I ordered my MARPAT Ban-Du from Blackleaf not long after it was first offered and communications between myself and them were always first class and professional.
Onto the Ban-Du. I ordered my MARPAT version with the OD green top and I never head onto the field without it now. Not only does it make a huge difference in keeping the sweat where it belongs (anywhere but my eyes!) it has kept a lot of paint out my hair as well. I see alot of other styles of head wraps on the field and they all seem to have a mesh material for a top. It might help keep you a bit cooler, but very little toward keeping the paint out of your hair.
So far as to wether or not the Ban-Du is hot with a solid top? I actually find it to be the opposite. The material helps to wick away sweat and that is the key to keeping cool.
Fabrication of the Ban-Du is first rate. Three months of heavy use (three scenarios, walk-ons and speedball practices) and not a stitch out of place. Even after probably 15 washings there is almost zero fade in the MARPAT material.
Conclusion:
I am not normally a fan of 10/10 scores, but this is a simple enough piece of kit, so well executed that I can safely feel ok with a 10.
