Buff running: We test cap and tubular, the perfect combination for winter

The new TECH FLEECE line by BUFF for winter 2016-17. The winning combination: tubular and hat that are more than a complement and accessory.

We present in Runnea.com the review of the sensations that have left us the TECH FLEECE HAT and the new TUBULAR of Buff for this fall winter 2016-17 season. Both incorporate the new Tech Fleece fabric, which they assure from the firm, is an extremely light and resistant fabric, which will protect us from the wind and cold, providing maximum breathability, as well as a pleasant feel on the skin.

At first, lightness and resistance, as well as protection and breathability seem to me to be opposing attributes, difficult for any garment to be able to combine in equal performance. I'll tell you my conclusions below. True to their outdoor soul, we have tested them in different sports activities of varying intensity and duration: mountain biking, hiking and trail mainly.

Getting to know Original Buff

Few outdoor sports brands evoke so many reflections and flashes in my head as the Catalan ORIGINAL BUFF. It has rained since 1992 when they started to develop and commercially launch their "complements and accessories", but it is impossible to do more in such a short time, even more so if we compare it with the years that other brands in the sector have been working with their products. And especially if we think that the core of its activity is formed by garments far from the glamour and impact of a pair of boots, sneakers, jackets or windbreakers. This core is none other than the one that reveals its commercial slogan,"The Original Multifunctional Headwear": hats, tubulars, caps, bandanas, ....

And here are my thoughts, which explain why I have put complements and accessories in quotation marks in this presentation. I have been using "complements" Buff since I started in this outdoor activities and from the first moment I realized that these "accessories" are as vital as any layer of clothing.

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You can wear the best waterproof jacket, the most effective windbreaker, but if your hands, feet and especially your head are not protected, you're lost. Buff does not sell cycling boot covers, socks or gloves, but multifunctional garments for neck and head. Wearing this body area well protected from environmental conditions, both from the cold and wind, as well as from the sun's rays, will be essential for your cycling, skiing, trail or hiking outing to be safe.

I know you think that a large percentage of body heat escapes through the head to the outside through the radiation mechanism. But no more than through any other unprotected part of the body. This myth has been disproved by researchers Rachel Vreeman and Aaron Carroll of Indiana University (Indianapolis, USA), and their results, published in the British Medical Journal, actually state that the head and neck have the highest concentration of nerve cells, so these parts are more sensitive to temperature changes than any other part of the body. Heat loss depends on blood circulation, and there are no more blood vessels in the head and neck than in any other part of the body. The most active and vital parts of the body will be the most irrigated and, consequently, the warmest, and logically, the parts of the body that lose the most heat are those that are uncovered.

Ears, nose and face (along with fingers and toes) are among the body areas most exposed to the weather.

On the one hand, to the harmful cumulative effects over time of the sun's UV rays, which cause skin melanoma, more dangerous at high altitude due to the reflective effect of snow and the lower protective layer of the atmosphere. Therefore, apart from protecting these areas with high sun protection factor creams, the use of tubulars and bandanas will allow us to cover them, providing an extra barrier. On the other hand, these parts of the body are the first to suffer the effects of vasoconstriction of the circulatory system in a situation of exposure to cold (by radiation due to low ambient temperature, by convection and wind effect or by conduction when wet), in an attempt by the body to redirect blood, and therefore, body heat to vital organs, to the detriment of the possible freezing of peripheral areas. Also, keep in mind that head, nose, ears, hands and feet are the body areas with the lowest percentage of body fat, whose main function, in addition to being an energy substrate, is that of thermal insulation.

Another reflection is that, I don't know if it also happens to you, but I find it difficult to say "tubular" instead of "a Buff". Just as I find it more effort to refer to a "hydration backpack" instead of "a Camelbak". I think it must be a satisfaction for any brand that the popular imagination refers to a generic product with the name of its product.

In addition to the quality of their products, the result of their constant work of creativity, research and innovation, they have worked very well in marketing, promotion and sponsorship of major events and outdoor athletes (skiing, trail, cycling, mountaineering, hiking). The Buff logo comes to mind for all the runners in major international events such as the Buff Epic Run in the Aigüestortes National Park, which this year hosted the ISF Skyrunner World Championship, and on the official bandanas and equipment of its international athletes such as Nuria Picas, Emma Roca, Yeray Durán, Anton Krupicka, Gerard Morales, Zaid ait Malek and Pau Bartoló. And the rest of us mortals, we also remember her when we tried to follow the Buff team in the Adventure Raids when you were more lost than an elephant in a china shop.

Without further ado, let's get down to business: what we thought of the new products in the Tech Fleece line of Original Buff...

Tubular

What I like most about the tubular, without a doubt, is its multifunctionality. Although this feature is general to all Buff tubulars. The brand gives you hints of all the possible ways you can use it to get the most out of it (you can see them in the photo). Of all of them, the ones I use and make the most profitable are the classic neckerchief and scarf when I use it in combination with a hat. If I don't wear the hat, in milder weather conditions, but I need to cover my head, I use it in place of the hat in the Saharan or pirate mode, knotting it. So as you can see, you can't get more out of such a "small" garment. And if you think it seems few options for use, I give you one more, and that is that when I do not use it in combination with the cap and I want to increase the thermal insulation of the head but without hindering the perspiration, I wear it as a panty but raising the back to cover the ears and the back half of the head. Of course, the Buff must be long enough so as not to uncover the back of the neck, and this one meets the requirement.

Regarding the new Tech Fleece fabric, it is indeed a microfiber textile, much lighter than previous fabrics used in Buff tubulars (on both sides of the Tech Fleece in the photo). This, which at first may seem to favor breathability over strength and protection, has been called into question in campo tests. It is surprising that such a lightweight fabric has proven to be resistant to traction, scratches and snags, pressure from zippers and helmet buckles, etc... At the moment it is also resisting successive washes. For this to happen, remember to use special soaps for synthetic fabrics, without softener and in short programs with cold water.

