Columbia Backcountry Ride Beanie

Columbia Backcountry Ride Beanie
January 24, 2012

My helmet (like most) has ear pads which are not cupped enough, and they let too much cold air through to my ears. The only way to get the ear pads tight against my head (fully around the ear) is to cinch down the chin strap, which then becomes even more uncomfortable than the cold air on the ears. I thought I'd give this beanie a try, because it's cut to fully cover the ears. I skied a full day in 25-degree temperatures, and my head remained very comfortable all day (never too hot, nor too cold). Most importantly (for me)..., this liner totally solved my issue of cold air getting to my ears! In fact, I actually forgot to buckle my chin strap in the morning, and skied almost two hours that way before even realizing it. The ear pads were very loose against my ears, yet I didn't even notice. I would heartily recommend this product to anyone else looking to keep their ears warm under a helmet.

Good liner if you really need a liner
January 04, 2012

I used this when it was really cold while snowboarding under my helmet. When not in use it was in my pocket and I couldn't feel it at all which is nice. It's a bit confusing which side is the front and what's the back and sometimes I first put it on backwards. Also, the tag with the care instructions sticks up and was covering my ear to I had gently cut it off. Overall, it's a nice, compact, comfortable liner and with Omni-Heat, but who knows how effective it really is in such a thin skimpy liner! You definitely want a real beanie if you're looking for warmth, not just this. You probably wouldn't want to wear it without a helmet because you'll look like a swimmer wearing a swim cap.