# Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava Review.



## Craig64

*❄ Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava Review.


❄ Brand:* Anon,
*❄ Model:* MFI® Tech Balaclava,
*❄ YOM:* 2021,
*❄ Size: *Mens,
*❄ Colour:* "True Black",
*❄ Material:* Polartec® Power Grid™ fleece
*❄ Compatibility:* M3, M2, Relapse and Relapse Junior. M4 and Sync goggle require (gray) XL carrier for optimal fit.
*❄ Price:* $Au84.99 ($US69.95) RRP,
*❄ Rider:* 192cm (6'4") 93kg (205lbs),
*❄ Rider Outerwear:* Giro Range helmet/OT Chips 2.0, Anon M4 goggles, Burton [ak] Helitack Jacket, [ak] Cyclic pants, [ak] Powergrid base layer, [ak] Guide gloves, [ak] Endurance socks, Burton SLX boots, Quiksilver TR Platinum 24L riders backpack, Burton Dunmore Jacket, 
*❄ Snowboard:* Bataleon Surfer 159,
*❄ Bindings:* Burton Genesis X Re:Flex (large),
*❄ Location:* Furano/Kamui Hokkaido,
*❄ Camera:* GoPro Hero 7 Black/Smatree SC2 carbon pole/Samsung S8.












I've been running with the Anon M4 for a number of years and found them to be the best goggles I've ever owned. The Anon M4 comes with a dual range of VLT lenses (high and low light), MAGNA-TECH® Quick Change Lens system and a superb MFI® face mask which magnetically clips to the goggles to give a superb protection from the elements (sun, cold and snow).









Anon M4 MFI® Snowboard Goggle Review.


❄ Anon M4 MFI® Snowboard Goggle Review (Part 1). ❄ Brand: Anon, ❄ Model: M4 MFI®, ❄ YOM: 2019, ❄ Gender: Mens, ❄ Colour: "Gargoyle", ❄ Lens: SONAR by Ziess Silver 6% VLT / Infrared 57% VLT, ❄ Lens Type: Cylindrical/Toric, ❄ Price: $Au399.99 ($US319.95) RRP, ❄ Rider: 192cm (6'4") 93kg (205lbs)...




www.snowboardingforum.com





Anon have also manufactured a number of different levels and types of face masks, balaclavas and hoods that incorporate their MFI® technology giving you additional flexibility with the system.












Now riding in colder climates requires additional protection from the cold and in the past I have been using a micro fleece skull cap under my helmet in addition to the MFI® face mask for protection from the elements. This however leaves some open areas unprotected to the sides of the face.












My son rides with the Anon MFI® Hooded Balaclava as he prefers not wanting to wear a helmet. Myself, I like riding with a helmet however the Anon MFI® Hooded Balaclava is really a little too bulky with its bonded DWR coated fleece around the hood area to wear under a helmet so I ended up grabbing the Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava.

The Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava is not overly cheap and comes with an $Au84.99 ($US69.95) RRP. Like most higher end Burton outwear/accessories the MFI® Tech Balaclava is loaded with some technical features that justifies this outlay.

So let's have a little closer look at the *Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava.*











Lets firstly talk about fit. Now as you can see, the Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava is not overly large in size. I would say feels pretty tailored in its cut having a 56cm circumference at the widest point around the neck area.
The standard M4 MFI® face mask comes with a 58cm circumference whilst the MFI® hooded Balaclava, due to it being primarily used for exterior layering over the head or helmet sits much larger again at 62cm in circumference.

You can feel when worn that the Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava sits nicely over the neck without any of the comfortable looseness achieved from the standard face mask or Hooded Balaclava.

An issue I discovered with the Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava was that it is a fair bit harder to get the magnetic carrier to lock into the M4 frame. This is always a simple action to achieve with the face mask but the Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava due to its snugger fit, requires you to fiddle with the goggle angle in order to find and catch the connection. Once it's locked on it's as solid as always but almost every time you break the connection it's an exercise to reconnect back to the M4 frame.












The rear of the Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava sits nicely over the neck and comes to rest when it touches your shoulders. You can see that the sizing length is pretty spot on and there is no excess fabric to contend with here.












The breathing window triangle is now an integrated 2 layered mesh system. It is flat stitched in directly under the Goggle MFI® carrier bar slot.











The rear layer fabric of the breathing window feels like a much higher level of polyester and seems to not really get that soaked out from moisture in the breath. Again you can see it's manufactured with a flat stitch integrating into the Balaclava keeping the fabric comfortable whilst resting on you face.












