It would be easy to come up with 200+ uses Warm head covering Shawl Sunshade Towel Wash cloth Sit on cold/hot surfaces Cold compress - e.g. for sprained ankles Ice pack Hot compress Wound dressing Bandage Sling Tourniquet Donut bandage - e.g. for eye Dust mask Face veil - combat or hunting Tablecloth Water filter Gather dew - drag through wet grass and wring out Flag Lamp shade Improvised bag Belt Fly swat Padding - e.g. reduce chafing from backpack Insulate a water bottle - (wrap around container to keeps drinks hot/icy for a good few hours) Arab sheet - wet it and lay on your body in extreme heat and you sleep cool as it evaporates. Protect eyes from snow blindness - using it to filter light Weapon - tie a rock in it Weapon - David and Goliath sling - cut in strips Weapon - staff sling - far more powerful - 200m range Weapon - bolo - cut in strips Weapon - garrot Pot holder Pillow for sleeping - on its own or fill with leaves, grass, moss etc Blanket Sleep mask Cheesecloth - e.g make cheese from sour milk Collect wild edible plants Collect rainwater - when saturated wring into e.g. canteen Improvised footwear - pad with grass or something Catch fish - Make small hole in centre and use as net Water filter - many layers Loin cloth Use fluff from it to make fire from a spark Fan a fire Char some to make tinder suitable for flint and steel Make a fire bow Draw map on Polish e.g. tin lid to make a mirror to signal etc Catch insects - most abundant source of protein Filter clay to make pots Emergency sling - for e.g. weapon or camera Padded wrap e.g. for camera ur lense Bail out a leaving boat - soak, wring over the side, repeat Use as a tumpline - Himalayan way of carrying a basket Use as donut to carry heavy items on the head while -rotecting the spine. Caulk a leaking boat - especially if there is some grease or fat Use strips to mark a trail Napkin Curtain Halter top - girls Beach skirt - girls Bikini top - girls At a steep enough angle it will shed rain Parasol - using a branch Sweat rag Cordage Coffee filter Clean glasses Strain pasta Smoke signals Cover food from flies Apron Moisten and use to cover food to keep it fresh If wet and wrapped around water container it will cool the contents by evaporation Wicks for fat/oil candles Filter wood ash when making wild soap Etc, etc
@Feldgrau Fox You're not a traveller then? I've used shemaghs and similar scarves for hundreds of uses in my 45 years of travelling around the world. How many deserts have you crossed? How many jungles have you lived in? How many mountain ranges in the world have you climbed in? How many countries have you lived in? How many oceans have you sailed across? Have you ever lived out of doors for a year? Travelling light means you have to learn to improvise and make one item do a whole host of jobs, just as they taught us in the army. The only impractical item in this conversation is you!
I've been wearing one as a cold weather scarf for the past couple of years, and I keep one in my pack. You could also bundle or fold it and use it as a pillow. There are other videos that show the various configurations in which it can be worn.
It also makes a great kids blanket for the car if you you are stuck. Actually not a bad lightweight half blanket for travel by bus or train either. Enough to cover your upper body and get a bit of comfort, also a bit of a cushion or pillow when folded too. I have one in my backpack everyday.
Good informative video. After regular service the RAF as an armourer in the 70s, in the 80s I joined the part time TA (British National Guard) as a a REME armourer attached to an infantry regiment. Although I knew of the item I thought they were just a scarf, but It was there I first got my hands on one and used the scrim net/face veil in the field in practice, I realised how much potential a simple square of cotton netting had as a multi use piece of kit. I've still got the one issued to me and it's been an essential part of my backpacking kit for 30+ years ever since for similar reasons to those you give for the shemagh. Some other uses and pros (only con from a shemagh I can see is no water filtering): !. In hot weather when clothing is maybe a thin T shirt and shorts or even shirtless, on a backpacking trek of 15 - 30 miles, rubbing and chaffing can occur from a backpack's shoulder straps and hip belt. The scrim net can provide extra padding at tender spots to give relief and prevent blistering. 2. In hot weather it's a head sweat band or sunburn protective head bandanna/scarf (cooler especially when wetted because the net allows greater airflow). As the bodies greatest blood flow is through the brain this is where any cooling will have its optimum effect. very important to offset heat exhaustion/heat stroke. 3. In hot weather It works as a good fly whisk when I'm out on the trail and a swarm of flies starts following me. Bug net door for a plough shaped poncho or tarp set up for larger insects whilst still allowing vision and airflow. 5. In colder weather, because of the netting forming lots of insulating air pockets when covered by a wind break behind a hood or neck of a jacket, it is a warm head or face scarf, improvised snow mask or extra warm addable head covering. 6. As the scrim net is designed to camouflage soldiers in a concealed OP or a sniper, they are better for wildlife spotting, camouflaging a camera etc., or for hunting. 7. A good towel, as it dries quickly hung from a guy or ridge line and tied on to the outside of a backpack when you're moving..
