Field Journal

Stories Behind The Gear: BUFF®
Written by: Daniel Neilson // Photography: Schleicher Hugo, Ricard Rojas & BUFF®
Produced in partnership with BUFF®

The multifunctional neckwear from BUFF® is one of the most recognisable and versatile products in the sport and outdoor world, so we spoke to the product director and ambassadors to get the story behind this Catalan company, learning some interesting uses for them along the way.

This is the product that bounces along the volcanic ridges of the Canary Islands on the head of an elite ultra-athlete. It’s the product that powers along the gravel cycling routes of Kyrgyzstan. It hurtles down mountain biking trails in the scorching sun and delicately balances along knife-edge peaks in the snow-covered Alps. It protects you from wind, sun, cold, rain, snow. It is a neck gaiter, a face cover, a headband, a sweatband, a balaclava, a hat, and, on at least one occasion, we’ve heard about a sling and a tourniquet. It is, of course, the multifunctional neckwear from BUFF®.

Versatility. That’s the word that comes to mind when talking about BUFF®. Sami Sauri, adventure athlete, photographer, and occasional Sidetracked contributor, has been a BUFF® ambassador since 2020. Cycling is Sami’s primary sport, particularly gravel riding, a sport she’s taken part in since its emergence. It’s a passion that has taken her across the world. But for this year, her slogan is ‘adventure more’, which is why we had to schedule her interview from Chamonix around a paragliding course she was doing.

‘I love photography as much as racing, so I’ve put that together, so now I cover the culture, the landscape, not just in my normal day life but also on ultra-endurance events.’

For 2025, she’ll be part of four very different races: The Traka in Girona; the Bright Midnight, a six-day unsupported race through Norwegian highlands and fjords; the Silk Road Mountain Race through Kyrgyzstan; and Across Andes, which crosses the Chilean mountains in a maximum of 130 hours.
Becoming a BUFF® ambassador was a clear path for Sami.

‘I’m somebody who has always liked having something on my neck, and I have a massive collection of caps.’ Plus, she is friends with some of the people at BUFF®, being a native of Barcelona, where BUFF® is based and manufactures the vast majority of their products.

‘I take the BUFF® CoolNet UV® neck gaiter to every race, three actually, because it can be used for so many things. Obviously, as a neck warmer and headband, or over my hair if it’s very dusty. It dries very, very fast, so that’s definitely my go-to. But if you break something or have a problem, it can do a lot of things. If you have a cut, you can tie it up. Once, someone skiing broke their arm, and we used one to immobilise their arm. (I’ve also cleaned my bike with it, but if I say that, they’d kill me!).

‘Also, the GO Visor is my new one because I can put it on my bike helmet if I want, and the top is still open, so I still get ventilation.’

DESIGNING BUFF®

The diverse range of uses for BUFF® accessories, such as Sami using the Go Visor on a bike helmet, feeds into BUFF®’s design stack. Danae Malet, Product Director at BUFF®, told Sidetracked: ‘We gather inputs from many places, including ambassadors like Sami and Andreu Simon Aymerich. They test products, they see the landscape, they see what athletes are wearing. So they often come to us and say, ‘Hey, this product I like, but I would change it.’

It’s an innovation process, Danae explains, that usually starts with trying to spot an unsolved problem. The BUFF® way is to brief it in a focused way, but leaving space for creativity ‘and fun’. Then, it’s a matter of bringing teams together to narrow it down until they find the solution. The prototypes then go to ambassadors and some markets, and finally, it’s made ‘downstairs’, as Danae puts it. Herein lies one of BUFF®’s key strengths. The manufacturing plant is in the same building as the rest of the team, in Barcelona, pretty much where it started.

BUFF® was founded by Joan Rojas, who was looking for something to protect him from the intense Catalonian sun, wind and cold of the nearby mountains as he toured on his bike. His original solution? A seamless microfiber tube. His family had a knitting factory, so soon, he was at events and markets selling the Original Multifunctional Neckwarmer back in 1992. Today, BUFF® sells in 80 countries around the world. It is a favourite with sports, outdoor enthusiasts, and athletes. Athletes include Andreu Simon Aymerich, an ultra-distance runner. We spoke to him from his home in the mountains in Catalonia about his experiences working with BUFF® and competing at the highest level as a Type 1 Diabetic.

He’s been a BUFF® ambassador since 2018. His results as a runner then were gradually getting better and better, and invites to international races were beckoning. BUFF® was happy to support a fellow Catalan athlete who was clearly on an incredible trajectory.

Andreu’s current perfect distance is 70 to 100 kilometres, and he recently took part in the Transvulcania on La Palma, one of the Canary Islands. ‘It was my first time there, and honestly, probably the most beautiful race I have done. It’s amazing.’

The fact Andreu is recording some incredible results is even more remarkable given his Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. ‘In my social media, I don’t want to put down diabetes as an issue, but it’s obvious that in a high-level sport where you need to control everything, a lot of times you cannot control diabetes; there are a lot of different variables that can affect your issue.

‘I try to be peaceful with myself, not stress and don’t take fast decisions. I just try to analyse what is happening and what I can do. But yeah, it’s really difficult to be competitive in a high-level sport with this issue.’

And what about the BUFF® products Andreu uses? ‘Here in Catalonia, most days are sunny, and BUFF® gives us many products to make our sport easier. I don’t ever run without a cap. The product I use most is the 5 Panel Go Cap, which I use during my training and competitions to keep me safe from the sun.’

Like all BUFF® ambassadors, Andreu will be given products as they emerge. And there’s a constant supply from the BUFF® design team. The latest addition to the BUFF® range, and completely new, are socks. Like the neckwear, the socks are designed for all manner of outdoor activities, including trail running and long-distance hiking. And they’re made with the same innovative materials. CoolNetTM is lightweight, breathable, and made with moisture-wicking fibres, ventilated mesh zones, and arch compression for support. The DryFlx® socks are made from quick-drying fabric made from plastic bottles and car airbags. There’s also Merino, which is ethically sourced and has natural odour resistance and temperature regulation associated with the wool.

‘There’s a massive demand for Merino wool,’ says Product Director Danae Malet. ‘So we have decided to bring in novelty and things that stand out in this space.’

It has led to BUFF® developing techniques to print intricate designs of Merino products, for example. But it’s the area of sustainability that Danae is particularly passionate about.

‘We have also worked on an upcycling project, and I particularly like this one because it taps into upcycling and the company’s sustainability ethos.’

Danae and her team are currently developing products from Merino scraps, a 5 Panel lifestyle cap and a knitwear set. It’s a company that is committed to a sustainable future. In 2023, it became a Certified B Corporation, and it’s a carbon-neutral operation with all facilities powered by 100 per cent renewable energy.

‘I love the values of this company and how it feels like a family,’ Danae says. ‘It’s super cooperative, and everyone works towards the same goal.

‘Plus, having our own factory near Barcelona is amazing. It allows us to be really flexible, but also to make sure that we have all the control of the supply chain. This is really important to me because I really care about sustainability and the future of our planet. I feel that I’m also working for a company that cares about that.