Product review: CYC® Motorcycle Winter Snowmobile Face Mask Windproof Outdoor Balaclava Hood

I got this balaclava because my husband is a cat person. I thought he would get a kick out of me wearing and it was a hit. It is well crafted, and the nose on the mask lines up very well with my nose - so the overall effect is quite good.



However to give this great visual effect the designers made one major change to a traditional balaclava design. Unlike a traditional balaclava, you cannot totally pull down the bottom part of mask that covers the nose and mouth. I can pull it down under my nose, but not all the way below my chin. If I put it under my chin my eyes are covered with fabric, the opening is too small.



Why does it matter? Anyone who has worn a balaclava knows that they get tremendously warm. Even in wearing this thin balaclava I felt I had to open my face every now and then to cool off. I could not do it without taking the entire thing off. And to put it back on I had to unbutton my coat.



I decided to wear it because we had a stretch with sub zero record cold temperatures (frostbite warnings in 10 minutes of skin exposure) so taking it on and off was unpleasant because I had to take off my hat and unbutton the coat to do so.



So it gets great marks for appearance and craftsmanship. However, it gets low marks for practicality. After one day of attempting to wear it how I would wear a real balaclava, now I think of it as a costume. A great looking costume and comfortable for a costume, but not a balaclava I would wear doing sports or walking around in a sub zero temperature.



I received a this balaclava for evaluation and review. Getting a free product does not effect what I say. I described both pluses and minuses of my experience exactly as I see them.



You can locate this Face Mask Balaclava on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review

Product review: Ausland Women's Casual Fox Fur Short Snow Boots 9251

These boot look adorable. They look like they would be warm. However, they have no zipper or any other closure and I was not able to get them past my ankle. I do not wide feet and this is not something that commonly happens to me. I normally wear size 7.5 and got 8.5 boots (because there was no size 8 which I normally get for boots so I can fit in a thick sock).



I waited a couple of weeks to write this review until we drove to visit my mother who wear size 6 shoes. She also was not able to pull them past her ankle. She also has what I would describe as an average width foot.



So based on my experience these boots are for ladies with extremely slender ankles. I received these boots for testing the size and fit for American market. I hope my review helps someone from the frustration I had looking at the cute boots I could get past my toes.



You find Ausland Women's Boots on Amazon via this link.



AshopZones review ★★☆☆☆

Product review: Smelser Fabric Shaver

This fabric shaver works better than my old one. It takes less strokes to remove the pills in one area. It can be used with and without the pink cover. The pink cover keeps the fabric about 1/8" further away from the blades and I use it on very fuzzy sweaters (like the gray one in the video). I remove the cover when shaving sweaters with out much fuzz (like the purple one in the video).



The shaver runs on two rechargeable AA batteries. I fully charged the batteries overnight and had enough power to shave two sweaters. Towards the end of the second sweater I felt that power of the batteries was diminished and I switched to using the shaver plugged in. Cordless mode is more convenient but it was nice that I did not have to wait for the batteries to recharge and finish the job.



The removed fuzz is stored in a clear acrylic compartment so you can see when it is time to empty it. This compartments pulls out to empty.

The package also includes a small brush to clean to help with emptying it out.



I received this shaver for testing and review as part of the new product introduction. This shaver made a significant difference in making the garments looking better. The video includes before and after shots.



You can find "Smelser Fabric Shaver" on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: Aris A Velvet Burnout Waterfall Kimono

This is a very pretty jacket. The waterfall shape is flattering to any figure. It looks beautiful and very dressy. This jacket is a mostly sheer burnout velvet. The sheer part has white, pink, and blue colors, and the velvet is black.



The jacket is well made. You can see its construction in attached photos. The craftsmanship of the piece is very good - neat seams and no loose threads. The body of the jacket is cut generously, but the arms are a little snug. I can wear this jacket over a blouse, but not a sweater.



The actual material is 70% rayon and 30% silk. The jacket has no buttons, so it is quite forgiving in fitting a variety of sizes: it works well whether the fit is a little large or a little small, it still works fine because it drapes in folds in the front. It has a flowing look and it moves in the air as I walk.



You can find "Aris A Velvet Burnout Waterfall Kimono" on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: Northfield Sportswear Men's Camouflage Hunting Camo Waterproof-insulated Jacket

This jacket is made in China but it is true to American sizes and is a good fit.



