Phairo is the New Bandanna
The New Cycling Bandanna without a knot? Since Phairo Headwear started selling in November last year, it is making in-roads into the cycling market. It is akin to a bandanna, however, it is so much more.
The Phairo in action
The Phairo started around the year 2000 to solve a problem. I started cycling as a commuter for fitness in preparation for a knee reconstruction. The problem I quickly found was that regardless of the weather, I was having the sweat run down my forehead and into my eyes and sunglasses. My eyes would sting and the glasses were getting so difficult to see through that something had to give. I started wearing different headwear products that were available on the market, not only for cycling, but anything that went on my head that would fit under my helmet. I tried the bandannas first. They were cheap and light and fitted. The only problem was that they made no difference to the sweat. I moved onto cycling related headwear. I tried caps which I found allowed no air flow and made the sweat problem worse. I tried a few different branded products with which I had moderate success, but I wasn’t satisfied with that.
I thought I’d try making my own as I do a bit of sewing and I had my sewing machine and over-locker. So, I went to a fabric retailer and found some sports fabrics. Over the next few months, I made some different designs with moderate success, but not really solving the initial problem. I tried some different fabrics and designs and finally, I came up with a design that removed the knot and the seams from on top of the head. This was similar to the current design, but the fabric was more absorbent and stretchy and also bulkier than the fabric I now have manufactured. It was very comfortable with the right helmet, but because it held more of the sweat, it would only work for a certain time then it was dam bursting time. I went looking for a different fabric for the same design. I found a lighter fabric that was less able to hold the moisture, but didn’t stop it from moving through the fabric and it dried very quickly. This was the key.
The design with the new lighter fabric worked. It just kept moving the sweat away from my eyes and I could feel it moving down past my temple area and down the back of my head, but none where I didn’t want it, in my eyes. Occasionally in very high relative humidity, there will be a drop or two on my glasses during my ride, but not constant and very little.
I settled on this design (with a little tweaking) which has more fabric than almost all the other similar products on the market. I made a few and gave some to my cyclist friends to try. It was apparent that with the extra fabric, the Phairo had a few added benefits other than sweat diversion. It can be pulled down completely over the ears, which eliminates the wind chill factor on cold winter mornings. It is not like ear-warmers. It just makes it comfortable and doesn’t impede the outside noise, which is important when riding with traffic. One of the big benefits is that it can easily be pulled over your ears or removed from your ears whilst riding, so without removing your helmet. Many users are riding with the Phairo band pulled over the tips of the ears, or completely over their ears even in summer to give some sun protection. Because the air flows through the fabric easily, air, and therefore heat, is not trapped as it may be in denser single sided woven sports fabrics. Thus, there is more of an evaporative cooling effect. It has also been reported that I gives some Magpie protection as well when they start to protect their territory.
A number of riders have reported that their Phairo diverts the rain away from their eyes as well, even in tropical down-pours. That’s an added safety benefit.
There are people trying the Phairo in many different activites, from in the kitchen to the garden, jogging and hiking, swimming and snorkeling, to doing Zumba or working out in the gym, or just working.
The new Phairo Pony has a 14cm opening at the back
We are just releasing the Phairo Pony, which caters for women with a pony tail. There is an opening in the back from the crown to the top of the neck to allow for a high or low pony.
Fully Sublimated – Single Artwork
We can make a Phairo for you to match your outfit, your bike or your mood, with over 950 colours and 3 styles and sizes available.
The Phairo is the New Bandanna with so much more.
Check the Phairos out at www.phairo.com.au/products/ If you don’t see what you are looking for email us at info@phairo.com.au
Phairo: Leave the sweat behind!
Cheers and Happy Cycling
