Balaclava (clothing)
A balaclava, also known as a monkey cap, balaclava helmet, ski mask or sheisty,[1] is a form of cloth headgear 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 the crown of the head or folded down as a collar around the neck. It is commonly used in alpine skiing and snowboarding.
History
Similar styles of headgear were known in the 19th century as the
The name comes from their use at the Battle of Balaclava during the Crimean War of 1854, referring to the town near Sevastopol in the Crimea,[4] where British troops there wore knitted headgear to keep warm.[2] Handmade balaclavas were sent over to the British troops to help protect them from the bitter cold weather. British troops required this aid, as their own supplies (warm clothing, weatherproof quarters, and food) never arrived in time.[5] According to Richard Rutt in his History of Handknitting, the name "balaclava helmet" was not used during the war but appears much later, in 1881.[3]
Uses
Warmth
Thin Balaclavas can be used under motorcycle, snowmobile, ski, and snowboard helmets for warmth in cool or winter conditions.
Sports
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.
Racing
Concealment
Balaclavas are in certain contexts associated with criminality as gang members have used them to conceal their identity.[7] In 2004, police in Prestwich, England, began demanding that people on the street remove their balaclavas, describing the garment as "extremely threatening".[7] In 2008, police in Kent confiscated a copy of the War 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."[8]
Military and police
In
The United States Marine Corps has recently[when?] begun issuing balaclavas with hinged face guards as part of the Flame Resistant Organizational Gear program.[10][11]
In the
Balaclavas are often used by police battling drug cartels and gangs in Latin America to conceal their identity and protect their families.[13][14]
Fashion
Knitted balaclavas were featured in some collections at the 2018 New York Fashion Week.[15][16][17]
See also
- Anti-flash gear
- Anti-mask laws
- Facekini
- Keffiyeh (traditional Middle Eastern headwear)
- Knit cap
- Mask
- Neck gaiter
- "Ski mask" toque—Canadian English; also commonly worn when using snowmobiles; typically a three-hole balaclava with generous neck tube for maximal wind protection
References
- ^ "sheisty, adj. — Green's Dictionary of Slang". greensdictofslang.com. Retrieved 2023-11-22.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-6106-9063-8.
- ^ ISBN 978-0934026352. Archivedfrom the original on 2022-02-10. Retrieved 2021-12-09. (Note that there is a misprint in the date of the Battle of Balaclava, which took place 1854, in the original edition cited here.)
- ISBN 978-1-84607-235-2.
- ISBN 9780853231073. Archivedfrom the original on 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2019-08-15.
- ^ "Appendix L to the International Sporting Code" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-11. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
- ^ a b Manchester Evening News (2004-08-12). "Gangs face arrest if they wear balaclavas". Manchester Evening News. Archived from the original on 2022-02-28. Retrieved 2022-02-28.
- ^ "War On Terror board game seized by police". Cambridge News. Archived from the original on 2012-08-06. Retrieved 2021-07-16.
- ^ Ghosh, Subir (November 19, 2005). "Thanda lege jabey". Hindustan Times. New Delhi. Archived from the original on July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2021 – via Rajib Roy.
- ^ "Nothing "Sheepish" About Fire-Safe Fabrics" (PDF). Leatherneck Magazine. September 2006. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 29, 2012.
- ^ "Flame Resistant Organizational Gear" (PDF). US Marine Corps: Program Manager Infantry Combat Equipment. August 24, 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 16, 2012.
- ^ Kramer, Andrew E. (August 31, 2011). "Memo to Exxon: Business With Russia May Involve Guns and Balaclavas". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 16, 2019. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
- ^ Sieff, Kevin (March 3, 2019). "It's so dangerous to police MS-13 in El Salvador that officers are fleeing the country". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on March 5, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
- ^ "Why anti-terror officers wear different clothes". BBC News. November 18, 2015. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
- ^ "Balaclavas and hi-vis: we know what you'll be wearing next autumn/winter". The Guardian. March 8, 2018. Archived from the original on June 18, 2018.
- ^ "Achtung, die Vollmützen kommen!". Sueddeutsche.de. October 28, 2018. Archived from the original on December 12, 2019.
- ^ "Diese Gangster-Mütze ist jetzt cool – muss das sein?". Welt.de. August 28, 2018. Archived from the original on July 25, 2021.
External links
- Media related to Balaclavas at Wikimedia Commons