There are tons of reasons to use a bandana while prepping. While many of us may be familiar with the most popular of these uses, I’m sure there are several other benefits of the ever-humble bandana that you do not know.
I’m a keen fan of portable, easy-to-use, multi-beneficial, and cost-effective tools when it comes to daily activities or prepping situations. That is, a bandana should always be in both your everyday carrying bag and prepping Get Home Bag.
8 Reasons To Use A Bandana While Prepping
Most make the mistake of considering the bandana as an ordinary piece of rag, and to such persons, I ask now, “what exactly is the bandana made for?” I mean, for such an item to have been in acceptance for such a long while, it must have great uses.
The bandana, despite its next to no bulk and weight, is a handy tool for a prepper. And at the end of this blog, you’d see just why. Let’s look at some of the commonest and most beneficial uses of the bandana.
Head or Neck Covering
Of course, the vintage black-and-white usage! With minimal practice, you can easily tie a bandana around the head or neck, like a piece of clothing. Depending on the style you wear it in, your bandana can provide some insulation, be a filter against sunlight, or effective padding against a disturbing helmet or strap. I assume nearly everyone knows the uses of this in a survival situation.
Sweatband
If you’ve ever found yourself in a survival rush, you will attest that your sweats can be inundating. And when this happens, you may find your irritation or frustration growing within you. Thankfully, a bandana works perfectly as a sweatband for every scenario.
So, whether you’re digging a hole using a coffee can, crawling on all fours across the wilderness, or running helter-skelter from a riot, your bandana is a cool way to stay dry and hydrated. With your bandana, you can also protect your eyes from stinging tears by wearing on the wrist to wipe the eyebrows and forehead regularly.
Dust Mask
How many articles have you read on escaping a riot or staying safe during a protest? If you’ve read 10, I’m sure you saw an image of someone wearing a nose mask in at least 7. What does that say? A protest can quickly degenerate into a riot or street war, and before you know it, riot police forces are on scene throwing teargas cans to dispel the group. That’s basically when SHTF.
In the absence of a mask to protect your breath, who comes to your rescue? Well, no one else except the indomitable bandana. Like a war captain, it stands proudly on your face, filtering out every harmful particle, be it dust, smoke, or larger nuisances. Still can’t smell why you need your bandana at all times?
ID Stripe
Have you ever got lost in the middle of a rowdy crowd, say a group of protesters throwing canisters back to the police? If yes, then you should know how hard it is to identify friends or partners you’ve come with. It’s the same in any other survival scenario, but does this mean that you scurry away from trouble without your younger sibling or spouse? I don’t think so. So, what then?
Nothing but a brightly colored bandana. I doubt any other form of identification would work, save for a loud gunshot, which will only draw negative attention to you. The raucous is sure to drown out screams, and you can’t see a basic ID card either. So, do you now see why only a vivid bandana would work? When SHTF, you can immediately hold your bandana high and floating, like the national flag.
First-aid Purposes
While a bandana is not entirely advisable and not the best option, it would still make an effective cleaning item in the absence of more suitable tools. A clean bandana will work just fine as a compression bandage or bleeding control.
Larger bandanas are even more remarkable. A large, cotton bandana can be used to secure splints or hold joints as a sling. As tested, your bandana can be a tourniquet or cravat with the availability of a few sticks. My advice here, however, is to ensure that your bandana is thick and tough enough to perform the function.
Cooling
When you’re soaked in sweat or extremely hot as you evacuate from a site of a disaster, a wet bandana will help to retain some coolness. To use as a cooler, soak your bandana in water and hang around your neck or drape over your head. Also, when it isn’t folded, a larger bandana will be a screen from the sun as well as let in some air.
Washcloth
It is pretty easy to neglect the fact that you’ll be needing an item to do the dishes, wipe grease, muck or blood from something, or to keep your hands or body clean. But even if you do forget to come along with a washcloth, your bandana can easily step up. If the water to wash isn’t accessible upon using, you can relegate it to tasks that don’t involve your body, so it’s recyclable.
Simple Water Filter
It can be challenging to come by water filter when SHTF, so you have to manage the little that you have. This is why I suggest using a bandana to filter out the large junks and particles to see your main filters last longer. However, note that should the filtered water be infested, then your bandana becomes infested as well.
Concluding The Reasons To Use A Bandana While Prepping
The reasons to use a bandana while prepping are inexhaustible. In addition to the points discussed above, your bandana can serve as a weight heaver, catchall, bindle, concealer, and disguise. Throw in the fact that bandanas are widely available, inexpensive, and easy-to-use, and you can agree that there is every reason to carry your bandana everywhere you go and, more importantly, have a dozen in your emergency kit.