BUFF® Merino Lightweight Product Guide

  • Last Modified: 27 February 2023

The BUFF® Merino Lightweight Multifunctional Headwear/Neckwear in a Nutshell

The BUFF® Merino Lightweight Is Designed For The Cold. It’s formely known as the Wool BUFF®.

100% Merino Wool & more length give you more warmth.

The BUFF® Merino Lightweight is a 68 cm (26.77 inch) long tube knitted out of 100% Merino Wool. It stretches to fit adults with a head circumference of 53-62 cm
  • A 68 cm long tube made out of 100% Merino Wool
  • Designed for Cool to Cold weather
  • Popular for low to medium intensity activities
  • Replaces 10 different types of head wear
  • Warming – The extra length allows for more layers & warmth
  • Ultra thin – Fits nicely under any helmet
  • Excellent moisture management
  • Natural Odour prevention
  • Free of harmful substances – Certified
  • Fits Adults with a head circumference 53-62 cm
  • Weighs 48 gr (1.693 oz)
  •  
Browse Collection

The most popular ways of using a BUFF® Merino Leightweight

The most popular way to wear a it is as scarf / chin-warmer / face-mask combination. Of course there are other ways you can wear it so here they are.

A couple in outdoor clothing during a hike. It looks cold and they are both wearing BUFF® Merino Lightweight multifunctional headwear as scarves. Source: buff.eu

A warm scarf on your weekend hike

A BUFF® Merino Lightweight Wool tube makes a very comfortable scarf It’s a wonderful winter day. You’re out in the country site for a hike. The Wool Buff® as a scarf is one of the most popular ways to wear

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A landscape selfie showing a young man and woman smiling in the camera. They are sitting on top of a mountain peak. Their faces reveal exhaustion and happiness. They are both wearing Wool Buff® as beanies. Source: Gettingnowhere.net © Permission to use on our websites

A Beanie on top of the mountain

You’ve made it to the top of the mountain. You’re so happy. But you’re also exhausted & sweaty. Now that you’re standing on the peak you’re exposed to the winds & cooling down. Great to have a Wool Buff® as

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Key Features a BUFF® Merino Leightweight

The Wool Buff® is popular for being a natural product with all the benefits of 100% good quality merino wool.

A merino wool sheep looking straight into the camera

Merino Wool 125g/m2

Only 100% Australian Merino Wool is used for BUFF Merino products. It’s mulesin-free sourced. The lightweight fabric is knitted to 125 grams per square metre. This creates a performance fabric with high breathability and moisture-wicking performance.

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A thermometer in graphic art form respresenting the natural skin temperature regulating abilities of 100% merino wool

Temperature Regulating | Merino Wool

Imagine having something smelly around your face. Australian Merino Wool prevents odours – Naturally. It encapsulates odours within the wool where bacteria can’t thrive. Other Great Uses Keeping Helmets Fresh & Clean Gunky, smelly and often itchy helmets. That’s bacteria

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Chill Protection

Tubes allow the fabric to be worn in “wrinkles”. This way the cooling effect is diverted away from the skin. What it needs A thin fabric. Too thick and it will be warming A breathable fabric. Without that you have warming again

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Warming

Warming is the easiest of all functions. A tube in layers creates a warming zone between the layers. More layers create more warmth What it needs A long tube. The longer the tube the more layers you can create A

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Photomontage Left image Stock photo. A grey t-shirt with sweat stains under sleeves and through the torso. Copyright: mjdphotography / 123RF Stock Photo Right Image A participant of an Adventure Race in Patagonia hikes up a mountain in full alpine gear. He is wearing an Original Buff® as beanie. You can see sweat on his face but the Buff® looks dry. © Unknown. Released by Original Buff S.A for the promotion of Buff® products.

Moisture Management | Merino Wool

Cotton is horrible when wet. It gets heavy, feels damp and clings. Add cold weather, and your well-being goes south. Merino Wool fabrics naturally manage moisture. It’s the way the wool prevents the sheep from catching a cold when wet.

