Category AI Visibility Report
Balaclavas AI Visibility Report 2026: Top Brands & Buyer Topics in AI Search
Data updated 2026-08-27 · 30-day window · ChatGPT · Google AI Mode · Google AI Overviews
≈15,877
Est. AI queries / month
20
Buyer topics monitored
10
Brands on the AI shelf
Key insights
- Over the last 30 days, GEOly monitored 20 buyer topics in Balaclavas across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews — an estimated 15,877 AI queries per month.
- Smartwool leads the AI shelf with 12.2% of brand mentions, followed by Icebreaker (10.4%) and BlackStrap (7.5%). The top three hold 30.1% combined — a shelf that has not consolidated yet, leaving a clear window for challengers.
- The highest-demand topic is “balaclavas for women” (top keyword “balaclavas for women”, ~3,600 searches/mo).
- AI answers lean on reddit.com most (35% of citations) — earning presence on these sources is the shortest path to being recommended.
Brands AI recommends most
Share of brand mentions across AI answers in the last 30 days (Share of Model).
| # | Brand | AI mentions | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smartwool | 1,443 | 12.2% |
| 2 | Icebreaker | 1,234 | 10.4% |
| 3 | BlackStrap | 888 | 7.5% |
| 4 | Minus33 | 630 | 5.3% |
| 5 | Outdoor Research | 536 | 4.5% |
| 6 | Ridge Merino | 512 | 4.3% |
| 7 | Under Armour | 334 | 2.8% |
| 8 | Nike | 311 | 2.6% |
| 9 | Kuiu | 232 | 2% |
| 10 | Buff | 225 | 1.9% |
What shoppers ask AI
Buyer topics monitored in this category, with estimated monthly AI queries and the top Google keyword behind each topic.
| Topic | Est. AI queries / mo | Top keyword | Search volume / mo |
|---|---|---|---|
| balaclavas for women | ≈3,404 | balaclavas for women | 3,600 |
| motorcycle balaclavas | ≈3,377 | motorcycle balaclava | 2,400 |
| breathable balaclavas | ≈3,178 | breathable ski mask | 3,600 |
| camo balaclavas | ≈2,983 | camo ski mask | 2,900 |
| balaclavas for men | ≈2,935 | balaclava men | 1,900 |
| Tactical balaclavas | — | ninja mask | 4,400 |
| balaclavas and neck gaiters | — | gaiter mask | 4,400 |
| full face balaclavas | — | ski mask | 135,000 |
| balaclavas for skiing | — | ski balaclava | 9,900 |
| hooded balaclavas | — | balaclava hoodie | 8,100 |
| Balaclava hoods | — | cowl hood | 9,900 |
| knitted balaclavas | — | crochet balaclavas | 2,900 |
| Wool balaclavas | — | wool balaclava | 5,400 |
| fashion balaclavas | — | shiesty mask | 49,500 |
| Knit balaclavas | — | crochet balaclavas | 2,900 |
| Women's balaclavas | — | balaclavas for women | 3,600 |
Sources AI cites in this category
Root domains AI engines cited most when answering category queries in the last 30 days.
| Domain | Citations | Share |
|---|---|---|
| reddit.com | 459 | 35% |
| gearjunkie.com | 144 | 11% |
| rei.com | 118 | 9% |
| wereview.com | 107 | 8.2% |
| advnture.com | 93 | 7.1% |
| zappos.com | 49 | 3.7% |
| buff.com | 47 | 3.6% |
| revzilla.com | 31 | 2.4% |
Related category reports
FAQ
Which brands do AI assistants recommend most for balaclavas?
Over the last 30 days the top brands by AI mention share are: Smartwool (12.2%), Icebreaker (10.4%), BlackStrap (7.5%), Minus33 (5.3%), Outdoor Research (4.5%). Data from GEOly's continuous monitoring across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews.
How many people ask AI about balaclavas?
GEOly estimates ~15,877 AI queries per month in this category across 20 buyer topics, led by “balaclavas for women”.
Which sources do AI engines cite for balaclavas?
The most-cited domains are: reddit.com, gearjunkie.com, rei.com, wereview.com, advnture.com. Building brand presence on these sources is the most direct way to win AI recommendations.
Methodology
GEOly continuously runs category buyer prompts across ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews and records which brands are mentioned and which sources are cited. Figures aggregate a 30-day window; AI query volumes are modeled estimates from keyword demand and AI-adoption share. Data: GEOly MCP Server, updated 2026-08-27.
See your brand inside this category
GEOly tracks how ChatGPT, Google AI Mode and Google AI Overviews mention, rank and cite your brand against every competitor above — and what to fix to win the AI shelf.