Review: Mountain Bits Blue/Printed Neckwarmer Windproof Buff

I was recently approached by @kitshack to see if I would review one of the Buff’s from their Autumn/Winter collection . Having been a fan of Buff’s for many years I was interested to see how the device had changed since I last bought one. The one that I have used for years is the standard Buff which is great at keeping your neck and head warm providing there is no cold wind blowing. So to my surprise I noted that they now did a neckwarmer windproof Buff – exactly what I was looking for!

The specification looked impressive but would that prove to be true in the wild. A cold day in February was chosen to try out the Buff in the Brecon Beacon’s, South Wales with an air temperature of minus 1C and wind chill of -4C, perfect conditions.
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The Buff fitted very comfortably, I like the shape at the front which allows it to work perfectly with my base layer leaving no skin uncovered. The walk I had chosen started with a very steep climb for 30 minutes allowing enough time to generate a lot of heat. The Buff handled this well, dissipating heat and moisture so that I never felt uncomfortable or too hot around the neck.

On approaching the exposed ridge, where the cold wind really picked up, I pulled the microfibre panel over my mouth and nose. I was impressed at how easy it was to breathe through the material without leaving it damp and uncomfortable, a criticism I had of my earlier Buff’s.
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On completing the walk I was surprised at how warm, dry and comfortable the Buff still remained despite having worked up a good sweat on the trip.

Verdict

Buff’s have come a long way from their early days. This one does exactly what it says on the packet. It protected me from a cold Welsh wind whilst keeping my neck comfortably warm and wicking away any moisture. I was very impressed and will certainly be wearing it on all my winter trips. I may also add the the matching wind-proof hat in the future.

Disclaimer: I was given a Mountain Bits Blue/Printed [Neckwarmer Windproof Buff] by Kit Shack for the purposes of this review. All opinions are my own.