balaclava

i know it's the beginning of summer or those of us here in north america but since there's been some talk about insulated gear including head gear lately, i thought i'd post a couple pictures of the two balaclavas that are being offered by backpackinglight.com (BPL.com).
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...aclava_lg1.jpg
http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...lava_1_lg1.jpg
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-...search_clear=1
they are new & of limited availability so i don't know if they are offering them to non-members yet.
for those of us that have gone ahead & ordered them, it was w/ the understanding that they would not be shipped until late june/early july.
the reason i wanted to show these is because, like you already know, insulating the head & neck is one of the most weight saving, effective ways to stay warm (clothing/sleep system).
there are lots of head pieces out there made of fleece or even lighter material, but one of the best warmth to weight methods to insulate is using a puffy insulation inside a shell, be it down or synthetic.
the first head piece i saw like this was the ray way "bomber hat". then the jacks r better (JRB) down hood.
both are very effective but i was hoping to see one that extends down around the neck.
i saw one used by a guy that leads people on arctic hikes but it was pretty heavy.
then BPL.com came out w/ a couple versions that were pretty light but man they're pricey.
i'm thinking it's time for a DIY balaclava. ...tim

Slowhike, do you have a good source for a pattern ?

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Originally Posted by Darby

Slowhike, do you have a good source for a pattern ?

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all i have in hand is the pattern i got from ray way products. i don't think they want people reproducing more hats from that pattern, or especially passing it around, but the basic concept is fairly simple.
i'm thinking i may make my own pattern w/ the longer neck coverage if there's not one available.
i'll let you know.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Darby

Slowhike, do you have a good source for a pattern ?

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There's a basic hood pattern on THRU-HIKER that might work. I used it to make a poncho once and it's pretty easy to use. You could just omit the visor and lengthen the neck. Sounds like a worthwhile project.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by T-BACK

There's a basic hood pattern on THRU-HIKER that might work. I used it to make a poncho once and it's pretty easy to use. You could just omit the visor and lengthen the neck. Sounds like a worthwhile project.

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looks like that would work.

have a look at the nunatak version - you can get a pretty good idea of how to cut your fabric

Thanks everyone ! I am itching to break-in my new machine. The ex took my old one. Looks like THRU-HIKER is the way to go for me.

i recently decided to replace the 1st zipper that i had added to the backpacking light.com cocoon balaclava w/ a separating zipper.
i couldn't be more pleased w/ this piece of my clothing/sleep system now!

http://www.hammockforums.net/gallery...5/PB110048.JPG

click on my gallery for a total of 7 new pictures.