We all have/use some type of face protection that we use to shield us from the elements or other flying objects & debris. For me it has always been the trusted shemagh and I would imagine that would be the case for most readers? However recently I have had the opportunity to try out a ‘Neck Gaiter’ by 0241Tactical, a small USA based design & manufacture of protective covers for the tactical & military sector.
The first thing I noticed when I opened the parcel was the ‘packaging’, now normally this is not an area I cover off but on this occasion it is worth mentioning. I have received more expensive and more complicated bits of kit than this over the years with little to no packaging in some cases but 0241Tactical have pushed the boat out for this quite simple little product.
The card on the packaging clearly states what other patterns are available both in the product line as well as available from the company and on the inside you get a small but concise mission statement giving you an insight into the company. Now this is no huge global manufacture, quite the opposite but they have over the years grown a strong reputation for providing excellent protective covers (more on that later).
The particular model that this review is focused on is the Kryptek Mandrake Neck Gaiter, now what makes this different to the other two Kryptek patterns you will see pictured is that the Mandrake is made out of the ‘ALPHA’ fabric. The Alpha fabric is something I know very well and last year I had a very specific cold & wet weather jacket built out of this fabric due to its properties (pictured in the Mandrake photos of this review).
The Alpha fabric is a combination of Nylon (91%) and Spandex (9%) which creates a lightweight & compactable waterproof, windproof and dustproof material. Although it is a single layer it does retain your body heat quite well, especially handy on some of the colder days. The Nylon / Spandex mix does create some elasticity in the fabric and combined with a NanoSphere treatment it provides both a comfortable and protective layer your face & neck.
The neck gaiter measures 45 cm in length with a circumference of 56 cm, accommodating even the largest of heads but also providing adequate length to cover the majority of your lower face & ears as well as your neck. None of those sneaky little wind chill spots!
The stitching is also is incredibly solid with the use of a high strength bonded nylon thread, it certainly will not be getting pulled apart or collapsing when washed compared to others.
Now I mentioned earlier that 0241Tactical have built up a reputation for protective layers and their range of products goes from the neck gaiter across to goggle covers and pack covers through to pillow cases. They have products available in a majority of the modern camouflage patterns including MARPAT, Multicam, Kryptek Highlander & Typhon, ATACS AU, FG and LE and I am sure if you had a specific pattern requirement they would be able to accommodate you.
Lightweight, compacts down, easily fitted and removed and can be used in a wide variety of environments and only for the price of £19.99 for the Kryptek Mandrake version (which is the most expensive due to the fabric discussed above) it’s a solid buy.
I would like to thank Tactical-Kit for providing this neck gaiter for the review and please do visit their website http://www.tactical-kit.co.uk/ for the complete range of products from 0241Tactical.
** Please note that the Typhon & Highlander models seen were a limited run and only available direct from 0241Tactical**
Product link: http://www.tactical-kit.co.uk/0241tactical_NeckGaiter
Special thanks to our reviewer Richard aka FireBase Alpha for the product test.
