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Hoo-Rag Review: The Better Bandana

posted by gumptiongear January 14, 2013 0 comments


Life for the outdoors enthusiast requires both the right skills and the right equipment – it means innovating with what you have on hand and maximizing the use of any item in your arsenal; and that’s the philosophy behind Hoo-Rag.

What is the Hoo-Rag, you ask? It’s a scarf, a handkerchief, a neckerchief, a headband, a hairband, a wristband, a bandana, and a cap; it’s jack of all trades and the master of a few more. Whatever you call it, this seamless multi-functional product is poised to become one of the most versatile and effective articles of technical clothing you’ll ever own.  Simply put, it’s the better bandana.
On Performance and Design…
Let’s be honest, getting a sunburn sucks. Getting wind burn on your face sucks. Getting frost bite sucks…. you get the picture.  So the team at Hoo-Rag set out to create a “better-bandana”.  The result is a multi-purpose tool designed to offer uncompromising performance and protection from the elements during virtually any outdoor activity and sport.  After all, your adventures aren’t one dimensional, why should your outdoor equipment be any different?

Of course, protection from the elements works only if you wear it, so comfort is key. This tubular mask improves on the old-school bandana concept with Seam-Free™ construction which means there are no irritating seams or hems.  Hoo-Rag hugs your face without unwanted pressure while a lightweight cotton-polyester blended micro-fiber ensures next-to-skin comfort and super-high wicking performance.

Unless the skies are threatening the next great flood, you need to worry about sun protection. That’s true whether you’re tackling your first tough mudder or your first 14er.  Towards those ends, Hoo-Rag’s lighter colors offer between 20 and 25 UPF protection while the darker colors offer between 25-30 UPF protection.  Just head over to Hoo-Rag.com and be prepared to be overwhelmed by a vast array of designs and color schemes ranging from hipster-cool, classic paisley, to tactical and everything in between.

Hoo-Rag

Simply put, Hoo-Rag meets the challenges of Mother Nature’s obstacles with edgy styling and modern protection.   True, you might not be able to chew gum and climb a mountain at the same time, but Hoo-Rag is solid multi-tasker.  At 29 grams, the only thing that outweighs the Hoo-Rag is the number of uses it provides.  Whether you’re purpose is to prevent dirt, dust or snow flurries from attacking your air passages, or simply putting it to task keeping hair out of your face to focus on the task ahead, Hoo-Rag has got you covered.

Hoo-Rag

Room for Improvement…
A really useful tool can do more than one thing, and Hoo-Rag has impressed our field team with it’s simplicity and versatility.   There were however one major disappointment with this product.  The color on the Hoo-Rags does seem to begin the fading process after only a limited number of washes which is frustrating.  Particularly in the red plaid Hoo-Rag featured, the more washes it undergoes, the more faded the Hoo-Rag becomes which raises significant concern about durability and longevity.  Still a fairly new brand, we hope this this is a problem that will be remedied thereby ensuring outdoor enthusiasts of all stripes a Hoo-Rag that they can count on for many adventures to come.

Bottom Line…
Mother Nature always has a surprise or two up her sleeve, so having multi-functional tools in your gear cache provides the reassurance and confidence that you can handle any number of situations that she may toss your way.  Along those lines, the Hoo-Rag’s offering of products is a welcome addition to your gear collection.

Manufactured by Hoo-Rag (www.hoorag.com) Hoo-Rag’s are available in a wide variety of styles and colors ranging from $9.99 to $14.99.

*Gumption Gear Review received the items featured in this review from Hoo-Rag at no cost, and receives no monetary compensation for this or any related review. The items featured were provided solely in return for our honest views and opinions.