This jacket is well made, all zippers operate smoothly, it is quite warm, the lining is heavy, and the jacket feels heavy (2 pounds 15 oz). The jacket has 4 pockets. Two on the side, one on the chest, and one on the side. The jacket has a removable hood (attaches with a zipper). The hood can be tightened around the face. If you are a lefty you might like a quirk of this jacket that the chest pocket in on the right hand side, so it is a little more convenient to reach into it with a left hand.



To test how waterproof the jacket is I put it under a faucet. As you see in attached video I put it under a stream for more than a minute and the inside remained dry. Pretty good!



This jacket is provided by Northfield Sportswear.



You can find "Northfield Camouflage Jacket" on Amazon via this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: Bull Titan Women's Twinface Shearling Lined Foldable Winter Snow Boots

My shoe size is 7.5 and I got these boots in size 8. Sometimes Asian sizes run a little small but these boots are true to size. Size 8 is a little large on me with a thin socks and perfect with a thick wool sock. This is exactly how a size 8 fits me.



The boot is 8 inches tall when measure on the side the sole to the top of the boot with the sheepskin folded down. The shearling lining extends all the way down into the boot and the sole. The sole is made out of synthetic rubber. The sole has some bumps for traction, but it does not provide great traction. For a winter boot I would have liked to see a bit more texture on the sole, The boot does not have much arch support. I am slightly flat footed and plan add my own liner with a bit more arch support. The liner fits well because as I mentioned earlier I got a slightly bigger boot than I need.



I am finding the boots very comfortable and they look similar to UGG boots, but with less traction on the bottom of the sole. I hope the video gives you a better idea of what they look like.



A sample pair of boots is provided by Bull Titan to test the fit in American market. Asian sizes can be tricky but these boots are sized correctly. I used a chart under stock photos to determine the right size.



You can find these boots on Amazon by following this link





AshopZones review ★★★★☆

Product review: JENNIE LIU Women's 100% Cashmere Long Sleeve Pullover Black Turtleneck

This is a classic black turtleneck made in luxurious cashmere. It feels very soft. The cashmere is medium thickness not as thin as some but not really thick either, so the turtle neck is good for layering - warm without adding bulk. The turtle neck covers my entire neck and stands straight up so it keeps my neck warm. We just went from nice and warm weather to really cool evenings and this turtle neck has been perfect in the evenings.



The workmanship on the turtle neck is excellent. I am including a couple of photos of the inside seams - the best way to tell how well a garment is made - and they very neat and nice looking. The turtle neck is true to size.



I love black turtle necks they go with so many things, and this has become my favorite among a large assortment.



This turtle neck is provided to me for review and testing the fit by Jennie Liu.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: Global Vasion Electric Battery Powered Heated Gloves / Hand Warmer

I really like these gloves but the description of sizing is not right. It is certainly not XL men gloves. I am a female with small hands and the these gloves are a good fit for me. I normally wear size small gloves.



When measured on the outside the glove is 9.5" long and 4.3" wide at the palm (measured just above the thumb). But the gloves are pretty thick.



There is about 1/2" of space at the tip of the fingers. My hand is 6.5" long (so the there is room for 7" long hand from the wrist to the tip of the middle finger). The width of my hand is 3.25" and it feels roomy without being way too large, guessing there is bout 1" of slack on the inside.



The gloves come with rechargeable batteries and a special charging cord. The back of the gloves has a pocket with a connector for the batteries. There is no on/off switch, the heating element begins working as soon as the battery is connected. I was pleasantly surprised that the heat was not only in the back of the hands but in the fingers as well. The heat was pleasant (i.e. not too hot). I can feel the battery in the back of my hand, but not the heating elements in the glove and in the fingers.



The back of the gloves has a Velco strip it can tighten the fit of the glove and it happens to be over the battery and prevents the battery from moving around in its pocket.



My hands get really cold in the winter, so I am looking forward to being more comfortable this winter. I will post an update if the gloves do not last through the winter.



I received these gloves for testing and review as part of a new product introductions. So far they look promising! They are comfortable, well made, look good and the warmth is at a good temperature.



You can find "Global Vasion Electric Battery Powered Heated Gloves" on Amazon by following this link



AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: JENNIE LIU Men's 100% Cashmere Long Sleeve Pullover V Neck Sweater

This is a very nice v-neck sweater - soft and warm. But no matter how nice the garment is the most important thing when buying on line is the fit. I got two Jenny Lui sweaters for my husband crew neck in Xlarge and v-neck in Large as I was not sure how they will fit. Below are various measurements for reference, but the bottom line is that Jenny Lui sweaters are true to American sizes and Large was a good "athletic" fit, and XLarge was a looser casual fit.



