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Overview

As we discussed above, once you've got a good active beanie, all the useful stuff in a balaclava is in the bottom half.  Enter Brubeck's M-Pro Half Balaclava (M-Pro HB from hereon), the result of some clear thinking on Brubeck's part (and finding it, a good deal of research on ours).

Brubeck are a Polish company that use the same high-tech Italian machinery as the Dutch brand Megmeister to make baselayers and a range of accessories. 

Their M-Pro HB is a light, stretchy, comfortable neckgaiter-facemask made from a sensible balance of merino wool, nylon and elastane.  It solves the ill-fitting issue that plagues many balaclavas; it negates the "flip-top" design choice that some implement poorly and others not at all; and perhaps most importantly, it provides a generous breathing vent (pictured below #1 and #3) which accommodates both nose and mouth and doesn't seem to impede the intake and exhalation of air at all.

Brubeck gave their M-Pro HB a generous vent to cover the mouth and nose.

The M-Pro HB fulfills the "just enough, but not too much" criteria outlined above. There's enough protection to take the edge off a biting wind, but not too much that you overheat. This half balaclava seems to be a popular choice among motorcyclists and skiers alike; both groups need to counter strong, cold winds without fogging their eye wear.

We've only tested this item with goggles in a simulated environment, not yet in the wild.  We need to do more sub-zero testing before we can provide a final assessment, but so far, the M-Pro HB looks very promising indeed. If we find it's a fraction under-powered in more extreme cold, it's the kind of item one could pair with a simple balaclava like Sub Zero's excellent lightweight polypropylene Meraklon Balaclava.

For those that require a balaclava for serious, high altitude mountaineering, our recommendations is Black Yak's Mountain Shemagh Balaclava. 
 

Fit & Function

The M-Pro HB works well as a simple neck-gaiter (pictured right, #4) when the face-mask is not required. When you need a face-mask, there's really three settings, each of which functioned well in our kit test.  I tended to wear the M-Pro HB as pictured in #2.  

The combination of the Brynje Super Thermo Helmet Hat and the M-Pro Half Balaclava seem made for one another and we look forward to throwing them into some harsh sub-zero conditions this winter.  

The M-Pro will fit most users and can be fitted in a number of ways to provide more or less protection.

Weight, Packability & Sizing

The M-Pro HB weighs in at just 36g (size L/XL) and takes up hardly any space in a pocket or belt bag. In winter, it's the kind of item you'd put on in the morning with your baselayer and remove at night.

The Brubeck M-Pro Half Balaclava comes in two sizes:

• S/M which will fit the majority of women
• L/XL which will fit the majority of men
   

Any Negatives?

None yet, but we need to do more testing in sub zero conditions. Thus the "special mention" status of this review and the lack of a final rating for this item. We'll update this review when we've completed the upcoming winter kit test.
 

Last Updated: 29/05/24