Buff, Buff, Pass?

this economy sucks, right?  everyone is feeling the pinch, especially me.  so, when i wanted to purchase another Buff Headwear, i cringed at the retail price.

i may sound like a wuss, but my lips are so sensitive.  if they get prolonged exposure to sun, i get cold sores.  if there is even the slightest breeze, my lips get wind chapped and i look like Clint Eastwood in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly after he has been forced to walk in the blazing desert sun without water.  if i'm out on a boat in the LIS, chances are my lips will get chapped.  if i get chapped lips, my wife complains (heh heh).  so i wear my Buff every time i go fishing.

i absolutely love my Buff UV Angler in the bonefish pattern, but $21-$23 is a bit more than i would like to spend right now.

so i decided to look into cheaper alternatives.  it's amazing how many different companies are now selling Buff-like products.  whether it's called a Buff, a tubular bandana, a tubudana, a wrap, or just a gaiter, there are tons of companies jumping on the bandwagon.  Just to name a few...

Flying Fisherman - Sunbandit
ZanHeadgear - Motley Tube
Mental Gear - Headcase
Simms - Sungaiter
Patagonia - Printed Sun Mask
Columbia Sportswear - Freezer Neck Wrap
Ergodyne - Multi-band
Smotard
Aqua Design - SunGuard Tube

i ended up buying two pieces on eBay after doing a search for "multi headwear".  i purchased one from a wholesaler named Tans Club.  it is plain white, and bought it for $0.70 including shipping.  Let's call it "Tan's piece".

the second piece i purchased was $7.00 including shipping, and it has a pattern on it with similar colors to my bonefish Buff.  i purchased it from a Chinese vendor on eBay, and it came in Chinese packaging, so let's call it "Chinese piece".

so the question is...what's the difference between those and the branded Buff Headwear?  is the real Buff worth the cost difference?

Sizing
since i do not have a scientific way of measuring the thickness of each piece, i can only qualitatively estimate the differences in thickness.  the white Tan's piece felt slightly thinner than the Buff or the Chinese piece.  it might have something to do with the additional design that is painted on (or whatever technique) the fabric.  the thickness (or rather thinness) wasn't noticeable on my neck in any way. 

the dimensions of each are the same.  the Buff is listed at 20" long and 9.5" wide.  the Tan's piece is listed at 20" long and has a 19" perimeter.  the Chinese piece is 20.7" long and 9.5" wide.

Material
Tan's piece and the Chinese piece is made of 100% polyester microfiber.  polyester is a great synthetic material that wicks away moisture and sweat.  that's perfect for hot days bonefishing in the Caribbean, and also great for cold weather environments where you don't want your sweat to freeze and lower your body temperature. the Buff UV Angler is made of 100% polyester microfiber with Coolmax®.  according to Buff, "Coolmax® is a more technical, four-channel fiber with advanced moisture wicking capabilities", and "and is a bit softer to the touch compared to basic microfiber".

Sun Protection
another great thing about polyester is that it protects against ultraviolet rays.  that's where the UPF (ultraviolet protection factor) comes in.  polyester alone has 30+ UPF which means that 1/30th of an ultraviolet ray is passing through the fabric.  that's why they can claim that 95% of ultraviolet rays are blocked.  however, there are many variables that affect the UPF rating, such as (but not limited to) color, paint, shine, moisture, and stretch.  there is a variety of finishing agents, like SunGuard detergent, that can augment ultraviolet protection, but i'm not aware of any finishing agent used on any of the above pieces.

Performance
it is hard to tell the difference in how effective each piece was in blocking ultraviolet rays.  my only data point is that my wife said i looked more tan after wearing the Tan's piece (pun not intended).  that would make some sense, because the slightly darker colors of the Chinese piece and the Buff would absorb more UV light.

i also could not tell any difference in each's ability to wick away moisture.  however, i tested each piece on a different day, which had different outside temperatures and wind speeds. 

Conclusion
so, with the sizing, sun protection, and performance being essentially the same, what is my conclusion?  is Buff worth the extra cost?  my answer is definitively, yes!  why?

1.  Buff provides many more patterns to choose from, and they appeal to the style-conscious angler.

2.  the Coolmax® texture does actually make a difference.  it is slightly softer then the other two pieces, and after pulling the pieces up and down my face all day, the extra softness is noticeably gentler on my skin (heh heh)

3.  last but not least, each Buff contains Polygiene®, which utilizes silver ions to prevent the growth of odor-causing bacteria.  fish stink combined with sweat does not create a pleasant odor, especially when this thing is worn right next to your nose.  this feature alone is worth the price of admission. 

so ultimately, all the added technology and features of the Buff do make it worth the price.  however, if you are on a budget like me, sometimes you have to make sacrifices and go with the lower quality product.

since there are many other brand name products out there with legitimate fabric technology, if my budget permits, i will try to write a second part to this review with additional competitors, updated comparisons, and longer-term testing. 
also, since it is freakin' freezing outside, i want to get my hands on a Polar Buff and compare it to some fleece neck gaiters.


8/25/12 update  the Tan's piece is not worth the low price.  after about 10 washes, the piece is full of fabric pills, and almost feels rubbery, losing most of its softness.  as for the Buff and Chinese pieces, they are still going strong.