Intro
Winter rolled in and once again I engaged in my annual search for the ideal facemask. One that is not too thick, not too thin, but still keeps the chilling wind off my nose and cheeks.
Adjustment is brainless, velcro in the back.
Enter the Gore windstopper facemask. Gore actually makes a number of products for bicycling: jackets, gloves, tights, overshoes and facial wear. I have not tried any of their products before, but was interested enough to give this a shot.
Overview
Gore windstopper material is interesting. At first glance, it seems too thin to really insulate at all. Viewed from the side, it is no thicker than a couple pieces of tissue paper pinched together. According to the website, the material actually is comprised of three layers, one that allows moisture to migrate to the surface and one that keeps wind off your skin. But does it really work?Performance
The facemask seems targeted to cold days, but not frigid ones. In other words, if you need to keep the wind off but don’t require a full balaclava. In this regard, it works quite well. I was happy to see that there was ample mesh for breathing and there is nothing in front of the nostrils.
Mostly ample ventilation ...
Overall
There are only three drawbacks that I noticed. One, there is some breath redirected up to your glasses. It is not too much though and a spot of cat crap takes care of the problem.
Now I'm ready for anything, especially a Dead concert!
Would I recommend it?
Yes. It is more money than I usually spend on cycling clothing, but not too expensive. I found it on sale for about $23.00 and I suspect it can be found more cheaply. The recommended price is $30.00, which does not seem like too much (and I am pretty cheap). It works well down to the mid 20 degree mark (-5C). Any colder and you want to bundle up. Also, although I did not try it, Juno’s ResPro certainly seems like an appealing alternative, especially with the added benefit of filtering your air. But this works better than the old neoprene hunters mask that I have been wearing.Images
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