December 2003, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. We got this as a X-mas gift from our FRG- Family Readiness Group. I still have mine to this day. Thanks for posting. 10th Mountain Division- Climb To Glory! 🇺🇸
discovered shemaghs in the Saudi desert during Gulf I. Never been without one since. worth their weight in diamonds as far as I'm concerned. And all the reasons you gave are really pretty good ones. carry on. :-)
#6 (amended).... I roll up 5 or 6 ice cubes in mine and let them slowly melt around my neck while I'm out doing yardwork in the 100+ degree Midwest August heat... drops your (perceived) body temp several degrees for several hours
me I'm a bedouin I'm a member of the tribe of ( otaibah) and my ancestors and the other bedouin tribes have been wearing shemagh's for ages since ancient time and till this day Arabs wear shemagh. the shemagh was the ultimate tool for the bedouin in the wilderness, it was for sun protection and rain protection and dust or smoke protection and cold protection , they also can tight it over a wound that's bleeding . the possibilities with shemagh are endless thats why the bedouins were the ones who wore it and held on to it since forever
@@chrisvela5462 maybe in some cases possibly because it's a common thing for outdoors people and bushcraft people to wear it now a days but originally no ! , however they did wear some type of turban as a traditional wear . Hope that information helps you .
I recently bought a Palestinian keffiyeh because for one, I’m sorta obsessed with the Middle East as well as tradition with living in harsh conditions and it’s beautiful that you are Bedouin, and I believe you speak Arabic - اسلام عليكم من الامريكية - Secondly I bought one because I work outside and in Michigan we are going through our third heat wave plus humidity which kills me, so after hearing and reading the uses as well as the benefits of keffiyehs, I wanted one and I love it so far 😁
@@mravalik وعليكم السلام well kent I'm glad you like your koffiyah and I hope it is helpful for you with all the heat and humidity and the different circumstances that face you . Much love from a saudi Bedouin.
Nice video! The only hesitation I've ever had with the shemagh is the negative perception it may cause if you were wearing one in the U.S., for example, due to the ISIS activity happening worldwide. You might be mistakenly profiled. But you certainly can't beat the functionality! They're awesome.
TheUrbanPrepper Ya, I dont think Ill be bopping around a city with one of these wrapped around my head, but possibly in the backcountry. They have ones that say, "dont tread on me"...maybe that would counteract the stereotype lol
Love your videos urban prepper! There are ways to tie your shemagh stylishly so that it acceptable. I wear mine even to the mall and don't get a second glance, when worn like a scarf.
stagecoachprepper Thanks! I definitely can see the scarf method working well to avoid second glances. It's the ninja look that I would be concerned about. :)
+TheUrbanPrepper Aside from uses like the bindle pack and the sling, a Buff can do most of the same things. I absolutely love them for how lightweight, packable, and breathable they are. They go from balaclava or watch cap in winter to headband or saharaine in the summer. They also make stellar helmet liners, sleep masks and cooling neckerchiefs. You really should add one to your outdoor gear. A Buff, a shemagh, and a bandanna or two are the perfect combo for backcountry (or frontcountry!) adventures.
I bought a thin ski scarf for camping and hiking. It resembles a tube of material with both ends open. It's quite amazing how many uses it found when you put your imagination to it. I used it (of course) as a scarf to protect my neck from sun burns, tied up one of the ends to form a pouch, used it as a headband, soaked it in water for cooling and used it as a bandage during the day. At night I made it into a ski mask when it was cold. It only cost £7, and yet it found so many uses. I recommend to everyone to buy one because you never know when it might come in useful.
Its spring heading into summer, am outside most of the day and tired of the face and neck getting too much sun. Got a Hoo-rag, a pair of tinted goggles and a shemagh recently. So I can use the stretchy microfiber tube over my face and use the shemagh as a cover for the neck and a hat being a ball cap or a boonie, well about any hat because I'm now entirely covered up using sunglasses too. Also really helps with dust and pollen when mowing weeds and grass on the farm. Have multiple configurations possible, its basically a 42" sq", mostly cotton, cloth that is very versatile. I just ordered a couple more shemagh as they are very cool and useful, one has stars, the other has skulls. So I can wrap my noggin with it if I so choose, American style. The military adopted shemagh for many years now because they make sense. Watching a lot of CZcams videos about tying a shemagh, everyone has their own way of doing things, its great:-)
A Shemagh, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapours; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-bogglingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you - daft as a brush, but very very ravenous); you can wave your Shemagh in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough. More importantly, a Shemagh has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (strag: non-hitch hiker) discovers that a hitchhiker has his Shemagh with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, face flannel, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitchhiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitch hiker might accidentally have "lost." What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his Shemagh is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with.
I literally was just talking today about reasons to carry a shemagh and I made the connection to THHGttG and the towel. It's a perfect analogy, really.
