The Humble Buff - equipment review

I've been a massive fan of the humble buff for a long time. In fact on checking my driving license to see when I passed my motorbike test (2001) it transpires that my very first buff would have been bought for my bike lessons in the autumn of 2000. That's a total of 14 years that I've owned this one....

My very first buff

and I still use it.

If you don't know what a buff is, the simple answer is a neck warmer-come-head-gear-item that will quickly become an indispensable item of your gear for the outdoors (and sometimes indoors if you're saving on heating bills).

Since 2000 I've steadily grown a collection of buffs....

standard buffs

headband buff

peak-cap buff....and a bit I chopped off to make another headband
I won this one for coming 2nd in my age category in the Dark & White Mini Mountain Marathons in 2012

I've also got a couple of special buffs too...a winter one with fleece (red/black one shown on left below) and a windstopper one which has a panel at the front to keep really gnarly weather off you (blue/black one on right).

This pair are too hot to run in!

The beauty about buffs is their versatility. I have long hair, and when running I really don't like any of it flapping around my face, so on with a buff and it's all held back in place. There are loads of options for wearing your buff....here's my usual options:

My default option...I start with one as a neck warmer and within 5 or 10 mins of starting my run it's folded over to make a headband...which can then easily be pulled over my head/ears when it's really cold.
Pictured here on the 2013 Glossopdale Christmas social run....hence the tinsel around my bumbag.

Worn as a cap with my long hair tucked up at the back during Kinder Downfall fell race 2012. After the climb up William Clough and onto the Kinder edge path the buff was pulled over my ears to keep the wind off.

Headband keeping the sweat off me on a hot run
Pictured here with friend (also wearing buffs as headbands) at Mermaids Pool near Kinder Downfall

My collection definitely has a red and grey theme going on, though I don't deliberately set out to buy red things! If anyone wishes to help me balance out the colour scheme with purples, greens or other colours I won't object ;-)

Here's the official Buff image for the various ways you can wear your buff:

As you can see, I'm a fan. Recently I discovered the slim fit buff and will be buying this version where possible as it is a much better fit for my little head, especially when worn as a balaclava. I think the diameter of standard buffs is my only critique. After using one for a while (I'm talking months and years) they do start to go a little baggy....I'm hoping the slim fit ones will remove this minor issue! Apart from that, I love buffs :)