Here are the measurements, in attached photos you can see where the measuring tape is:

Chest measurement 46" (L), 48" (XL)

Sleeve measurement 26" (L), 25.25 (XL)

Neck opening 6" (v-neck), 2.75" (crew neck)



Now the quality of the sweater. The quality is top notch. It is a light cashmere knit, not a thick sweater. The sweater feels soft (although it is not supremely soft as some thick cashmere sweaters), warm, looks nearly made inside and out. I show pictures of the garment inside out, which is the best way to see the quality of the workmanship and it is very well made.



Cleaning instructions: dry clean.



This sweater is provided by Jennie Liu as part of a new product introduction to evaluate the fit and quality. Overall, excellent sweater. Good fit, looks very nice. This is a high end product.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: JENNIE LIU Men's 100% Cashmere Long Sleeve Pullover Crewneck Sweater

This is a very nice crew-neck sweater - soft and warm. But no matter how nice the garment is the most important thing when buying on line is the fit. I got two Jenny Liu sweaters for my husband crew neck in Xlarge and v-neck in Large as I was not sure how they will fit. Below are various measurements for reference, but the bottom line is that Jenny Liu sweaters are true to American sizes and Large was a good "athletic" fit, and XLarge was a looser casual fit.



Here are the measurements, in attached photos you can see where the measuring tape is:

Chest measurement 46" (L), 48" (XL)

Sleeve measurement 26" (L), 25.25 (XL)

Neck opening 6" (v-neck), 2.75" (crew neck)



Now the quality of the sweater. The quality is top notch. It is a light cashmere knit, not a thick sweater. The sweater feels soft (although it is not supremely soft as some thick cashmere sweaters), warm, looks nearly made inside and out. I show pictures of the garment inside out, which is the best way to see the quality of the workmanship and it is very well made.



Cleaning instructions: dry clean.



This sweater is provided by Jennie Liu as part of a new product introduction to evaluate the fit and quality. Overall, excellent sweater. Good fit, looks very nice. This is a high end product.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.





AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: JENNIE LIU Women's 100% Cashmere Long Sleeve V Neck Sweater Blue Large

Buying clothing on line can be an adventure, especially with some clothing made in Asia (because Asian sizes are different from American and that is not always clearly marked). Jennie Liu clothing however are true to American sizes and they fit very well.



This sweater is made out of thin cashmere. It is a light sweater, perfect either for laying or to wear on its own. The cashmere is very soft and nice to touch (100% cashmere). I got teal color and the stock photo is accurate in color. The v-neck opening is 8" (measure when laid flat starting from the colar in the back to the opening). I like the long cuffs which allow me to roll them nicely. The workmanship is very good. In attached photo I show close up of the sweater as well as the reverse side. Looking at the inside seams is a good way to see the workmanship - if the parts that noone can see look good it means it is well made.



Cleaning instructions: dry clean.



You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Product review: BUREI Men's Date Stainless Steel Multifunction Watch

BUREI watch is an attractive quartz movement watch. The movement is made by SEIKO, the styling is Swiss. It is classy and elegant. That watch is stainless steel with a black dial, silver numbers, and gold color hands.



The band can be adjusted for a large variety of wrists. What is super nice is that the package includes a tool that can be used to remove links from the band, no need to take the watch to the watch maker. The wrist band is 9.25", my husband has fairly slim wrists and we had to take out 2 links for a perfect fit. The tool worked perfectly and I captured how it works in the attached video. The most important thing is to look for embossed arrow on the back side of the band, this arrow indicates in what direction to push the pin. My husband says the band is extremely comfortable.



This watch is made in China but includes an English manual. The manual covers several watches so you need to match your dial to one in the photo to get the details on how to set various options.



The watch is water resistant to rain and splashing, but cannot be submerged into water.



Overall, this is a very attractive classy looking watch.

You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★

Crocs Mammoth Clog

I was a fairly late convert to Crocs. I have not had a pair until two years ago. I bought them to wear around the house during the winter. I have had a number of shearing (lamb wool + leather) clogs, but these Mammoth Clogs turned out to be warmer. I did not realize that plastic/rubber shoe is such a good insulator. In addition to being warm they are extremely comfortable and durable. It is also possible to remove the liner and wash it. The liner held up well through several washes so far. It is attached to the clog by a couple of snaps and snaps right back on to the clog after the wash.



I am attaching a collage of two photos which shows the top and the bottom of the clog, as ell the fit of the clog on my foot. I can't be more pleased with them.





You can find it on Amazon by following this link.







AshopZones review ★★★★★