A noble beard indeed! Excellent teaching, humor and in reality...I call this a "difference maker." In Chicago, it is wicked cold and this nifty scarf has been on me or in my pack everyday. Hot, cold, wind, rain, snow, ice...this is a 100% must. Great video dude!!!
Go to a flea market or garage sale, buy a used flannel cotton bed sheet and cut it up 42x42. Make your own, cheap. Also make some smaller sized pieces too. Dozens of uses for a handy piece of cloth. Makes a great first aid trauma compress that can be tied on.
flannel cotton is effective and safe for cleaning glass. Maybe you have scrap leftover from the DIY to try it out. It's recommended for use in aviation, on the windscreens that are easier to scratch
Additionally its a great scarf even for civilians and everyday live as it holds a lot of air inside to keep you warm. Had been using it for over half a year now, and its super cool. Soon gotta be buying another one for hikes and trips
I don't wear black and white for various reasons. 1. Palestinians have claimed the white and black as a symbol of resistance against Israel and a symbol of their people and struggle. As I don't know enough about that, not do I support Palestinian on a political level, I won't wear a black and white shemagh/keffiyeh. 2. Black and White is not exactly a tactical color as it draws attention if you want to remain stealthy. 3. Black and white are associated in various places as something a terrorist would wear, and fair enough. 4. They get dirty easier. So I own a tan one and a gray and black one in a military checker style. I do have a black and white that I bought for my wife but she's Persian so it makes sense for her to own one from ”the last factory in Palestine.” They are great accessories during the coronavirus. Finding bandanas, scarves or even just cloth in general is difficult right now with some cities having it mandatory to wear masks because you know, ’Murika and freedom.
I picked one up awhile back and thought I'd feel stupid using it, until I did. Now I can't imagine heading out without one. I like to spray mine with bug spray and throw it around my neck when walking through heavy mosquito areas. Works like a charm.
You can also use it as a coffee filter! I haven't used a shemagh but I HAVE used a white bandanna and it worked great, except it looks like someone wiped their ass on it afterwards
Excellent tactical reasons carry a Shemagh, may I add it can protect your respiratory system, 11- it will help protect you to escape a fire in a forest or in a building. You can dampen it with water, cover your head and mask your face and run or crawl for your dear life.. 12- Great protection against Sand Storms. 13- It can be used as a whip to scar unwanted animals, if don correctly it will make a loud crack!. 14- Can be used as signal by waving it in the air, brighter colors work better. Creativity is your limits.. Peace.
I don't know if you've ever heard of a browse bed or a browse bag it's just a empty sack that you fill with leaves and pine needles and such to make a simple mattress to insulate you and keep you off the ground, well a browse pillow works much in the same way, except of course its the size of a pillow, and when you showed the use as a backpack, my first thought was filling it full of debris and wrapping it together as a pillow
I just bought one, looking at and being to think, how I could use it in an emergency. One of the things you could use if for is to cover your head and your digital camera to block out some of the back light on the screen.
I love shemaghs, I have a forest green and desert sand one. I have used them in the winter to keep warm, but not so much in the hot humid south during summer. I wonder if it would still be worth it to carry one in that climate due to the high humidity? Thanks, Adam- TheWeekendHiker.
I thought the hitchhiker's guide was joking around, but towels really are the most useful tool in the galaxy. It's so versatile and light I often carry two of them.
You have a majestic beard! I think i saw it on national geographic. Haha, great video anyway - i need to pick one up. I was thinking it could be used as a scoop net for small fish, shrimp, yabbies, etc, - which would be pretty handy when hiking or camping near a creek.
New subscriber here -this is the first video I have seen on your channel. Your speed and clarity of explanation is fantastic. I have started backpacking and am gathering advice on gear as mine needs adjusting. Looking forward to viewing more content.
UrbanSuburban Thanks for watching. Funny how a scarf could keep your neck warm haha. Sometimes the obvious is overlooked. That probably should have made it on my list lol
Best use. In desert climates during summer time the heat is UNBEARABLE. Using a towel or shirt or ... A shemagh creates a micro climate around your head and mouth making the air cooler to inhale and takes the edge off the heat thats cooking your face. Works best if the shemagh is a bit wet.
alright partner; The mentioned uses are "OK". But there are even more practical uses. Such as a shield for your mouth both to shield against bitter cold or blowing sand or even mask your breath. Another practical use is to keep your food cool. Many people have forgotten the purpose of a "hobo stick" You know the stick over your shoulder with a rag tied on the end and your contents in the rag? Anyway as you mentioned moisture evaporates well from cotton. In this example you'd soak your shemagh, wrap the food and tie on the end of your stick. What most people have forgotten or didn't realize the stick wasn't just a convenient way to carry this, it was that you could carry it and keep yourself dry well allowing your package to be exposed to the air and allowing the "evaporation". The evaporation works similar to a "Zeer Pot" for refrigeration, keeping your food about 15* cooler than the ambient temp.
