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| Talus ColdAvenger |
Anyone who spends substantial amount of time in the winter backcountry will usually tell you that’s it is better to stay warm than try to re-warm. One way to help stay warm is to reduce the amount of exposure to cold air. The Talus ColdAvenger was designed to protect your face, neck and ears from cold temperatures.
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Talus ColdAvenger in use
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The Talus ColdAvenger is a one size fits most face mask with an integrated mouth cover that mixes and humidifies cold inhaled air with warm exhaled air to create warmer, humid air against the face and into the lungs. The mixed air is typically 40-60 F degrees warmer than outside temperatures. The Talus ColdAvenger wraps around the user’s face and has a Velcro strip to secure the ColdAvenger to itself. It comes in several different colors including Pro Gray, Classic Gray, Pro Black, Classic Black and Hunter DWR (which is camouflage print). The classic models are meant for those moving slower in the cold while the Pro models are meant for those going faster or working at a higher rate. I received the Pro Black Model to review.
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ColdAvenger mouth piece interior detail
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The exterior of the Pro model ColdAvengers consists of a wind and water resistant, softshell fleece fabric, a polyurethane mouth cover. It also has a die-cut Velcro neoprene fastening material which straps the ColdAvenger to itself at the back of the wearer’s head covering their face. The mouth cover has numerous slits and holes for venting. There is also a removable interior valve which can be rotated 360 degrees. The valve is a circular piece of polyurethane with angled slits that fastens against the main intake on the mouth cover. The slits on the valve match up to the slit openings on the main intake. Rotating the valve will misalign the slits and reduce the size of the opening that air comes through. In warmer temperatures or high activity the valve should be aligned to maximize airflow. In colder temperatures or low output activities the valve can be rotated to reduce the volume of fresh cold air coming in with every breath.
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ColdAvenger in the field
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The Talus ColdAvenger does a great job of doing what it is designed to do – warming intake air. While wearing the ColdAvenger in cold temperatures it is immediately noticeable how well it works when the ColdAvenger is removed. The frigid air that I breathe in after removing the ColdAvenger is shocking and really makes me appreciate what the ColdAvenger does. Wearing the Talus ColdAvenger is surprisingly comfortable and does not feel claustrophobic at all.
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Condensation after 5 minutes of wearing
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I have noticed that there is a lot of condensation when exerting myself while wearing the ColdAvenger. There are a few drain holes in the mouth cover that do a good job of letting the moisture fall out but the water usually ends up on my chest. This means I want to wear a shell as an outer layer and not down. Also by wearing the ColdAvenger I have to talk louder to be heard. The ColdAvenger also comes with a self-adhering foam nose piece for extra comfort and helps prevent fogging of eyewear. I found that it did seem to reduce fogging but did not prevent it altogether. It is still worth getting in my opinion.
The Talus ColdAvenger is great at doing what it is designed to do. Warming air before the wearer breathes in really helps keep the user from cooling off faster and does not make it painful to inhale. It’s a great item to take outside when the temperature drops to unbearably cold temperatures. It can be comfortably worn with goggles and/or a helmet.
| Manufacturer | Talus Outdoor Technologies |
| Weight | 2.4 oz (68 g) |
| Materials | softshell fleece and polyurethane mouth cover |
| Price (MSRP) | $59.95 |
This story was originally posted March 31, 2011.
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