The Best Face Coverings for Skiing & Snowboarding of 2024-2025

The Turtle Fur Quantum Luxe Balaclava ($40) is a cozy head covering that is comfortable and versatile for all-day use in most conditions. We loved how easy it was to pull up the front face covering to protect the lower part of our face, especially since the unique hinge design also allowed that part to scrunch down out of the way for more breathability.

Similarly, we appreciated the option to either keep in heat and cover our ears by wearing the hood up or pulling it back out of the way. Plus, it was comfortable when we pulled it back and gave no choking sensations like others we’ve tried.

What really shines for this balaclava is how comfortable it is to wear. This incredibly soft fleece with reinforced seams feels durable without irritating edges. The front is double-lined for extra warmth as you fly down the mountain, but the single-layer hood means it doesn’t feel bulky or claustrophobic, whether worn up or down. The neck in the front also comes down long enough to stay tucked under a jacket and provide coverage even when you don’t zip your coat to the top.

While the Quantum Luxe balaclava is breathable enough for all-day comfort, the double-layer face covering can be challenging to breathe through if you are huffing and puffing, which happens to us when we’re skate-skiing uphill. Unless it’s dangerously cold out, the option to keep the covering around or under your chin during moments of exertion is a significant bonus.

It also isn’t waterproof, so if the weather suddenly turns and it starts raining or snowing, especially heavy flakes, this face covering could get wet and cold. However, it does dry quickly, so it won’t ruin the rest of your snow time if it gets wet.

This balaclava also comes in one size, so keep that in mind if you have an especially large or small head. One reviewer felt the hood fit a bit loosely and potentially blocked vision without frequent adjustment, while another felt that by the end of a long day with the hood up, it felt a bit tight on a pressure point, especially when wearing goggles.

The Turtle Fur Quantum Luxe fits under a helmet, and its breathability means that even though you can quickly push the hood on and off, you likely won’t need to. Because of this, it shines as the best overall face covering due to its comfort, versatility, and breathability.

Buff is the quintessential brand name for versatile neck and head coverings, and the Buff Merino Move Multifunctional Neckwear ($32) is likely the item that comes to mind when people think of Buff. And for a good reason: we wore this comfortable, stylish, and virtually endlessly versatile item starting when the first leaf changed color through to when public pools opened, and it more or less always made sense.

We wore it in extremely varied situations: with a tank top for a bit of coziness when we wanted autumn to hurry up and get here already, with a denim jacket when the sunset temps dropped to 40 degrees, and in the heart of winter with a coat and hat to make snow angels.

More importantly, we loved all the ways we could wear it. You can pull it up over your ears, wear it as a full face covering, turn it into a hat, and pull it like a tube over the top of your head down past your neck so just your face is exposed. Fold it over a few times to create heat-holding layers in its soft Merino wool, or stretch and fluff it to allow maximum breathability. The Buff Move is the Swiss army knife of apparel and a potential lifesaver if you find yourself ill-equipped for the elements.

It’s no substitute for a proper hat, and the loose fit of this style Buff, when worn around the neck, can let out some important body heat if not properly fashioned. The loose knit is great for temperate weather but less ideal for extreme temperatures or weather. Depending on where you ski, this may be the best item you purchase or leave you wanting more — at least more layers.

However, even here in Montana, we use the Buff Move a ton, and we leave an extra one in our backpack as an emergency extra layer. It has come in handy when we’ve needed to seal up the neck of a coat or jacket, pull up some chin or ear coverage, or create a head base layer under our hood or helmet when the temps have suddenly dipped, or the clouds roll in unexpectedly.

Whether from inclement weather, high altitude, or carving fresh paths in the backcountry after snowfall, a wet or windy climate calls for increased protection from the elements. REI’s Wind Pro Hinged Balaclava ($40) is a fantastic option for those days when simply pulling your neck gaiter over your nose just won’t do. While many ski face coverings offer warmth and shield you from direct interaction with the harshest elements, wind and precipitation can cut through many materials, allowing the cold in.

This balaclava has Polartec Wind Pro fleece, which combines knitting technique, fabric, and chemical-free finishing style to create a tightly woven protection against wind and precipitation while maintaining breathability. It isn’t waterproof, and you can’t dunk your head in an ice bath while wearing it and stay dry, but it will keep you comfortable when riding through blower pow. The neck offers ample coverage, so there isn’t a massive risk of catching an edge and getting a face full of snow from your collar.

We especially appreciated the versatility of the hinge on this face covering. It allowed for adjustability in all situations so we could expose our faces to get fresh air or a drink. We also could easily pull it up high for maximum coverage.

The “one size” is sized to fit heads with a 21.5-23.5-inch circumference, but we found this balaclava fits best on skiers whose heads were closer to the larger side of that spectrum. Because it runs a bit big, we often had to fiddle with the face covering to keep the forehead fabric from covering our eyes without exposing the hairline.

The Wind Pro Hinged Balaclava may be a bit overbuilt for a mild season, shoulder season snow seshes, or the average nice day in the mountains. But, if you’re going to be out after the sun sets (or before it rises) and the cold wind picks up, or up high where you’re more exposed, this breathable, high-coverage balaclava is a fantastic option to stay safe and comfortable.

