, though – turns out that there are some advantages to losing your hair! You might have a problem if your head is very small, in that there could be bunching of the material under your helmet. Note that some brands offer a range of sizes, so if your head is unusually big or small, go with one of those brands.
Do you need a reflective logo?
Many winter balaclavas have reflective logos. It’s a nice little touch – but if you wear a helmet, it’s going to be invisible, so I don’t really see the point. If you don’t wear a helmet, it could be a good thing to have.
Here’s to Your Warm Head!
Links to our most popular posts on winter cycling gear
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