The battle of breathability has also won over previous Buff fabrics. At no time have I felt that the fabric was not able to evaporate sweat, indeed, even in times of more intense physical activity (prolonged running and cycling climbs) the fabric does not absorb moisture from sweat and allows you to stay dry. To give you an idea of its breathability, even when the airways are covered, the water vapor from your own exhalation is easily dissipated into the environment, preventing the tubular from getting wet due to condensation, also avoiding the annoying condensation in the form of fogging of glasses.

However, when perspiration needs increase, the best option is to store the tubular and reserve it for downhill protection. The downside to this superb breathability is that, although the Tech Fleece fabric of the tubular offers acceptable protection against the cold and wind, in more unfavorable conditions when the temperature drops, the wind picks up or physical activity decreases in intensity, if I missed a little more protection.

That offered by fabrics like Polar tech or Windstopper, so the tubulars that combine a more breathable fabric with another of this type win the battle in these situations. Something that has been more evident in cycling, due to the effect of the wind on descents, and in less intense activities such as hiking. However, keep in mind that the Tech Fleece will give you a good comfort temperature from 0 to 20°C.

One thing I really liked is that the new fabric has gained in elasticity compared to the previous ones. This makes it much easier to adapt to your physiognomy and the thousand and one ways you can use it. It fits much better, you don't have to be constantly readjusting it, and if we add the comfortable feeling and the pleasant contact on the skin that it gives you, the result is the fit of an elastic, comfortable 1st layer that allows total freedom of movement: you don't even know you're wearing it.

The fabric is treated with Polygiene technology, which gives it a biocidal power from the reaction mass of titanium dioxide and silver chloride, avoiding the retention of odors and, with the care mentioned above, maintains its bactericidal power against the many bacteria in our sweat.

Another quality detail, which did not include the previous Buff tubulars, at least the ones I knew, are its two side bands of reflective material.

Which, as you can see in the photos, are of great quality, as they can be seen at 150 meters from the light source. I really like the detail: safety never hurts.

To all these advantages I would add the ease of carrying it when you don't need it. Inside the cuff, in the hand, wrapped around the wrist to allow freedom of manipulation or stored directly in the pocket of the jersey or hydration bag or fanny pack.

Any option will not prevent you from continuing your activity without having to stop. Laziness won't be an excuse to introduce Tech Fleece as basic outdoor gear this fall-winter season.

PROS:

• Multifunctionality and versatility.
• High breathability with acceptable thermal insulation (not maximum protection)
• Lightweight, elasticity and strength

IMPROVEMENTS:

• Greater insulation and protection for more unfavorable days.
• Same model but with a version incorporating a Polar tech or Windstopper fabric stripe.

Tech Fleece Hat

The Tech Fleece Hat can be found in Buff's winter running collection, in four different colors, at a price of 29,95 €. It is available in one adult size, measuring 17 cm wide and 24 cm long. This should not be a problem for you because its ergonomic design and elastic fabric (15% elastane), made with only two seams, is perfectly adjustable to various sizes and head shapes.

It is very light, 24 grams, a garment that, due to its excellent fit, behaves like a real second skin. The main novelty is that it is made with Vuelta technology, an innovative technological fabric, designed by the prestigious Italian firm Carvico, leader in the development of technical materials for the textile industry, which is ideal for making the Buff Tech Fleece Hat a perfect hat for the most demanding outdoor aerobic sports. Why?

These are its main qualities:

• Maximum breathability with very acceptable thermal insulation and wind protection. As in the tubular, breathability has been its main feature.

• More than protection. It still offers the necessary thermal insulation for cold and windy days, but in my opinion, not "extreme cold" as advertised. With lower temperatures, foggy days and less intense sports activities, I have wanted to test the WINDPROOF TECH FLEECE HAT, which for 5 € and 4 grams more, with a similar ergonomic design and fit, combines two types of fabrics: Carvico Vuelta on the upper part to prioritize breathability and thermal insulation, while the forehead and ears are covered by Carvico Fuga fabric to improve wind protection.

• Despite its lightness and breathability, it is a durable and resistant fabric (85% polyamide) to mechanical traction, helmet friction, the effect of washing,...

• Unbeatable fit, comfort and pleasant contact with the skin. An ideal Fit for intense sporting activity: freedom of body movement, but not of the garment, which fits and holds on the head like a glove. It is ideal for use under the helmet of the bike, climbing, skiing, the hood of the waterproof jacket, with the front, ..., without having to readjust these accessories, as the fabric is only a few millimeters thick.

• The preformed and anatomical cut, allows to cover the ears, protecting them from the cold and wind. At no time does it move from its place, leaving them out in the open. What I have noticed is that it has allowed me to have a better quality of hearing compared to other caps with the same shape, avoiding that unpleasant feeling of hearing yourself with another tone and volume of voice.

• Like the tubular has reflective elements, in this case the front Buff logo, also visible at 150 meters from the light source. It would not have been superfluous to have some element also in the rear area. Detail to improve.

• Another detail is the rear leather loop, where the logo goes, which will allow you to hang it for storage.

For everything seen and especially experienced the Buff Tech Fleece hat is one of the indispensable complements for our most intense winter outdoor outings.

PROS:

• Breathability with good thermal insulation
• Ergonomic and elastic fit
• Lightweight and durable

IMPROVEMENTS:

• Increased insulation and protection for extreme cold (you can opt for the Windproof Tech Fleece model).
• Reflective back
• Specific model for women and men with long hair????