Now here is a confusing issue that Anon has created with the MFI® system....., and you may ask yourself, why on Earth did Anon do this. The Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava comes fitted with the black MFI® carrier which works sweetly in conjunction with Anon M2, M3, Deringer, Relapse and WM1. However, the M4 comes with the newer grey MFI® XL carrier bar which has the magnets in the M4 googles running with the opposite polarity as to what is fitted into the MFI® Tech Balaclava. So, this requires you to feed the black carrier out of the mounting location and install the grey XL carrier from your M4 MFI® face mask in its place. I had a look to see if you could rotate the magnets in the carrier arm but they look like they're shaped differently on either side and consequently wouldn't be an aesthetically easy action to achieve. I wonder if anyone here in SBF could explain, why the hell Anon does this?












So, the primary reason you'll look at buying the Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava is to wear it under your helmet......, and this folks is where it truly shines. I was initially worried that it might feel bulky but it fits and feels absolutely superb under the helmet. I felt no folds or annoying uncomfortable areas and the Polartec® Power Grid™ fleece really locks in the heat from your body. I quickly discovered that you won't ever have to worry about being cold with the Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava.

I discovered no real issues with my M4 googles fogging up when attached to the Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava. It sits nicely under the lower frame of the M4 and the mesh vent system works pretty well in exhausting moist warm breath straight out off the balaclava without any internal/external misting of the lens.












Now...., the Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava is a pretty good system to use in conjunction with your Anon Googles to protect you from the elements. However, it has a few tiny annoying features to contend with but most importantly the Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava works superb as an under helmet balaclava to connect with your Anon MFI® Goggles.


*"Tech"nically superb" ⭐⭐⭐⭐+⭐ (for Burton's Customer Support).*


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## freshy

Thanks for the awesome review. I was just shopping for the same thing for the same reason and went with the hooded one. Might have ordered nothing after your review lol. I'm not a fan of bulk under the helmet. We'll see how she goes. I love my neck warmer fit, nice and loose. Seems like the tech one would be too tight.


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## Craig64

freshy said:


> Thanks for the awesome review. I was just shopping for the same thing for the same reason and went with the hooded one. Might have ordered nothing after your review lol. I'm not a fan of bulk under the helmet. We'll see how she goes. I love my neck warmer fit, nice and loose. Seems like the tech one would be too tight.


Freshy it's not tight. It's a pretty tailored fit. It will be great in colder climate but I found having a bit of looseness in the face mask makes in pretty sweet in warmer climates as it allows the air to slightly circulate around from outside.


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## smellysell

FOGGING, WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FOGGING!


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## Craig64

smellysell said:


> FOGGING, WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FOGGING!


I'll add that in.


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## Donutz

Craig64 said:


> Now here is a confusing issue that Anon has created with the MFI® system....., and you may ask yourself, why on Earth did Anon do this. The Anon MFI® Tech Balaclava comes fitted with the black MFI® carrier which works sweetly in conjunction with Anon M2, M3, Deringer, Relapse and WM1. However, the M4 comes with the newer grey MFI® XL carrier bar which has the magnets in the M4 googles running with the opposite polarity as to what is fitted into the Tech Balaclava. So, this requires you to feed the black carrier out of the mounting location and install the grey XL carrier from your MFI® face mask in its place. I had a look to see if you could rotate the magnets in the carrier arm but they look like they're shaped differently on either side and consequently would not be aesthetically an easy action to achieve. I wonder if anyone here in SBF could explain, why the hell Anon does this?


It was accidental, as in no one realized the M4s had been designed with the magnets ass-backwards. Initially the face-masks were being sold as compatible with M2 through M4. Then they were all yanked off the market, and came back a month later with updated wording involving the carrier.

I wonder if someone got fired over this?

What blows me away is that they've continued to sell the M4s with the backwards magnets for several years since then. The smart thing to do would have been to discontinue the M4s and produce an M5 with proper magnetic polarity.


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## freshy

No way that story could be true?... I just assumed it was typical Burton antics like their binding mounting solutions.


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## Mike256

They probably worked out after the royal screw-up they could make a killing keeping on selling the xl carrier. Pricks.


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## smellysell

Mike256 said:


> They probably worked out after the royal screw-up they could make a killing keeping on selling the xl carrier. Pricks.


It's the reason I've stuck with the M3 instead of trying out the M4.


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## Donutz

They were giving away the gray carriers on request at first. Then the next season, the item had to be purchased.


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## Craig64

I sent Burton Australia an email with this SBF review. No surprises, Burton Au having the best CS imaginable sent me 2 x grey MFI® carriers for my Tech Balaclava and MFI hooded Balaclava. Consequently they have earned a bonus star ⭐ for this review.


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## Angelo

Can you wear it without the hooded portion? Like if you wanted to pull it down on a hotter day?


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## Craig64

Yes, but I would jump back to MFI Face mask on hotter days as it's lot cooler than the balaclava.


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