The Buff Mountain Bandana ($35) is a stylish, easy-to-wear face covering ideal for versatile climates. Whether you are skinning up the backside of a mountain on a cold dawn patrol session and need protection from the cold air while you huff up the mountain, are Nordic skiing your favorite national forest with your best friend and want to cover your nose for protection but still pull down your mask fast enough to say, “you told him what?!”, or are on a full moon snowshoe on a pass known for exceptional wind, this bandana answers many needs in one simple design.

This style can be especially helpful if you aren’t comfortable having a stationary covering on your head or fabric over your ears or if you would rather wear a hat or the hood of your sweatshirt or coat. We also loved wearing it “cowboy style” around our neck; its soft fleece provided protection against the cold and wind. When it was especially brutal out, we also wore it pulled up over our mouth and nose and even covered most of our ears if we needed some sudden extra protection.

While we lose a good amount of heat from the top of our heads (though not as much as previously assumed), there are plenty of other options for head coverings out there, a few of which you likely already have in your winter gear stash. However, if you don’t usually wear a winter hat or a hood, you may find the Mountain Bandana lacking the necessary coverage.

It also isn’t waterproof, though the upper part is quick drying so the condensation from our breath didn’t stick around and make us colder — a smart choice for an item designed specifically around being worn over our mouth and nose.

What the Mountain Bandana lacks in the top parts, it makes up for in the bottom design. The tired and true bandana style covers the neck and cheek area very well without bunching up. Because the fleece is thick, more fabric would not only be uncomfortable if it were to bunch up, but also it could likely cause it to get pushed out from under a coat. The pointed design prevented that from happening, which meant we stayed warmer.

Most so-called breathable materials are breathable enough to let sweat evaporate. But this often comes with a trade-off; they can be very restrictive, and we often need to pull them away from our faces during harder efforts (or at least to uncover our noses). This bandana is different, however, because you can actually breathe with it on. It protects and covers well enough to keep your nose intact without sacrificing your cold nose to the suffocation gods.

Smartwool is known for its consistently high-quality Merino wool products, and the Smartwool Thermal Merino Reversible Neck Gaiter ($32) is no exception. At a reasonable price, this neck gaiter is a great option to keep stored in your pocket, glove compartment, or ski bag as an emergency layer when the weather shifts or you realize too late that your ski jacket doesn’t offer as much neck coverage as you thought.

While this neck gaiter is short and simple, the double-layered, tight-knit fabric is incredibly warm. Like all Merino wool gear, it’s breathable and dries fairly quickly, so it works great pulled up over your face in a pinch.

This gaiter can feel tight, which can be restrictive if you don’t like turtlenecks or have a larger neck circumference. At roughly 8.5 inches wide lying flat, just one size is available, but it isn’t one size fits all.

Unlike some other neck coverings, there is no additional fabric to cover our lower neck or chest, which means it did let in cold when our jacket wasn’t cinched up properly. In contrast, this lack of fabric means we could get relief from the tight neck covering’s equally tight weave by unzipping our coat.

The Smartwool Reversible Neck Gaiter might feel tight to some wearers, but for others, that just means it’s not bulky and is an easy and versatile item for a variety of weather conditions. While it’s just a small neck gaiter (10.25″ long) that doesn’t include a hood, it provides a surprising amount of warmth. Plus, since it’s reversible, you can change your look with a simple flip of the fabric.

Whether you’re enjoying the last bits of spring snow on the nordic trails or bombing down a double black diamond on a cold winter day, this simple additional layer is a solid option to build up an outfit for any conditions.

This thin, high-coverage Hood Balaclava from Blackstrap ($38) is the perfect solution for people who want a layer of protection to wear under their helmet or hood and goggles. The synthetic material provides wind and sun protection and doesn’t bunch up when worn under other apparel. It’s also breathable and dries quickly, so it doesn’t cause condensation on goggles or problems with freezing or suffocation from moisture.

The front inside panel is made of a polyester mesh lining, which helps with drying and wind protection. Because it’s so thin and lightweight, it’s comfortable enough for all-day riding, making it an ideal balaclava for lift-accessed skiing and snowboarding. It also has a hinge design on the facepiece.

Thanks to a solid design, we were able to keep our gloves on and easily pull down the bottom part to fully expose our face when the sun came out or temps warmed up. We also were able to take the balaclava off completely without having to remove any of our many layers.

Like other synthetic sportswear, such as cycling jerseys or basketball shorts, this balaclava wicks moisture to keep you dry and comfortable. However, it can also potentially hold onto odor-causing bacteria. So, it’s important to wash this item regularly and not let it sit in your duffel, lest you have a rather uncomfortable run the next time you head to the slopes.

This thin material was the perfect layer when we went out in temperate conditions. It did a fantastic job of protecting against sudden gusts of wind, but when testing it on the more frigid winter days, we found ourselves wishing for an additional layer. When we wore it on truly cold days, this balaclava was only warm enough when we were nordic skiing uphill fast enough to break a significant sweat.

Unfortunately, at this point, the balaclava was also cold because while it did breathe great and was genuinely quick-drying, it still became damp from the level of exertion it took to get warm.

The Blackstrap Hood Balaclava was a great option for the vast majority of conditions and especially shined when alpine skiing. It protected well against sun reflecting off the snow and was generally comfortable enough to wear all day without feeling claustrophobic, sweaty, or overheating.