The balaclava is a coat that covers the entire head up to the neck , leaving the face free. Due to its characteristics, there are different ways to use this garment.
One possibility is to leave only the eyes uncovered. It is also possible not to cover the nose or mouth . Although it is not common since there are other items created for such purposes, the balaclava can also be used on the head (covering the hair) or to cover the neck (like a scarf).
No less interesting is knowing that this type of garment can be made with multiple fabrics. However, among the most common are wool, polypropylene, silk, cotton and even neoprene.
However, we cannot ignore that this garment has become one of the most used by babies and children when winter arrives. And it protects their entire head very well from the cold. Of course, it is common that in this case these garments incorporate, as decoration, some type of ears or similar so that the little ones in their outfit look like certain little animals.
There are those who use balaclavas under a helmet . In the case of racing drivers, they use fireproof balaclavas that increase their protection if, in the event of an accident, a fire breaks out in the car. These special balaclavas even prevent runners from inhaling smoke.
Due to its design, the balaclava hides the identity of the person wearing it. This means that there are terrorists , guerrillas and members of special forces who always wear balaclavas in their actions or public events.
Precisely, the members of the now fortunately extinct terrorist group ETA put on balaclavas when they made videos in which they sent messages to the population. It was their way of hiding their faces and thus preventing them from being recognized as members of that group.
What's more, there are many thieves who, when they break into a store or even a bank, for example, wear a balaclava. This allows only his eyes to be exposed. In this way, both witnesses to the crime they commit and the security cameras that exist will find it very difficult to identify them.
Subcomandante Marcos , for example , hides his face under a balaclava. The leader of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation ( EZLN ), since the guerrilla uprising at the beginning of 1994 , has used this garment in each of his public appearances.
The terrorists who make up the Islamic State , also known as ISIS or Daesh , usually wear balaclavas in the recordings they broadcast. That is why the faces of the murderers who decapitate their victims cannot be seen in several videos that the organization released with the aim of sowing terror .
Likewise, it is interesting to know that people who practice diving also have special balaclavas, mainly made of neoprene, that protect both their head and neck. These are breathable, elastic and protect them from UV rays.