fortbuilder100 Thought I'd add; You'd be surprised just how many people don't know that a military canteen pouch is lined with a pile. Which happens to be for the same use I mentioned above. Not as noise suppression as many assume. If you read the label inside the pouch (which most people neglect to), it directs you to soak the pile and allow to air dry with your canteen inside. For cooling it's contents.
fortbuilder100 True mate. Works exceptionally well. We used the old Vietnam war style covers just as you mentioned and our canteen water was cool even in the jungle
Glad you fellas liked that. I'll share another example of the same process that used to be used a lot. Years ago, many of you are probably to young to remember, a lot of folks carried a canvas covered, rubber lined water bag, usually hung over the radiator cap on their vehicle. True this was for their radiator if needed but was also for drinking water and was kept cool by soaking the canvas and was hung on the outside of the vehicle anywhere for the very same reason as mentioned above.
As an akfanboy it’s a disgrace I didn’t own one of these already. Im just now deciding to get one because I’m starting an outdoor job 60-80 hours and it’s the dead of winter so imma need that now. Just ordered a grey patter to match my grey digicamo fatigue pants.
I'm 66 years old. I learned much of what people are now re-learning as bushcraft or survival (I've taught survival classes 40 years ago) when I was a child. We did a lot more out side stuff in the olden times. The Boy Scouts wore neckerchiefs in those days, for all but the coolness factor, perhaps, as you listed. There are even more than you showed. Cowboys wrote "wild rags," which were 24 x 24 silk neckerchiefs, for the same reasons. Check out an old Boy Scout field book, or SAS, or old U. S. Airforce Survival manuals for a lot of uses. Also look at first aid guides for uses for triangular bandages.
Steve Brettell There are near endless uses for something of this nature. The more ingenuity you have, the more useful an object. I made this video as a bit of a joke with the cool factor stuff, and to show a few things I hadnt seen on other videos, such as the pack. Thanks for watching!
TheCamberwell ah, and non of you would be alive if it wasn't for the cuddly campouts baby boomers went on. It's the price you pay for 20+ years of caring for you little darlings.
Rhyli Esser absolutely true. The Boy Scout Field Book was separate from the Boy Scout Handbook, and was a uniquely usable book about outdoor living, not just surviving. I don't know if it's true, book the story made the rounds in the 60s that the Air Force was using this book in what came to be known as SERE. It is well worth finding, if possible.
*""YOUSOUND VERY-AFRAID OF LAW-ENFORCEMENT, ""ALWAYSFIGHT THEPOLICE, ""THEPOLICE DIE AS EVERYONE ELSEDOES, ""THEYARE NO DIFFERENT FROM NOBODY-ELSE""!!!!!!!!*
So for you number 8, you can put some charcoal (from your fire) in the middle of your "filter" and get a lot more out of it.... again.... not the germs/viruses but worked great for particulates
Another use for these (for those who think they make you look like a terrorist and those that would wear one if it looked more American) Is to take one end and wrap it around your neck, while holding the other end. Then pull both ends away from your body maintaining constant tension until you pass out. Do this preferably where none is around to talk you out of it.
I loved these things. If anyone gives you shit for wearing one just show them a picture of your favorite navy seal, because chances are if the pic is post 2004 he's wearing one of these. Don't let stupid racists denture you, these things are amazing.
and hey, if you lose your pants somewhere along the way, you can tie it around your waist like a kilt. Or if you lost a shirt, cut a whole in the middle of it longways, and it becomes a poncho
Special Operators like Green Berets, Navy SEALs, Air Force Para-rescue Jumpers, and Marine Raiders use it... While operating under SOCOM (Special Operations Command).
LOL @6:18 right after you said you were going to be hunting stuff in a survival situation, the cat got up and walked away. Does he know something we don't? I love the video. I'm going to get one for my pack.
These are awesome, but as a lady I find myself frequently using it to cover my hair. Trails and such can get dusty and three days with no shower means if I wrap my hair, it's not nearly as bad when I get home. To the people who commented about getting negative feedback because of it... I've never had an issue. Even if I did meet someone that ignorant I suppose I would just educate them.
I carry one in every pack I own. I use it most often to keep the cold win off my face while hunting, I also use it to cover my head while sitting in front of my 15's or spotting scope for long hours scouting. Works super for that! I buy them off Ebay, don't buy the cheapest ones, spend 10 bucks or more and you'll get a quality one.
You could also use it as an emergency "breathing mask". In Case of a possible situation like a volcano eruption with the sit in the air. Just fold up and tie around your nose and mouth.
