Ben Holbrook reviews the Hoo-Rag face warmer/protector thingymabob, by riding his motorcycle around Richmond Park, London – in cold November!

The dudes at Hoo-Rag seem like my kind of people. They have a simple product that has been designed to do one thing and one thing only, apart from making you look like a thug: it keeps your head/face warm and protected from the elements.

A New Product?
Most riders of all walks of life, bikers, skiers, snowboarders, fishermen, walkers, runners etc, will already have a couple of sweat-ridden items that they’ve relied on for “face-warmth” for far too long. So what makes the Hoo-Rag any different?

Firstly, unlike a Buff, which is its most obvious competitor, the Hoo-Rag is one piece of material, cut into one simple tube-like shape. This makes it easier than the Buff to wear as a bandanna – which is how I’m wearing mine whilst writing this – and easier to shape into other head-shaped shapes.

Designs
The designs are bright and simple, nothing that will blow your mind, but they look good. The design I was sent (below left) is cool, but it does seem that they’ve mostly been created for fishermen – it’d be nice to see more “biker-friendly” styles in the collection.

The Test
I rode through Richmond Park, it was raining, cold and miserable – typical for a November day in the UK. Sorry there aren’t more pictures of the ride, but it wasn’t the best.

Verdict
My Hoo-Rag stayed on my face, exactly where I wanted it. It was comfortable and didn’t slip down like many other face-masks I’ve worn, and most importantly, it kept me warm.

Hoo-Rag is a cool brand that have a simple solution for those of us who love the outdoors have to face everyday. They are cheaper than most of their contemporaries and, once they have a few more designs up their sleeve, they’ll easily be my first choice.

Buy directly from their website – Prices from $9.99