Abalaclava, also called aski mask orracing mask, is a form of clothheadgear designed to expose only part of the face, usually the eyes and mouth. Depending on style and how it is worn, only the eyes, mouth and nose, or just the front of the face are unprotected. Versions with enough of a full face opening may be rolled into a hat to cover thecrown of the head or folded down as a collar around the neck. It is commonly used in alpine skiing, snowboarding, motorsport and motorcycle.
Similar styles of headgear were known in the 19th century as theUhlan cap worn by Polish and Prussian soldiers, and theTemplar cap worn by outdoor sports enthusiasts.[1][2]
The name comes from their use at the 1854Battle of Balaclava during theCrimean War, referring to the town ofBalaklava nearSevastopol inCrimea,[3] where British troops there wore knitted headgear to keep warm.[1] Handmade balaclavas were sent over to theBritish troops to help protect them from the bitter cold weather. The troops required this aid, as their own supplies (warm clothing, weatherproof quarters, and food) never arrived in time.[4] According to Richard Rutt in hisHistory of Handknitting, the name "balaclava helmet" was not used during the war but appears much later, in 1881.[2]
Thin Balaclavas can be used under motorcycle, snowmobile, ski, and snowboard helmets for warmth in cool or winter conditions.
Many skiers, snowboarders, cyclists, and runners wear balaclavas in cold weather for warmth. They protect the head, face, and neck from wind and low temperatures and can fit easily under helmets. These sports balaclavas can be full balaclavas, which cover the entire head leaving only the eyes uncovered, or half-balaclavas, which leave the forehead free, but cover most of the head. Key elements of sports balaclavas are that they are warm, windproof, and moisture-wicking.
Race drivers inFédération Internationale de l'Automobile sanctioned events must wear balaclavas made of fire-retardant material underneath their crash helmets. In racing events, hill-climbs, special stages of rallies and selective sections of cross-country events entered on the International Sporting Calendar, all drivers and co-drivers must wear overalls as well as gloves (optional for co-drivers), long underwear, a balaclava, and shoes homologated to the FIA 8856-2000 standard.[5]
Balaclavas are in certain contexts associated with criminality as gang members have used them to conceal their identity.[6] In 2004, police inPrestwich, England, began demanding that people on the street remove their balaclavas, describing the garment as "extremely threatening".[6] In 2008, police inKent confiscated a copy of theWar on Terror board game partly because of the inclusion of a balaclava, stating that it "could be used to conceal someone's identity or could be used in the course of a criminal act."[7]
InSouth Asia, balaclavas are commonly referred to asmonkey caps because of their typical earth tone colours, and the fact that they blot out most human facial features. Monkey caps sometimes have a small, decorative, woollenpom-pom on top. They are commonly worn by troops onHimalayan duty for protection from the cold.[8]
In December 2006, theUnited States Marine Corps began issuing balaclavas with hinged face guards as part of theFlame Resistant Organizational Gear program.[9][10]
In theSoviet Union, the balaclava became a part of standardOMON (special police task force) uniform as early as thePerestroyka years of the late 1980s. The original intent was to protect the identity of the officers to avoid intimidation fromRussian organized crime. Because of increased problems with organized crime of the 1990s, TV shots of armed men in black balaclavas became common. Armed Russian police commonly conduct raids and searches of white-collar premises (typically in Moscow) while wearing balaclavas. Such raids have therefore come to be known in Russia as "maski shows", an allusion to a popular comic TV show of the 1990s.[11]
Balaclavas are often used by police battling drug cartels and gangs inLatin America to conceal their identity and protect their families.[12][13]
Knitted balaclavas were featured in some collections at the 2018New York Fashion Week.[14][15][16]
Media related toBalaclavas at Wikimedia Commons
