It’s getting to that time of year when the cool autumn air nips at your face when you step outside. I was therefore keen to test a new product that eliminates that problem from an up and coming cottage industry called Manfur. As you are all probably aware, when ordering from a small niche cottage manufacturer there is often a wait of several weeks whilst they build your gear to order. This was no different when ordering from Manfur. Their products take between a week to several months to individually craft your order to exact specifications. The option that I went for took a good couple of months before I received it.
Natural fibres are all the rage theses days, for example Merino and bamboo. One manufacturer makes waterproofs that mimics the action of animal fur to help pump moisture away from the wearer. Manfur have also gone down the natural route whilst perfecting their products. They describe their material as a ‘natural, fully lofting yarn’. They have a patent pending so don’t go into too much detail of the exact specifications.
Initially I found my Manfur Ultralight face warmer a little bit itchy. However like many new garments, it soon softened up after a few washes. It truly is a warm garment, during a blustery few days in Pembrokeshire I hardly noticed the cool air whipping my face. There are no seams that rub and although some of the edges are a bit rough it is easy to trim them down. Breathability is excellent, although I have to admit that I have not had the opportunity to test it out during really hot weather.
Weight is obviously an issue for many ultra lightweight backpackers and I can confirm that it weighs only a few grammes. The only fault that I can really find is that it is a use once product. If you wish to take it off, a new one will also take several weeks to be produced.
The makers of Manfur have also been working on a new product called ‘Ladyfur’. This has yet to take off and probably won’t catch on for a few more years yet. This is probably a niche market as I have seen very few women wearing ultralight face warmers.
Disclaimer: Obviously the integrity of bloggers whilst doing gear reviews are paramount. I would like to point out that although I received my Manfur product free of charge I have been under no obligation to put in a favourable review. I have tested this product extensively and under many different types of conditions, no just popping to the shops to test gear for this blogger.
There are some risks to using Manfur products and they should be used responsibly. Manfur take no responsibility for small children pointing, the risk of fire hazards whilst smoking or food getting attached to their product. It is recommended that they are washed regularly to maintain full loft and comfort.
Backpackingbongos 