It would be easy to come up with 200+ uses
Warm head covering
Shawl
Sunshade
Towel
Wash cloth
Sit on cold/hot surfaces
Cold compress - e.g. for sprained ankles
Ice pack
Hot compress
Wound dressing
Bandage
Sling
Tourniquet
Donut bandage - e.g. for eye
Dust mask
Face veil - combat or hunting
Tablecloth
Water filter
Gather dew - drag through wet grass and wring out
Flag
Lamp shade
Improvised bag
Belt
Fly swat
Padding - e.g. reduce chafing from backpack
Insulate a water bottle - (wrap around container to keeps drinks hot/icy for a good few hours)
Arab sheet - wet it and lay on your body in extreme heat and you sleep cool as it evaporates.
Protect eyes from snow blindness - using it to filter light
Weapon - tie a rock in it
Weapon - David and Goliath sling - cut in strips
Weapon - staff sling - far more powerful - 200m range
Weapon - bolo - cut in strips
Weapon - garrot
Pot holder
Pillow for sleeping - on its own or fill with leaves, grass, moss etc
Blanket
Sleep mask
Cheesecloth - e.g make cheese from sour milk
Collect wild edible plants
Collect rainwater - when saturated wring into e.g. canteen
Improvised footwear - pad with grass or something
Catch fish - Make small hole in centre and use as net
Water filter - many layers
Loin cloth
Use fluff from it to make fire from a spark
Fan a fire
Char some to make tinder suitable for flint and steel
Make a fire bow
Draw map on
Polish e.g. tin lid to make a mirror to signal etc
Catch insects - most abundant source of protein
Filter clay to make pots
Emergency sling - for e.g. weapon or camera
Padded wrap e.g. for camera ur lense
Bail out a leaving boat - soak, wring over the side, repeat
Use as a tumpline - Himalayan way of carrying a basket
Use as donut to carry heavy items on the head while -rotecting the spine.
Caulk a leaking boat - especially if there is some grease or fat
Use strips to mark a trail
Napkin
Curtain
Halter top - girls
Beach skirt - girls
Bikini top - girls
At a steep enough angle it will shed rain
Parasol - using a branch
Sweat rag
Cordage
Coffee filter
Clean glasses
Strain pasta
Smoke signals
Cover food from flies
Apron
Moisten and use to cover food to keep it fresh
If wet and wrapped around water container it will cool the contents by evaporation
Wicks for fat/oil candles
Filter wood ash when making wild soap
Etc, etc
That's an awesome list
You just saved me 7mins and 29 secs of my life
Yes i use mine for all these things
“Strain pasta.”
@Feldgrau Fox You're not a traveller then? I've used shemaghs and similar scarves for hundreds of uses in my 45 years of travelling around the world. How many deserts have you crossed? How many jungles have you lived in? How many mountain ranges in the world have you climbed in? How many countries have you lived in? How many oceans have you sailed across? Have you ever lived out of doors for a year? Travelling light means you have to learn to improvise and make one item do a whole host of jobs, just as they taught us in the army. The only impractical item in this conversation is you!
I don't care about the other reasons you mentioned, I'll get one strictly for the 25 tacticool points!
+357lockdown thats the only real reason I did it lol
You probably have a pretty headstart on tacticool points, with a name like 357 lockdown
Specially in this times of cornavirus lockdown 🤔
Same 😂
357🎯
I've been wearing one as a cold weather scarf for the past couple of years, and I keep one in my pack. You could also bundle or fold it and use it as a pillow. There are other videos that show the various configurations in which it can be worn.
It also makes a great kids blanket for the car if you you are stuck. Actually not a bad lightweight half blanket for travel by bus or train either. Enough to cover your upper body and get a bit of comfort, also a bit of a cushion or pillow when folded too. I have one in my backpack everyday.
Good informative video.
After regular service the RAF as an armourer in the 70s, in the 80s I joined the part time TA (British National Guard) as a a REME armourer attached to an infantry regiment. Although I knew of the item I thought they were just a scarf, but It was there I first got my hands on one and used the scrim net/face veil in the field in practice, I realised how much potential a simple square of cotton netting had as a multi use piece of kit. I've still got the one issued to me and it's been an essential part of my backpacking kit for 30+ years ever since for similar reasons to those you give for the shemagh.
Some other uses and pros (only con from a shemagh I can see is no water filtering):
!. In hot weather when clothing is maybe a thin T shirt and shorts or even shirtless, on a backpacking trek of 15 - 30 miles, rubbing and chaffing can occur from a backpack's shoulder straps and hip belt. The scrim net can provide extra padding at tender spots to give relief and prevent blistering.
2. In hot weather it's a head sweat band or sunburn protective head bandanna/scarf (cooler especially when wetted because the net allows greater airflow). As the bodies greatest blood flow is through the brain this is where any cooling will have its optimum effect. very important to offset heat exhaustion/heat stroke.
3. In hot weather It works as a good fly whisk when I'm out on the trail and a swarm of flies starts following me. Bug net door for a plough shaped poncho or tarp set up for larger insects whilst still allowing vision and airflow.