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Photomontage Left image Stock photo. A grey t-shirt with sweat stains under sleeves and through the torso. Copyright: mjdphotography / 123RF Stock Photo Right Image A participant of an Adventure Race in Patagonia hikes up a mountain in full alpine gear. He is wearing an Original Buff® as beanie. You can see sweat on his face but the Buff® looks dry. © Unknown. Released by Original Buff S.A for the promotion of Buff® products.

Moisture Management

A wet T-shirt in the cold is so nasty. Moisture managed fabrics like Buff® keep you comfortable (123rf.com / buff.eu) Cotton is horrible when wet. It gets heavy, feels wet and clings. Add cold weather and your wellbeing goes south.

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Photomontage Left image. Stock photo. Exhausted sweaty young woman after a long run. Peter Bernik © 123rf.com. Right image. Photoshoot. A male and a female model jogging. They are wearing Buff® headbands. © Original Buff® S.A. Released for the promotion of Buff® products

Anti-Odour | Merino Wool

Imagine having something smelly around your face. Australian Merino Wool prevents odours – Naturally. It encapsulates odours within the wool where bacteria can’t thrive. Other Great Uses Keeping Helmets Fresh & Clean Gunky, smelly and often itchy helmets. That’s bacteria

Read More »

Product Details of a BUFF® Merino Leightweight

Want more details? Just post a comment and I will answer.

It's not for you if...

You expect to get hot & cold weather. The Original Buff® will suit you better.

Collage of an Original Buff® used in Motorcycling, Jogging, Marathon des Sables, the desert, in the snow, snowboarding

You want lots of warmth out in the snow? Better have a look at the Polar Buff®.

You need additional wind protection?
Better have a look at the Windproof Buff®.

Design Collection

The BUFF® Merino Lightweight comes in solid colours, prints and tie-dyed.

Below are the 6 most popular designs. For all designs click here

Browse entire BUFF® Merino Lightweight Collection

About the Author

Picture of Edward

Edward

I'm an engineer and IT professional that loves the outdoors. It started with hiking, mountain biking and snowboarding. 30 years later, I've added motorbiking, camping, boating, surfing, diving, sailing, freediving and 4WD offroad adventures. It makes a good balance to sitting in front of my laptop 🙂

10 comments

  1. Nina

    How wide are the Buffs when not worn?

    Reply
    1. Edward

      Hi Nina,

      the Wool Buff® is about 24 cm (9.45 inch) wide when not worn.

      Reply
  2. Michael

    Would this garment provide some degree of UV protection? I need something that’s made out of natural fibres (fire retardent) and ideally something that provides a high level of protection from the sun. Thanks.

    Reply
    1. Edward

      Wool, in general, doesn’t burn and in 2 layers is UPF50+. Having said that, hardly anyone tests Wool products for sun protection as it’s not the best material for the heat.

      In your case, I suggest the Nomex® Fire Resistant BUFF®. It is made for rural fire fighting and the specification, therefore, ticks all your boxes.

      Reply
  3. Colleen

    Are merino buffs available in slim fit? I absolutely love mine but i have a little knot at one end to make it smaller 🙂 I’d love to get another slightly tighter one for my next trip.
    Thanks

    Reply
    1. Edward

      Not at the moment, Colleen.

      Have you tried stretching them? You can decrease the diameter of tubes by pulling them. It’s a bit of a fitness activity because it’s not easy but it works.
      Just grab the tube at both ends and keep pulling it and relaxing it again. Just like a rubber band expanding exercise. Best is to do it while your watching TV or so because you have to do it a lot.

      Regards,
      Edward

      Reply
  4. Marco

    I would like to try one for bush firefighting, are there any synthetics in the material.

