Cycling Neck Warmers

Cycling neck warmers and gaiters

The neck is where most winter kit leaves a gap. A jacket collar stops short of it, wind funnels straight down the front of your jersey from there, and the blood vessels sitting close to the surface make it one of the fastest places on the body to lose heat. Closing that gap does more for whole body warmth than adding another layer to your torso.

Merino, thermal fleece and lightweight tubes

A merino neck warmer holds warmth when it is damp and resists odour over consecutive days, which makes it the widest-use option and the one most riders reach for between 5 and 15 degrees. Thermal fleece constructions such as Castelli's Thermoflex are warmer and bulkier, and they suit anything close to freezing. A lightweight seamless tube covers 12 to 20 degrees, packs to nothing in a jersey pocket, and earns its place year round on gravel as sun and dust protection.

Breathing through it

Pulling a thick neck warmer up over your mouth on a hard effort soaks it with condensation, and a wet warmer against your throat is colder than no warmer at all. Look for a thinner or perforated panel at the front if you plan to ride with your face covered, and drop it below the chin on climbs.

One garment, several configurations

Most neck warmers are a simple tube, which is why they double as a headband, a skull cap under your helmet, or a bandana on a dusty gravel day. That versatility is the reason a $40 neck warmer usually gets more use through a winter than a $200 jacket does.

Fit

Almost all of these are one size. What varies is length and seam construction. Look for enough length to tuck inside a jersey collar so the wind has nothing to lift, and flat-lock seams so nothing rubs under a helmet strap.

We stock neck warmers from Castelli, Isadore, MAAP, Pearl Izumi, Assos and GripGrab. Pair one with a base layer and winter gloves, or see the full winter cycling range.