I have used a balaclava. When cold enough I breath through the fabric. The exhale pushes moist air out that freezes quickly, within about 2 miles it starts restricting airflow. Not all that strange. I switched to using a knitted scarf wrapped multiple times around my head, and that dissipated the airflow enough that it didn't restrict airflow, but the scarf is a lot to deal with. Those little holes in the face mask look like they could easily clog with ice, hence the wonder about the length of the ride and temperature that the face mask works well for...