balaclava

Different ways of wearing a balaclava A woman modeling a knitted balaclava

A balaclava, also called a ski mask or a racing mask, is a piece of cloth headgear designed to expose only part of the face, usually the eyes and mouth. Depending on style and how it is worn, only the eyes, mouth and nose, or just the front of the face are unprotected. Versions with enough of a full face opening may be rolled into a hat to cover the crown of the head or folded down as a collar around the neck. It is commonly used in alpine skiing, snowboarding, motorsport and motorcycle racing.