Elm Company™ Claw Hood Balaclava will keep you warm and dry in winter conditions!
About Elm Company™:
Elm Company’s roots started in L.A.; entering its 13th year, it is known for its headwear designs and production of hats, beanies, and facemasks for summer and winter seasons. In late 2013, Elm brought back former founder Brett Wiley to helm the company; he brought in top snowboarding pros Bryan Iguchi and Mark Carter to collaborate on a new direction to reinvigorate Elm Company™. We have really been excited to see the new vision unfold over the last few years as the company stayed true to its core mission:
Elm Company™ was founded on the love for the outdoors and the creativity that comes from experiencing it firsthand. Focused on the goal of creating something unique, the brand was built around the philosophy, “Rooted in Life.”
About the Claw Hood Balaclava:
- Outer: 100% nylon
- Lining: 100% polyester microfleece
- 310g
The Claw Hood is a lightweight microfleece hood/balaclava/facemask with a nylon shell, and is a nice option for when you’re out shreddin’. In the new world of detachable hoods, this is a really cool piece, and we were lucky enough to get the opportunity to try one out (thank you Mike and Lindsay!). While we were at SIA, we visited the Elm Company™ booth to see their new line, and we were quite impressed with the assortment of hats, beanies and facemasks. Take a look at our gallery below for 2016-2017 Elm Company™ gear.
The Claw Hood fits really well and is easy to put on and take off in winter gear; the neck and collar portion extends far enough that you can easily fit it under your outerwear to keep winter conditions out and warmth in. I wore the Elm Company™ Claw Hood in both cold and warm temperatures (around -10°Fto 40°F), and I really liked wearing the Claw Hood while hiking, on the lift, and while riding. The one caveat I found is that it is not really designed to fit under a helmet. I pretty much ride with a helmet 100% of the time. I rode in the Claw Hood without my helmet, and it was very comfortable, but once I put my helmet on there were hotspots and it bunched up a bit; I would recommend this to those riders that do not wear helmets. Hopefully, Elm will work on this aspect of the Claw Hood in the future.
The locking drawstring adjustment is easy to tighten, although I did have a to remove my mittens to do so; if the adjustment ring was slightly larger or easier to grip, this would not be an issue. The Claw Hood is easy to adjust otherwise, and the microfleece liner is extremely comfortable. I recommend the Claw Hood, especially if you don’t wear a helmet while riding (hopefully this will be changed in later versions!), and you’re looking for an additional piece for cold days, this detachable hood/balaclava WILL keep you warm in style.
Pros
- Warm, perfect for cold days
- Durable
- Comfortable
- Well-constructed
- Easily adjusted
- Great array of color options, looks good on your face!
Cons
- Awkward fit under a helmet (note: this is not marketed for use under a helmet)
- Muffles hearing
- Microfleece liner could be more breathable around the mouth/nose section
- Drawstrings tabs could have larger pull tabs, as they are hard to grab on to with gloves/mittens to tighten
2017 Elm products:
