Support road.cc

Like this site? Help us to make it better.

review

The Weatherneck Bandana

8
£20.00

VERDICT:

8
10
An innovative, practical way to regulate neck covering and temperature, with one-handed on-bike removal
Weight: 
46g

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

What the road.cc scores mean

Good scores are more common than bad, because fortunately good products are more common than bad.

  • Exceptional
  • Excellent
  • Very Good
  • Good
  • Quite good
  • Average
  • Not so good
  • Poor
  • Bad
  • Appalling

The Weatherneck bandana solves the problem of what to do mid-ride with your neck/face covering when things warm up. It's a sporty snood on steroids.

Fundamentally, it's a quick-release 'Buff', the brand name now eponymous with sports-orientated neck coverings. Except the Weatherneck doesn't go over your head to make a balaclava – this is neck-only.

> Buy this online here

The issues with Buffs or the plethora of similar thin-fabric neck tubes is what to do when things warm up. Removing one while riding and wearing helmet/glasses/casquette is not recommended – the opportunity to come a cropper is obvious. But if the sun's now out after a frosty or dark start, you're nice and warm and the peloton is cracking along nicely, do you really want to pull over just to un-neck?

The reality is you'll probably just suffer on with an increasingly sweaty neck until the next natural break in proceedings – by which time the fabric is loaded with moisture and you're probably unzipped to the navel to keep cool. What if you could have removed it in a second, one-handed, and stuffed it into a pocket?

The trick with the Weatherneck is that it's held together at the back with four very strong, small magnets. To get the size right for your body and clothing you make a loop in one side, and the magnets then snap into place over this, so effectively it's infinitely adjustable. You can wear it over or under your jacket, pulled up to or over the nose, or under the chin.

The Weatherneck Bandana - back.jpg

There's another trick – if you're wearing it over your mouth, there's a strip of meshed fabric down the front to aid breathing and reduce moisture build-up, while holding the rest of it together. It works – even on hard climbs I didn't feel my breathing was restricted.

The Weatherneck Bandana.jpg

Why magnets? Velcro would not have offered the adjustability, would have snagged on clothing, been scratchy and would have worn out quickly. Also, a one-handed pull down from the front instead of peeling open would have been near-impossible with Velcro.

The FAQ says the magnets are good for 400 years, and should not be worn by people with pacemakers. It shouldn't be machine-washed either, because of the magnets sticking to the drum and accelerating fabric wear, so handwash only. Luckily that's no harder than rinsing a flannel.

> Check out our guide to choosing the right clothing for spring

As with all great ideas, it just works. Put on, adjust, ride. Get warm, one-handed pull, and stuff into pocket. That's it. You do need to stop to put it back on should needs dictate mid-ride, but even then, unlike other neck/face-warming options, you won't have to remove glasses or headgear.

The Weatherneck is made in the US and ships for $29 or about £20 including postage. And if you're ordering 30 or more, you can get a custom print to your design.

Verdict

An innovative, practical way to regulate neck covering and temperature, with one-handed on-bike removal

If you're thinking of buying this product using a cashback deal why not use the road.cc Top Cashback page and get some top cashback while helping to support your favourite independent cycling website

road.cc test report

Make and model: The Weatherneck Bandana

Size tested: n/a

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

It's a quick-removable neck covering that you don't have to stop for.

Weatherneck says:

"The Weatherneck is an updated bandana for outdoor adventures!

Using powerful magnets and technical fabrics you can finally re-size, breathe and quickly remove The Weatherneck during your outdoor adventures."

Tell us some more about the technical aspects of the product?

It has magnets, and is made from a stretchy fabric. That's all you need to know.

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
9/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
10/10

Can't imagine it ever wearing out.

Rate the product for fit:
 
8/10

Takes some getting used to, and how to get it just right.

Rate the product for sizing:
 
10/10

Infinitely adjustable.

Rate the product for weight:
 
10/10

Weighs next to nothing.

Rate the product for comfort:
 
9/10
Rate the product for value:
 
7/10

If you have the issue of needing to remove neck covering mid ride, quickly, there really is no other solution.

How easy is the product to care for? How did it respond to being washed?

Looks like new after a few months of washes.

Tell us how the product performed overall when used for its designed purpose

Very well indeed.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

The magnets.

Tell us what you particularly disliked about the product

The fabric hexagon design's not to my taste – would be good to see some block colours in the range.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes

Would you consider buying the product? Yes

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes

Use this box to explain your score

Occasionally I found the Weatherneck bunched up at the rear, requiring readjustment. That's probably inherent to the design and not any sort of design defect. Hence 4 stars.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 43  Height: 183cm  Weight: 72kg

I usually ride: Merida Ride 5000 Disc  My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: A few times a week  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: cyclo-cross, club rides, general fitness riding, mountain biking, Dutch bike pootling

Living in the Highlands, Mike is constantly finding innovative and usually cold/wet ways to accelerate the degradation of cycling kit. At his happiest in a warm workshop holding an anodised tool of high repute, Mike's been taking bikes apart and (mostly) putting them back together for forty years. With a day job in global IT (he's not completely sure what that means either) and having run a boutique cycle service business on the side for a decade, bikes are his escape into the practical and life-changing for his customers.

Add new comment

5 comments

Avatar
tritecommentbot | 7 years ago
0 likes

I'd buy one if they had more stylish colourways. Look like they're aimed at teen downhillers.

Avatar
watlina | 7 years ago
0 likes

I got one from the original Kickstarter campaign. I've found it works well. It's not just for the neck it works well on your head under your helmet.

Can be removed from your head quickly without taking off your helmet. Demonstration video https://youtu.be/qUqpqeGCBIE

Avatar
Simon E | 7 years ago
3 likes

A solution looking for a problem?

Avatar
nortonpdj replied to Simon E | 7 years ago
0 likes
Simon E wrote:

A solution looking for a problem?

Probably. It's certainly a bit too "niche" for me!

Avatar
KiwiMike replied to Simon E | 7 years ago
0 likes
Simon E wrote:

A solution looking for a problem?

If your problem is how to take off a Buff, whilst riding or stationary, over a helmet/glasses, then yup.

Latest Comments