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Posted: 8/30/2002 12:52:33 PM EDT
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I've got a question about the Balaclava: I find it constricts breathing and is a bit tight around my nose. I also find it rides up and could affect your eye sight if worn over your nose (and not under). Am I alone in these observations? Any tips from operators. I've thought about putting a piece of metal in the bottom of the eye piece so that it can conform to the face better, like a surgical mask. Anyone have to do this? Why do I have a Balaclava you wonder? Well, mostly for fun and the mythical SHTF end-times (which I'm doubtful willcome, but does help you make gear purchases). But also b/c they make a nice winter hat. |
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I bought a Neoprene one a couple of years ago for when I have to shovel snow. Not really a tactical operation but it sure beats the wool hat and hood combo. As for SHTF gear- "The Balaclava Gives someone a perfect circle to put a bullet into, Too bad more terrorists don't wear them" -John Plaster,quoted from his book the "Ultimate Sniper" JerrY |
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.....another person wishing he was a "G.I. Joe" doll...... makes me laugh when I see people buying this shit for no reason, except to be a "wanna-be". On entry teams, the main purpose is to wear the ones made of Nomex for fire proofing. So if they enter a location and have to deploy flash bangs, and/or a meth lab goes up in flames, there face/head is protected. Secondly, it does have some psychological effect on bad guys, when they see "ninjas" comming at them with balaclavas and sub-guns. Why any civilian would own one is beyond me. Unless you're gonna hit your neighbors meth-lab!!!!! hahahahhahahaha (get some!) |
My sister used to make the fireproof kind as piece work in her house. Someone supplied her with the pieces, I think, and she sewed them up and returned them. I think they were for use by firefighters. |
| I bought a fleece balaclava, realy only a sleeve of fleece. It worked great when I worked outside during New England winters. They are great for keeping your throat, neck, ears, and chin warm. Combined with a hooded sweatshirt and a wool cap they help keep you pretty toasty. |
In the pic you can see both guys are wearing something UNDER the clava. like goggles. I'll bet they're attached so the hood doesn't move around and obscure everything. There's no way they're not tunnel-visioned tho'. |
You're not a very good armchair commando if you don't have your SHTF goggles on when you're playing JBT! |
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".....another person wishing he was a "G.I. Joe" doll...... makes me laugh when I see people buying this shit for no reason, except to be a "wanna-be". i wish i was a GI Joe, not a GI Joe DOLL. get it straight, buddy. i bought one the other day at wal-mart. why? because it was 4 bucks, and it looks cool. i plan to wear it in the winter, maybe while snowboarding, and of course when i play dress up. what makes ME laugh is when people are concerned with total strangers balaclava-buying habits. |
[rant]Some of you people on this board spend entirely too much time worrying about the way I play over in my corner. You don't like it? Too bad... I didn't invite you anyway. Go back to your corner and play with yourself. I don't mean to take ALL of my frustration out on you HK but it really irks me when other people are critical of someone because they have a balaclave, or a tac-vest. It's the same fvcking game the anti's play. "Why would you ever need an AR-15 and a 30 round mag unless you plan to raid your neighbor's meth lab?" Who the hell cares. I have it because I frickin' can... and more importantly... I have it just to stir the shit and make you angry. And I have it cuz the people at Lightfighter.com are smart business people and they'll take my money and send me one whether I'm a real "operator" or if I just play one on TV.[/rant] |
What? What Germans? All I see is some woodland brush. |
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I use a balaclava for three things. #1 Hunting! The balaclava helps me protect my cheeks that were frostbit at a young age. It keeps the wind off of my face and neck and lets me regulate heat much better than other types of headgear. The nordic fleece ones I use extensively and have three sets depending on what I'm using it for. When I wear them I find if really cold it will stay on my nose fine, but it's a looser material. It also depends on how the openings cut. Some are cut larger and will come under to hook the nose. My turkey face mask has a small piece that conforms to the nose like you're planning. It works, but after a while kinda gets irritating. If you try to adjust it it always seems to find that one spot on your nose where it will sit again and irritate. #2 Snowmobiling. It keeps the ind off the face again with the helmet. Nomex is very very comfortable, and it doens't matter if I wear that or polypropelene. It dries quickly from sweat, and is small enough I can carry a couple with me if I need dry ones before I can let it dry. #3. I am on SWAT, so I use it when it's cold out to keep warm when outside for extended periods of time, or I use it for traffic control, or whatever. It's a piece of clothing, and if someone wants to wear one, fine. The only way I'd take interest is if the guy happen to have burglary tools and such with him and things made me think he was up to no good. I agree with the sentiment of this being similar to some gun owners looking down on others for owning Black Rifles and asking "Whatcha NEED that FOR?" I just find people very quick to jump on others on these boards lately... Gets old when just honest information is wanted. |
Good post DH. I agree with you. I'm getting sick of all this PC crap. I already have to deal with stupid looks at the range when I show up with and AR, and it's getting to the point where I can't wear a duty belt and holster without some moron looking sideways at me. Whether LE or not, any of us are entitled to train or play however and in whatever we like. As gun owners, we need to stop feeding into the liberal anti-gun PC bullcrap that the media is circulating... |
Heh heh, I thought you'd remember that, that's why I HAD to jump in on this thread.  Seriously though, I busted DH balls (in good natured humor, I swear!) over that pic a while back, but that thread got me thinking. If a fellow gun owner is having a good time, who am I to try to bring him down? And DH sure as hell looks like he's having a lot of fun! Not to mention, as black rifle owners, we get a lot of stupid looks from the '1 shot every 10 seconds' crowd, so why should we persecute our own??? Anyway, DH, I still think you're a bit wacko for wearing a kevlar pot and balaclava at the range, but what the hell, have fun! 
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, but heck, posting that picture on the 'net shows more balls than a bunch of the SWAT guys I know would have  Heck if you have more fun shooting with that stuff on you earned your money honestly and have every right to wear that stuff. If this stuff cheezes people off maybe I'll have to get one of those vests that holds all the magazines and canteens and knives etc.  |
I don't own one cause I don't think I'd really need one, BUT if you do, and plan on using it in a SHTF scenario or in your job, It makes perfect sense to wear it while training, or at the range. You should be absolutely comfortable with your gear when you need it. It would suck to have the thing on when your life is on the line only to suddenly have the problems Publius is. DOA. Here's a question for you SWAT guys: If you have a Balaclava and kevlar on, how long does it take you guys to remove that shit and don a gas mask, if someone was to pop gas, CS, Etc? Publius, Do you have an oversize noggin?
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I thought my nose could be the problem--not huge, but not tiny either--but I think the overall design is the problem (although I notice many operators wear it under the nose, like the photo above. I also find them a bit hard to breath in. Frankly I bought one for the heck of it and wore it about 5 times (mostly for cold in the winter. Now I keep it in one of my field jackets just to have something handy. I do think a balaclava riding up and blocking vision could be a major problem. I was as much curious about how operators deal with this, as anything else. Perhaps mine is just too small (it's the polypro one that you can get through cheaper than dirt). Thanks to those of you on the board that defended freedom and useless accesories! |
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I have a balaclava because I airsoft alot. I hate paintball masks, but wanted some sort of protection. I use those with my ESS turbo-cam goggles, and its a great setup. I also have eagle industries tac gear out the ass and BDU's and combat boots that I wear. But I actually use them, and they help me out in everyaspect of airsofting. So am I a mall ninja, or is my use of a balaclava justified? |
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