Jump to: Our Verdict / Features / Specifications
(Unfortunately, we are unable to ship MontBell products outside of the UK)
The Montbell Down Balaclava is the ultimate cold-weather addition to your ultralight winter kit list. Looking to extend the range of your hoodless down jacket without the associated weight penalty? Look no further.
Montbell says
This balaclava is extremely lightweight, versatile, and warm. Filled with 800 Fill Power EX Down and utilizing 10-denier Ballistic Airlight nylon this ultra light accessory weighs only 87 grams. Ideal for minimalists who enjoy the flexibility of modular systems, this item brings parka functionality to your favorite jacket, excels as a sleeping hood for devoted quilt users, and is just one toasty piece of head gear. The 3-way Adjustable Hood allows you to optimize peripheral vision and customize volume for maximum thermal performance.
Our Verdict
Montbell's Down Balaclava is a versatile and ultralight solution to unanticipated cold snaps and harsh winter conditions. With 3-way adjustment and a wide baffle, the Down Balaclava fits very well with any and all layers, and provides an extraordinary amount of warmth. The construction is top-notch, and the 800-fill down used in the Balaclava results in an impressively small pack size.
In use, the volume adjustment gave a comfy fit without being restrictive, and I found the Down Balaclava best used when layered with a hardshell jacket in blizzard conditions, and as an extra layer in the sleeping bag. I would prefer that the stuffsack was integrated into the Balaclava, as the tiny bag provided proved easy to misplace.
- Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear
Features
- Excellent as sleeping hood during quilt use
- Sewn through construction
- 3-way Adjustable Hood
- Stuff sack included
Specifications
- Weight: 84g
- Size: One size fits most (54-60cm)
- Compressed size: 7 x 7 x 14cm
At Montbell, we source down from both the European and Asian markets to satisfy a variety of characteristics (supply/availability, low cost, consistent quality, humane practices, etc.) and maintain our lofty standards. Every season we seek to balance the superior quality for which we are known and the lowest possible raw materials cost. We change down sourcing companies frequently to insure that our customers have access to superior products at the lowest price possible. In the course of these efforts, Montbell never purchases down from operations that practice “live-plucking” methods. We only utilize down plumes and feathers collected as a by-product of water fowl raised to meet the demands of the food industry.
We will continue to look for sources of down that maximize value to our customers and allow Montbell products to perform at the highest level.
Materials
- Fill weight: 30g
- Insulation: 800 Fill Power EX Down
- Fabric 10-denier Ballistic Airlight Nylon rip-stop
- DRW: Standard DWR treatment
