Polyester Neck Gaiters or "seamless head scarves" like this have many uses, but fall short of adequate protection in the Outback.
What are Neck Gaiters?
You may recognise seamless head scarves from brand names like Headsox and Buff. They may also be marketed as tube scarves, magic scarves or "multi function headwear". Many similar companies provide seamless, polyester fabric headwear that can be worn in many configurations. They are often seen on solar construction sites, mining sites, with local tradies and fishermen. Many of these products are cheap, and as always, you get what you pay for.
UV Protection of Neck Gaiters
Australia has some of the highest UV radiation levels in the world. Outback Mask is designed with UPF 50 fabric that shield the skin from harmful sun exposure, reducing the risk of sunburn and skin damage.
UV ratings of the fabric vary widely and are generally low, and rarely certified by a governmental testing body like ARPANSA. Often neck gaiters are mass produced in the same factory, and different marketing teams may assign an "SPF" Rating. An SPF rating on a piece of fabric is a red flag! SPF ratings are only used for sun cream products. If you are wearing one of these garments, you could be exposed to more UV radiation than you think.
UV Protection of Outback Mask
Outback Mask uses Polartec Delta in a UPF50 radiator knit. This dual layer fabric ensures better UV protection when stretched compared to the single layer fabrics of neck gaiters. Our contoured design covers the entire nose and ears, which is often the location of skin cancers on the face.
Air filtration of Neck Gaiters
Neck Gaiters also fall short in air filtration. Fine dust and fumes go right through the thin fabric. Workers operating machinery or near mobile plant are often exposed to intermittent respiratory hazards because the job description doesn't require a full respirator or dust mask. Particulate matter, while invisible to the naked eye can lead to devastating results. The WHO notes that:
"Ambient (outdoor air pollution) in both cities and rural areas was estimated to cause 4.2 million premature deaths worldwide in 2016 "
Air filtration with Outback Mask
Outback Mask provides superior air filtration by adapting nearly any off the shelf dust mask to be work inside. Workers use easily purchased dust masks to provide nuisance level dust protection, that is comfortable to wear all day.
Fogging of glasses when wearing Neck Gaiters
Often the biggest complaint is workers safety or sunglasses fogging up when wearing. Outback Mask was designed to combat this, using specially placed foam seals on each side of the nose to improve mask sealing.
Cooling power of Neck Gaiters
Any regular fabric wrapped on the skin will reduce the convective cooling ability of wind and sweat. So called "Wicking fabrics" can remove sweat too fast before it's had time to cool incoming air. This means that neck gaiters can actually be hotter than anticipated.
Evaporative and Frozen Cooling Power of Outback Mask:
The design of the Outback Mask uses advanced evaporative cooling technology from Polartec, and supercharges neck cooling using frozen gel packs. No other neck gaiter can match the cooling power!
Adjustability of neck Gaiters
Seamless neck gaiters are not adjustable, and may not fit everyone well. Outback Mask includes a rear adjustment strap to tighten the fit if needed. This adaptability is important for users with different head sizes and for dust mask sealing.
How are Neck Gaiters Made?
The seamless neck gaiters are made with a special circular knitting machines. These machines knit the fabric in a continuous tubular form. Graphics are then sublimated onto the blank tubes. You can see the machines below:
Why Outback Mask is the best neck gaiter for Australia
Outback Mask is the best neck gaiters for Australia because It was designed right here in the Outback for these harsh conditions. Outback Mask is a highly protective and comfortable neck gaiter for those working outdoors in Australia.