5. In colder weather, because of the netting forming lots of insulating air pockets when covered by a wind break behind a hood or neck of a jacket, it is a warm head or face scarf, improvised snow mask or extra warm addable head covering.
6. As the scrim net is designed to camouflage soldiers in a concealed OP or a sniper, they are better for wildlife spotting, camouflaging a camera etc., or for hunting.
7. A good towel, as it dries quickly hung from a guy or ridge line and tied on to the outside of a backpack when you're moving..
blackboardbloke Good stuff! Thanks for sharing your uses
You should do a top 10 reason to carry a shemage for every day use..
December 2003, Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. We got this as a X-mas gift from our FRG- Family Readiness Group. I still have mine to this day. Thanks for posting.
10th Mountain Division- Climb To Glory! 🇺🇸
discovered shemaghs in the Saudi desert during Gulf I. Never been without one since. worth their weight in diamonds as far as I'm concerned. And all the reasons you gave are really pretty good ones. carry on. :-)
Thanks!
And thank you for your service!
#6 (amended)....
I roll up 5 or 6 ice cubes in mine and let them slowly melt around my neck while I'm out doing yardwork in the 100+ degree Midwest August heat... drops your (perceived) body temp several degrees for several hours
#11 : In case of (bush)fire: Soak the Shemagh in Water -> use it as a filter mask to not die from fume poisoning.
VaylorexTV nice!
You’ll still die from fume poisoning as the gases in the fumes that kill you, will not be filtered by a soaked cotton cloth.
Don’t try this at home.
me I'm a bedouin I'm a member of the tribe of ( otaibah) and my ancestors and the other bedouin tribes have been wearing shemagh's for ages since ancient time and till this day Arabs wear shemagh. the shemagh was the ultimate tool for the bedouin in the wilderness, it was for sun protection and rain protection and dust or smoke protection and cold protection , they also can tight it over a wound that's bleeding . the possibilities with shemagh are endless thats why the bedouins were the ones who wore it and held on to it since forever
If I'm not mistaken, Silat practitioners use them as well
@@chrisvela5462 maybe in some cases possibly because it's a common thing for outdoors people and bushcraft people to wear it now a days but originally no ! , however they did wear some type of turban as a traditional wear . Hope that information helps you .
They obviously learned about the Shamagh from serving in the Middle East. 🥰
I recently bought a Palestinian keffiyeh because for one, I’m sorta obsessed with the Middle East as well as tradition with living in harsh conditions and it’s beautiful that you are Bedouin, and I believe you speak Arabic - اسلام عليكم من الامريكية -
Secondly I bought one because I work outside and in Michigan we are going through our third heat wave plus humidity which kills me, so after hearing and reading the uses as well as the benefits of keffiyehs, I wanted one and I love it so far 😁
@@mravalik وعليكم السلام well kent I'm glad you like your koffiyah and I hope it is helpful for you with all the heat and humidity and the different circumstances that face you .
Much love from a saudi Bedouin.
Nice video! The only hesitation I've ever had with the shemagh is the negative perception it may cause if you were wearing one in the U.S., for example, due to the ISIS activity happening worldwide. You might be mistakenly profiled. But you certainly can't beat the functionality! They're awesome.
TheUrbanPrepper Ya, I dont think Ill be bopping around a city with one of these wrapped around my head, but possibly in the backcountry. They have ones that say, "dont tread on me"...maybe that would counteract the stereotype lol
Love your videos urban prepper!
There are ways to tie your shemagh stylishly so that it acceptable. I wear mine even to the mall and don't get a second glance, when worn like a scarf.
stagecoachprepper Thanks! I definitely can see the scarf method working well to avoid second glances. It's the ninja look that I would be concerned about. :)
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+TheUrbanPrepper Aside from uses like the bindle pack and the sling, a Buff can do most of the same things. I absolutely love them for how lightweight, packable, and breathable they are. They go from balaclava or watch cap in winter to headband or saharaine in the summer. They also make stellar helmet liners, sleep masks and cooling neckerchiefs. You really should add one to your outdoor gear. A Buff, a shemagh, and a bandanna or two are the perfect combo for backcountry (or frontcountry!) adventures.
Shemagh because bonus tacticool points
Devil Dogs pretty much haha
Knowing my luck, I'd use it as my pack, then break my arm lol
hahahaha
Carry two
Hell carry four for multiple use!
I bought a thin ski scarf for camping and hiking. It resembles a tube of material with both ends open. It's quite amazing how many uses it found when you put your imagination to it. I used it (of course) as a scarf to protect my neck from sun burns, tied up one of the ends to form a pouch, used it as a headband, soaked it in water for cooling and used it as a bandage during the day. At night I made it into a ski mask when it was cold. It only cost £7, and yet it found so many uses. I recommend to everyone to buy one because you never know when it might come in useful.
