Different ways of wearing a balaclava.

A balaclava (IPA: ˌbæl.ə.ˈkla.və)[1], also known as a balaclava helmet or ski mask, is a form of headgear covering the whole head, exposing only the face or upper part of it, and sometimes only the eyes. The name "balaclava" comes from the town of Balaklava in Crimea. During the Crimean War, knitted balaclavas were sent over to the British troops to help protect them from the bitter cold weather. They are traditionally knitted from wool, and can be rolled up into a hat to cover just the crown of the head. Modern balaclavas can be made from a number of materials, such as silk, cotton, polypropylene, neoprene, wool or fleece. Modern balaclavas are also used in outdoor winter sports activities such as skiing, snowboarding, or winter bicycling to help protect the face from the cold wind and maintain warmth. Motorcyclists also wear one under their crash helmets for similar reasons; balaclavas also help to keep the inner lining of the helmet clean. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 531 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1310 × 1480 pixel, file size: 174 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Rearrangement of Image:20070102 per erik strandberg balaclava. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 531 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1310 × 1480 pixel, file size: 174 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Rearrangement of Image:20070102 per erik strandberg balaclava. ... Balaklava may refer to: Balaklava, a section of the city of Sevastopol, Ukraine Balaklava, South Australia Balaklava, Jamaica, a small town in the Cockpit County in central Jamaica Battle of Balaclava (1854), a key battle during the Crimean War Balaklava, a 1968 album by the group Pearls Before Swine Balaklava... IPA may refer to: The International Phonetic Alphabet or India Pale Ale ... Balaklava (Ukrainian: , Russian: , Crimean Tatar: ) is a town in the Crimea, Ukraine which has an official status of a district of the city of Sevastopol. ... Motto: Процветание в единстве - Prosperity in unity Anthem: Нивы и горы твои волшебны, Родина - Your fields and mounts are wonderful, Motherland Location of Crimea (red) on the map of Ukraine. ... Combatants Allies: Second French Empire British Empire Ottoman Empire Kingdom of Sardinia Russian Empire Bulgarian volunteers Casualties 90,000 French 35,000 Turkish 17,500 British 2,194 Sardinian killed, wounded and died of disease ~134,000 killed, wounded and died of disease The Crimean War (1853–1856) was fought... Knit hat, yarn, and knitting needles Knitting is a craft by which thread or yarn may be turned into cloth. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Long and short hair wool at the South Central Family Farm Research Center in Boonesville, Arizona Wool is the fiber derived from the fur of animals and people of the Caprinae family, principally sheep, but the hair of certain species of other mammals such as goats and rabbits and oxes... Silk dresses Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. ... Cotton ready for harvest. ... Polypropylene lid of a Tic Tacs box, with a living hinge and the resin identification code under its flap Micrograph of polypropylene Polypropylene or polypropene (PP) is a thermoplastic polymer, made by the chemical industry and used in a wide variety of applications, including food packaging, ropes, textiles, plastic parts... Neoprene is the DuPont Chemical trade name for a family of synthetic rubbers based on polychloroprene. ... This article is about wool, the fiber. ... Bicycles in the snow Icebiking (sometimes known as snowbiking) is the activity of cold weather winter cycling often on snow and/or ice. ...

Additionally, balaclavas are often associated with special forces units such as the SAS, or alternatively with muggers, terrorists, and activists, where they act as a form of disguise, as an alternative to camouflage paint and, when made of fire-retardant material, as a protection from the heat emitted by flashbangs and other grenades. Special Forces (SF) or Special Operations Forces (SOF) are highly-trained military units that conduct specialized operations such as reconnaissance, unconventional warfare, and counter-terrorism actions. ... The Special Air Service Regiment (SAS) is the principal special forces unit of the British Army. ... For the 1967 film, see Robbery (film). ... Terrorist redirects here. ... Activism, in a general sense, can be described as intentional action to bring about social or political change. ... A simple example of common camouflage The Bronze Horseman camouflaged from the German aircraft during the Siege of Leningrad (August 8, 1941). ... A fire-retardant material is one that is designed to resist burning and withstand heat. ... A hand grenade is a hand-held bomb, made to be thrown by a soldier. ... Grenade may refer to: The well-known hand grenade commonly used by soldiers. ...

In the United States, the term "ski mask" is much more commonly used than the term "balaclava."

Racing drivers may also wear balaclavas made of fire-retardant material underneath their crash helmets in order to improve protection in case of a fire following an accident, and commonly cover the nose and mouth to reduce inhalation of smoke and fumes. Dragster-racing drivers usually wear balaclavas which have just two separate eye holes because of the increased fire risk. Auto racing (also known as automobile racing or autosport) is a sport involving racing automobiles. ... A person wearing a helmet. ... Drag racing is a form of auto racing in which cars attempt to complete a fairly short, straight and level course in the shortest amount of time. ...

In the Indian subcontinent, balaclavas are commonly referred to as monkey caps, due to their typical earth tone colours, and the fact that they blot out most human facial features. Monkey caps sometimes have a small, decorative, woollen pom pom on top. They are commonly worn by troops on Himalayan duty.^{[citation needed]}Airsoft players often wear Balaclavas underneath the helmet to protect ears, neck and other vulnerable spots on the head and face. Map of South Asia (see note) This article deals with the geophysical region in Asia. ... Pom Pom redirects here. ... Perspective view of the Himalaya and Mount Everest as seen from space looking south-south-east from over the Tibetan Plateau. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

See also

• Mask