A bandana is another one of those things that is useful for a thousand things but nothing specific. It’s right up there with duct tape and rope. The things only weigh a couple ounces, they are dirt cheap and are a must-have in your Bug Out Bag or Urban Survival Gear. Here is just a shortlist of possible uses for a bandana.
- Signal (also see signal mirror)
- Neck Gaiter for cold weather
- Tourniquet (But for Snake Bites use a Sawyer Extractor)
- Pot Holder
- Collecting Wild Edibles
- Sunblock for neck
- Sling (first-aid – also see medical kits for you BOB)
- Sling (as in David and Goliath)
- Sling (for a staff )
- Cordage (strips or as is)
- Washcloth/Towel (Bathe out of a Collapsible Bucket)
- Sweatband
- Waist pack/pouch
- Hobo Pack
- Padding a hotspot
- Cleaning Patches for Firearm
- Bullet Patches for Muzzleloader
- Gun Wipe Cloth (with oil)
- Toilet Paper
- Mark a Trail
- Dish Rag
- Napkin
- Eye patch
- Pre-water No products found. (like Coffee Filters)
- Clean Glasses and other lens
- Ear Muffs
- Bind a stone and toss a line over a limb
- Dust Mask (in Urban Survival)
- Wet and wear for Hot Weather
- Sneezing
- First aid bandage
- Ice pack when snow and ice are available
- Snow goggles
- Lash poles
- Lash a tripod
- Make a dip net
- Use as a wind gauge
- Use as a press to squeeze water from saturated materials
- A glove to pick up dirty items
- A tool lanyard
- Collect morning dew
- Patching material for gear repair
- Make char cloth
- Make a fly fishing lure
- An automatic signaling flag for traps
- A muzzle
- Improvised handcuffs
- A blind
- Padding in footwear
- A cheek pad for long gun stocks
- Fashion a zipper pull
- Hat liner
- Padding under straps
- Lens cover to protect optics
- Clean out water bladder tubing
- Wave away annoying insects
- Keep track of tools and people by tying brightly colored bandanas to them.
- A potholder for removing hot items from a fire
- Improvised tea or coffee bag
- A general collection container
Quick Navigation
More Than One
Since bandanas are so cheap and easy to carry it is a great idea to have more than one, but you should keep them separated. Have a few available that can be used frequently for “dirty” work such as wiping sweat off your face or tying gear up. Keep the rest of them clean by storing them in a baggie in your pocket or pack.
Cutting a Bandana
If you need to cut a bandanna for cordage the first approach is to cut the material into straight strips. This works but it limits the overall length of a single piece of cordage.
To get the most cordage and longest single piece possible out of a bandana try this instead. Start at the corner of the bandanna and begin cutting around the perimeter. As the cut progresses turn the cutting tool so that you are cutting in a more circular motion. By spiraling inward, you can achieve a much longer piece of cordage.
What Else?
Bandanas have many uses and we highly recommend them. They have many use-cases and should be an essential part of any type of “go” bag.
Leave a comment and tell us what else you use bandanas for.