+DJ Shuffle Ingenuity and creativity go a long way while backpacking. Thanks for watching
Its spring heading into summer, am outside most of the day and tired of the face and neck getting too much sun. Got a Hoo-rag, a pair of tinted goggles and a shemagh recently. So I can use the stretchy microfiber tube over my face and use the shemagh as a cover for the neck and a hat being a ball cap or a boonie, well about any hat because I'm now entirely covered up using sunglasses too. Also really helps with dust and pollen when mowing weeds and grass on the farm. Have multiple configurations possible, its basically a 42" sq", mostly cotton, cloth that is very versatile. I just ordered a couple more shemagh as they are very cool and useful, one has stars, the other has skulls. So I can wrap my noggin with it if I so choose, American style. The military adopted shemagh for many years now because they make sense. Watching a lot of CZcams videos about tying a shemagh, everyone has their own way of doing things, its great:-)
Kenneth Johnson cool stuff. Thanks for watching!
As a light cover it is surprising warm when draped and tucked, or worn like a shawl.
Just finished watching "Alone: congratulations on winning the whole thing, you did great.
I have several, in different patterns. Even though made from cotton it still works as a winter scarf. Great video thank you 😊
A Shemagh, it says, is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapours; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-bogglingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you - daft as a brush, but very very ravenous); you can wave your Shemagh in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough.
More importantly, a Shemagh has immense psychological value. For some reason, if a strag (strag: non-hitch hiker) discovers that a hitchhiker has his Shemagh with him, he will automatically assume that he is also in possession of a toothbrush, face flannel, soap, tin of biscuits, flask, compass, map, ball of string, gnat spray, wet weather gear, space suit etc., etc. Furthermore, the strag will then happily lend the hitchhiker any of these or a dozen other items that the hitch hiker might accidentally have "lost." What the strag will think is that any man who can hitch the length and breadth of the galaxy, rough it, slum it, struggle against terrible odds, win through, and still knows where his Shemagh is, is clearly a man to be reckoned with.
Phant4sm we miss u Douglass Adams 😪
You lovely fucker you
Nomadic Arabs wore it for mere survival. THIS is a reason to wear it too.
Monkadelic13 this resonates with me on a level that only cool and froody hoopys could possibly sass!
I literally was just talking today about reasons to carry a shemagh and I made the connection to THHGttG and the towel. It's a perfect analogy, really.
A noble beard indeed! Excellent teaching, humor and in reality...I call this a "difference maker." In Chicago, it is wicked cold and this nifty scarf has been on me or in my pack everyday. Hot, cold, wind, rain, snow, ice...this is a 100% must. Great video dude!!!
+Brian Travilla Thanks!
Just started wearing them. Great for staying warm in the Canadian prairie winter. I wear a neck wrap and keep a second one for a head and face wrap.
i just got one, i love it! gonna take it with me on every hike and expedition.
cool!
Go to a flea market or garage sale, buy a used flannel cotton bed sheet and cut it up 42x42. Make your own, cheap. Also make some smaller sized pieces too. Dozens of uses for a handy piece of cloth. Makes a great first aid trauma compress that can be tied on.
+James Cooper good idea, you could make some char cloth with the rest
Like WD40 and zip ties, you can find multiple uses other than what it was intended for.
+James Cooper Great idea. For summer use you can use bed sheets.
flannel cotton is effective and safe for cleaning glass. Maybe you have scrap leftover from the DIY to try it out. It's recommended for use in aviation, on the windscreens that are easier to scratch
Buy one ten bucks works better than some cut up bedsheet
Additionally its a great scarf even for civilians and everyday live as it holds a lot of air inside to keep you warm. Had been using it for over half a year now, and its super cool. Soon gotta be buying another one for hikes and trips
Great video. Remember though, any time you use a sling, make sure your hand is higher than your elbow to avoid numbness in the hand.
Yup, it multifunction 🤙
Thanks for sharing, stay healthy for all of us & Safety First!😉🤙
You can also trap snow and hang from a tripod down to a point and drop the melted water into a pot for boiling - loved this video. Subbed.
Pretty good for keeping ticks and bugs off your neck too. It can be used to keep stuff from rubbing as well.
I don't wear black and white for various reasons.
1. Palestinians have claimed the white and black as a symbol of resistance against Israel and a symbol of their people and struggle. As I don't know enough about that, not do I support Palestinian on a political level, I won't wear a black and white shemagh/keffiyeh.
2. Black and White is not exactly a tactical color as it draws attention if you want to remain stealthy.
3. Black and white are associated in various places as something a terrorist would wear, and fair enough.
4. They get dirty easier.
So I own a tan one and a gray and black one in a military checker style. I do have a black and white that I bought for my wife but she's Persian so it makes sense for her to own one from ”the last factory in Palestine.”
