Know everything about the neck gaiters and masks.
Hearing about the terms like a neck gaiter and mask in the current time, is extremely common, owing to the pandemic. It is often a debatable question whether the neck gaiters and face masks can be used interchangeably or not. And what protection do the neck gaiters actually provide?
Before answering this question, did you know, that neck gaiters and masks, both are extremely versatile accessories, and have multiple uses.
So, before getting to the point of differences between the two, let’s take a look at the variety of uses of neck gaiters and masks.
How Do You Use A Neck Gaiter?
A neck gaiter can be described as a piece of cloth that is meant to protect your face and neck from extreme sun or cold conditions. They act as neck warmers and neck covers.
Do you plan to go out on a hot summer day? Put a cooling neck gaiter on and protect yourself from the extreme heat. Planning to enjoy a cold day outside? Again, the neck gaiter comes to the rescue. Put your neck gaiter on and get a protective layer to protect your face and neck from the chilling cold.
Let’s shortly discuss the versatility of neck gaiters:
- Widely Used in Sports
A perfect, lightweight accessory that you can carry and wear while enjoying your sports activities. Wear it as a bandana or in your hand for utmost comfort.
Fishing neck gaiters have gained immense popularity for being a convenient option against sun protection during fishing. Fishing, usually done on a hot, sunny day can burn your skin.
The UV rays reflected from the water can prove to be harmful to your skin. As a matter of fact, water can reflect around 20 to 75% of the ultraviolet rays.
If you do not want to put the sunscreen on and save yourself from the hassle of reapplying it every two hours, you can use a fishing neck gaiter. It will cover your neck and protect you from sunburns.
Ski neck gaiters work great for all ski enthusiasts! These are usually larger in size than the normal neck gaiters and are made of thermal material.
A ski neck gaiter is big enough to cover your face, neck, ear, and nose. This will protect you from the chilly winds and prevent your ears and nose from freezing.
These polar fleece neck gaiters should be your go-to option when you think of adventurous activities out in the snow.
- Used During Motorcycling and Hiking
Usually, available with an ear hanger style design, these types of gaiters are best for motorcycling and hiking.
- Used During Construction
Neck gaiters are extremely crucial for construction workers. Apart from providing protection against dust and demolition debris, they also provide protection against the sun.
A neck gaiter brings comfort to the worker, as it keeps away the moisture from sweat.
- Business Promotions
Neck gaiters are a great way to promote your business and unite your team members. Going out for a team outing or picnic? Use a custom gaiter with your company’s logo printed over it.
What Are the Uses of Mask?
A mask can be considered as a piece of cloth, that is worn usually on the face. It is mainly used for protection against dust, dirt, and germs.
With the pandemic, you must have heard of various types of masks. Let’s briefly discuss the use for each type:
- Cloth Mask
Made from breathable fabric, a cloth mask ensures protection against dust and dirt. It prevents the transmission of germs from the person wearing it to the outside air.
- Surgical Mask
Surgical masks are a great option to prevent infection and exposure from germs and the droplets in the air.
- N95 Mask
This mask provides the highest level of protection to anyone who wears it. This is the most recommended mask by the medical fraternity.
Differences Between Neck Gaiter and Mask
Now that you are aware of the basic uses of neck gaiters and masks, let’s take a look at the point of differences between the two.
● Safety and Protection
The main use of the mask is to provide protection from any type of germs and droplets in the air. While the neck gaiter is used to provide protection against the wind and dust.
A fleece neck gaiter made from polar fleece helps people in keeping warm during winter. But they do not serve any purpose as far as the protection level is concerned.
Thus, a neck gaiter cannot be used to avoid germs. It is advisable to use a surgical mask or N95 mask for the best protection.
● Multiple Uses
As we have discussed, a neck gaiter can be used in various scenarios, and moreover, it can be worn in various ways.
A few of the ways to wear a neck gaiter include:
- Neck scarf
- Full face mask
- Hood
- Balaclava
- Totally tubular
- Headband
- Cap
- Beanie
- Neck warmer
- Neck cover
On the other hand, a face mask cannot be used for multiple purposes. Its only purpose is to provide the person wearing it, full protection from the germs and dust in the environment.
● Neck Gaiter Can Be Worn During Outdoor Sports
Neck gaiters are a great accessory to adorn if you are planning for any outdoor sports activity or high in adrenaline activities like running, hiking, skiing, and many more. Some of the commonly used neck gaiters include:
- Running neck gaiter
- Golf neck gaiter
- Ski neck gaiter
- Fishing neck gaiter
On the other hand, a mask will not be a convenient option while you are skiing or hiking.
● Materials Used in Manufacturing
Since the purpose of neck gaiters and face masks are quite different, the materials used to manufacture these are also different.
Neck gaiters often use the below materials:
- Polyester
- Spandex
- Thick fleece
- Merino wool
Face masks are made of the below materials:
- Cotton or cotton blend
- Flannel
- Polyester
- Synthetic polymer fibers, polypropylene
Can Neck Gaiters Be Used Instead of Masks?
Yes, you can use a neck gaiter instead of a mask. You can fully cover your mouth and nose with a neck gaiter. But you should be aware that a neck gaiter provides lesser protection as compared to surgical and N95 masks.
However, if you are not in an extremely crowded place, you can use a breathable gaiter mask to protect yourself. Simply pull up the gaiter mask to cover your mouth and nose
If you are looking out for options for the best neck gaiter for covid, you should always look out for a mask that is made of many layers. This will increase the level of protection.
Apart from that, it is advisable to wear N95 or Surgical masks as compared to neck gaiters if you have any symptoms of Covid 19 or if you are in the field of medicine or a para-medic.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if we compare neck gaiter vs. mask, there striking differences that are hard to ignore.
The neck gaiters are highly used accessories in outdoor sports, as they provide protection from dust and heat. If you are looking out for activities in the cold, or snow, the polar fleece neck gaiters will provide you with warmth.
On the contrary, face masks are great for providing protection against germs in the atmosphere and stopping the spread of any particles from the person wearing them.
So, if you simply want to cover your face and neck while on an adventurous activity, you can always select a custom printed neck gaiter. We vouch for the services of 4inbandana for custom printed neck gaiters. Some of the best products this online store has to offer include:
- Sports neck gaiters
- Motorcycle neck gaiters
- Running neck gaiters
- Golf neck gaiters
Thus, both neck gaiters and masks have their unique selling points and you need to make an informed decision about what you want to wear.