    Reply
    1. Edward

      Hi Marco,

      There are no synthetics in the material. It’s 100% Merino Wool.
      Have you seen the Fire Resistant Buff® made out of Nomex™?
      It might suit you better.
      https://technicalheadwear.com.au/shop/professional/nomex-fire-resistant-buff/

      Reply
  5. Christine

    Is this the lightweight, midweight, or heavyweight wool merino Buff?

    Reply
    1. Edward

      It’s the lightweight Wool Buff®. Mid and Heavy were added later and are currently not available in Australia.

      Reply
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Only Non-Toxic and Non-Itchy Ingredients – Oekotex Certified

8 December 2018 No Comments

The most dangerous way for a toxin to enter the body is not through the digestive system, but through the skin

Andreas Schimkus, former senior industry adviser to the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia's (TFIA)
A toddler wearing a Baby Buff® as a face mask. The toddler looks happy. Source: buff.eu
A Buff® passes the most stringent test for fabrics. Free of anything irritating or harmful for babies.

Did you know that fabric ingredients are grouped into toxic or safe and non-itchy?

The difference in costs is huge.

This article shows you how to spot the safe products and why Buff® headwear ticks the right boxes

What makes you itch?

There are 2 main reasons for fabrics itching.

The first is bacteria. Call it bad hygiene or simply fabrics that make you sweat and breed bacteria (cheap polyester beanie hat for example).

The second is toxic and irritating ingredients in making the fabric.

There are ingredients available that can not only make you itch but also severely impact your health.
These ingredients are on a list and banned in most 1st world countries.

How safe are we in Australia?

Not at all, unfortunately.

Australia has no tests or regulations regarding safe textile ingredients. You can import into Australia whatever you like.

This leads to Australia being the only 1st world country supplied with 3rd world quality clothing.
Whenever we mentioned in China that we are from Australia and want headwear that passes the Oekotex test, we heard something like, “Why do you want to waste money on Oekotex. You are from Australia. You do not need this …”.
We were quite shocked at first but got used to hearing it all the time.

Here is a nice article from Choice that goes into more detail
https://www.choice.com.au/shopping/everyday-shopping/clothing/articles/chemicals-in-clothing
My favourite quote is

Products that are made in China for the Australian market could not even be sent back to China, as many of them would not meet the Chinese product safety standards but are acceptable here.

Andreas Schimkus, former senior industry adviser to the Council of Textile and Fashion Industries of Australia's (TFIA)

How do you find safe and non-itchy clothing in Australia?

You look for the Oekotex® certificate.

Oekotex® is a worldwide testing standard for classifying the safety of clothing.

Just look out for something like the logo below. If you spend more money to make your product safe, you will have it tested. If you can’t find it, assume the worst.
Especially if it’s our beloved “The same, just cheaper…” products.

The logo of the Oekotex® 100 certification for babies (class1). Source: buff.eu
The logo of the Oekotex® 100 certification for babies (class1)

You can always go to the AITEX website and enter the test number. That will give you all the details of the test.

So what are Buff® tested to?

The more intensive the skin contact of a product and the more sensitive the skin, the stricter the human-ecological requirements that need to be complied with.

Oekotex® 100 website

All adult products are rated to class 2. This is the class for adults close to the skin clothing (underwear, socks, headwear,…)

All baby products are rated to class 1. The most stringent class.

You can find the logo of the Oekotex® 100 certification on the back of the Original Buff® packaging. Source: buff.eu
The logo of the Oekotex® Certification on the Original Buff®

Sources

Choice – Chemicals in Clothing

Oekotex® 100 webpage

Wikipedia – Oekotex® 100

UV/Sun Protection

6 December 2018 No Comments
Photomontage: Left image Cutout of a man with a severely sunburned face. © Jonny Hunter, Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0), https://www.flickr.com/photos/jonnyhunter/3565036940/in/photostream/ Right image A flyfisher proudly displaying his catch. He is standing waist deep in salt water and he is wearing a High Uv Buff® as face mask. © Pat Ford
Ouch. That must hurt. The Buff® fabrics protect. (Jonny Butler / Pat Ford)

Sunburns hurt. Skin cancer can kill.

