Fat Lad At The Back Hexy Neck Doo Dah

The Hexy Neck Doo Dah from Fat Lad At The Back is well made, does the job (or a multitude of...) and comes with a funky design and a good price. It's simple, fun, good value and effective.

• Pros: Soft, warm and comfortable, fun print design, good price
• Cons: Not particularly wide so could be a little tight for really large-necked 'Fat Lads'

The secret to marketing perfection is to have a brand name adopted as the generic product term. Hoover, Biro, Chapstick, Frisbee... In cycling, the phenomenon is a little rarer, although CrudCatcher, Race Blades and even Brooks saddles all come close. With that in mind, the Hexy Neck Doo Dah from Fat Lad At The Back is absolutely, definitely, incontrovertibly not a Buff.

> Buy this online here

You'd think that coming from a manufacturer whose specific market is not famed for having particularly bird-like necks, the Neck Doo Dah might come in a slightly larger width than a normal 'multi-use neck warmer', but actually this is in the same kind of ballpark at 9.5in/24cm. That means it will sit next to most necks relatively snugly but if your shirts require a particularly wide collar (I'm talking collars substantially wider than 18in) you might want to try before you buy.

In truth, a nice close fit isn't such a bad thing. The soft, lightweight micro-fibre material is perfectly comfortable and because it is a single tube of material with no seams, you won't find any points of irritation. It's also impressively warm, especially when worn bunched up around the neck. As a wind guard between your head and jacket, it works a treat. It also cuts quite a dash in a modern 'action cravat' kind of way, if that's the look you're going for.

Of course, round-the-neck isn't the only option and the Neck Doo Dah can also be pulled into any of the same shapes possible with other brands of stretchy, seamless tube neck warmers. Headband? No problem. Fancy being a pirate? Turn it half inside out to make a bandana. Foulard, balaclava, do-rag, hood, sun guard, wristband or even (the balding middle-aged man's least favourite) hair tie – it'll have a good crack at them all.

> Buyer's Guide: 30 of the best bits of kit to keep you warm when cycling in winter

Long-term care is easy, partly because it's not that prone to retaining sweaty smells in the first place. But when it does start to build up a slight pong, a quick blast in the washing machine at 30 degrees does the trick. Then simply hang to dry, and it'll be ready to wear again in a jiffy.

I am a big fan of Bu**s so I know a decent copy when I see one, and this is up there with the best. In fact, were I not aware that this was a 'Neck Doo Dah' rather than one of my old favourite **ffs, I'm not sure I could tell the difference. Performance is definitely on a par, and the Hexy design could certainly have come out of the old B**f school of colourways. The one major difference, though, is the price. At £9.99, Fat Lad at the Back's Neck Doo Dah is about two thirds of the price of a B*f*, so if you like how it looks, you should definitely like how much it costs. Even better, it's currently on sale for £6.99...

Verdict

Fine multi-use neck warmer with a fun design, good price and comfortable wearing experience. Not just for Fat Lads!