The Original EcoStretch and the Coolnet UV fabric give you UPF50 excellent protection (98% UV/Sun protection).

Scan of a UPF report issued by ARPANSA
Skin Cancer aware? If it’s not rated it will not protect you.

This is an example of a UPF report. It was performed by the founders of the UPF rating ARPANSA. Nowadays both Original EcoStretch and CoolnetUV fabrics are constantly monitored for their UPF rating at the factory. The testing company is Aitext Textile Research Institute.

BUFF® Original EcoStretch and CoolnetUV multifunctional headwear comes with a label stating the standard (AS/NZS 4399:1996), the UPF Rating and the testing laboratory.

Beware of UPF Claims without reference to the test!

We see a lot of tubular headwear that advertises sun protection claims but has no labels or mention of the test standard. Those claims are bogus. Why?

A thin fabric without a UPF rating cannot protect you from skin cancer.

For example, a T-shirt is only around UPF 6. That’s because it just filters out enough UVB to stop a sunburn. It will not stop you from getting skin cancer because it doesn’t filter out UVA enough.

UVA is harder to filter, and it goes deep into your skin, so the damage is not visible.

That’s where special dyes and other ingredients that absorb UVA and UVB satisfactorily enter the game. This function can only be tested and proven in a laboratory.

That’s why sun-protective clothing is more expensive than non-protective clothing.

So, if you see a tube with a UV protection claim that doesn’t clearly state the UPF rating with the testing standard and the testing laboratory, do yourself a favour and walk away.

Most Popular Use

 
Fly fisher holding a catch in the flats. He is wearing a High Uv Buff® as face mask. The cooling effect makes the face mask comfortable. © Pat Ford http://www.patfordphotos.com/. Licenced by Original Buff S.A for the promotion of the High Uv Buff®
Intense sun and heat. The BUFF® CoolnetUv fabric cools to make your sun protection comfortable (Pat Ford)

Fishing

The most popular application so far for sun protection. A face mask that you can wear in the heat.
All fishing professionals now wear the BUFF® CoolnetUV for this one reason: Replace sunscreen and still be skin cancer protected.

 

In the Snow

A man wearing a High Uv Buff® as face mask in the snow. He is in a ski resort. © unknown
Forgot your sunscreen? A BUFF® Original EcoStretch helps you out.

How often did you forget your sunscreen? I have tons of times.

  • Wear it as a face mask and you’re protected
  • Not sweating – It eases the biting wind

 

Travel

Halong Bay in Vietnam as seen from a kayak. The kayaker in front is wearing a High Uv Buff® as legionnaire style cap. Submitted to us as part of a testimonial. Copyright unknown
Long sun exposure during a great adventure. Good to have a protective and cooling BUFF® CoolnetUV as legionnaire cap with you.

You’re travelling and you have this opportunity to go on a tour. No cloud in the sky, and of course, you didn’t bring some specialized headgear with you. The BUFF® CoolnetUV tube as a legionnaire-style cap will give you protection.

 

Endurance Sports

A participant of the Marathon Des Sables running through the desert. He is wearing a custom made High Uv Buff® as face mask. Copyright is unknown. Distributed by Original Buff® S.A. for the promotion of Buff® products
Sunscreen sweating out, and there is no time to replace it. The BUFF® CoolnetUV protects. The fabric cools enough to wear in a desert.

Running events in the sun are a prime example. You’re sweating throughout the day, and no sunscreen will work for long. You also don’t have any time to apply sunscreen constantly.

Events like the Marathon des Sables have their custom-made BUFF® CoolnetUV for their participants. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than burning to crisps.

 

Limitations

They are thin fabrics so stretching them too much or wearing them thin over several years reduces the protection.

Sources

ARPANSA Resource Guide for UV Protective Products

Wikipedia – Ultraviolet

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