They are great accessories during the coronavirus. Finding bandanas, scarves or even just cloth in general is difficult right now with some cities having it mandatory to wear masks because you know, ’Murika and freedom.
I jut bought one, and I have to say that the fabric its made of is really, really nice; so soft, and not scratchy at all!
nice video i use an snipe vail as one one use never thought of and net to catch fish you have wash after it but can be use as that too
The tactic-a-cool thing is the reason why I instantly subscribed, so glad you know what those are😂😂😂😂😂
lol, thanks
It's pronounced _shemog_ by Arabic speakers.
They invented it, so that's why I pronounce it their way, however, it doesn't always work that way.
Stoked about owning one of these SUPER BANDANNA!!
I picked one up awhile back and thought I'd feel stupid using it, until I did. Now I can't imagine heading out without one. I like to spray mine with bug spray and throw it around my neck when walking through heavy mosquito areas. Works like a charm.
SW412626 I like the bug spray idea! Thank you
You can also use it as a coffee filter! I haven't used a shemagh but I HAVE used a white bandanna and it worked great, except it looks like someone wiped their ass on it afterwards
dust mask?
Zack Williams thats what the original reason the brits used em
Dino Dino actually the original reason was for Palestinian farmers for protection from the sun
@@ramijihadarab6175 we all know they come from the middle east, he was talking about why the English started using them.
Excellent tactical reasons carry a Shemagh, may I add it can protect your respiratory system,
11- it will help protect you to escape a fire in a forest or in a building. You can dampen it with water, cover your head and mask your face and run or crawl for your dear life..
12- Great protection against Sand Storms.
13- It can be used as a whip to scar unwanted animals, if don correctly it will make a loud crack!.
14- Can be used as signal by waving it in the air, brighter colors work better.
Creativity is your limits..
Peace.
good ones!
Yup keeping my head and neck warm is my most popular way to use it since I choose to keep my head buzzed.
I love carrying mine. A little extra layer on the lap when hunting is great.
its great for hunting
I don't know if you've ever heard of a browse bed or a browse bag it's just a empty sack that you fill with leaves and pine needles and such to make a simple mattress to insulate you and keep you off the ground, well a browse pillow works much in the same way, except of course its the size of a pillow, and when you showed the use as a backpack, my first thought was filling it full of debris and wrapping it together as a pillow
I just bought one, looking at and being to think, how I could use it in an emergency. One of the things you could use if for is to cover your head and your digital camera to block out some of the back light on the screen.
shemagh is an invaluable tool. sarongs are also a godsend. thanks for posting!
Gunghovagabond Thanks for watching!
I love shemaghs, I have a forest green and desert sand one. I have used them in the winter to keep warm, but not so much in the hot humid south during summer. I wonder if it would still be worth it to carry one in that climate due to the high humidity? Thanks, Adam- TheWeekendHiker.
TheWeekendHiker I think you would have to wear it loosely and more for shade in hot/humid climate. Thanks for watching
LMAO at the tacticool points. You get an additional 25 points for that comment, but you lost 2 points for making it a fanny pack. LOL
rusty gray haha aww man! do I really lose points for the fanny pack?
I thought the hitchhiker's guide was joking around, but towels really are the most useful tool in the galaxy. It's so versatile and light I often carry two of them.
+Vector Nuke hahaha very true
Perfect. I knew buying one of these would have multi benefits. My wife said I wasted ten dollars, but I knew better. I’m show her this video.
Even a big square scarf will work. I use this tie of scarf all the time in winter.
It keeps me nice and warm.
Buy 1.128 yards of cotton fabric & hem it.
Used mine while on our last cruise as a sun block on Half moon Cay beach worked great.
resmiley1 Great! Thanks for watching!
You have a majestic beard! I think i saw it on national geographic. Haha, great video anyway - i need to pick one up.
I was thinking it could be used as a scoop net for small fish, shrimp, yabbies, etc, - which would be pretty handy when hiking or camping near a creek.
+Yo Adrian haha thanks! And yes, it would work for that too. Thanks for watching!
New subscriber here -this is the first video I have seen on your channel. Your speed and clarity of explanation is fantastic. I have started backpacking and am gathering advice on gear as mine needs adjusting. Looking forward to viewing more content.
Thank you for showing us the diverse uses of a Shemagh.
Awesome stuff! I have 4 or 5 kicking around in my various bags and kits. Great for wrapping ur neck in the winter to keep warm too.
I ordered a XGO Flame Retardant Shemagh earlier today. Have another I picked up in Egypt and another from somewhere LOL. Priceless when you need them.
UrbanSuburban Thanks for watching. Funny how a scarf could keep your neck warm haha. Sometimes the obvious is overlooked. That probably should have made it on my list lol
Deep South Experience I had no idea they make flame retardant shemaghs. What does something like that cost?
www.amazon.com/XGO-Phase-Flame-Retardant-Shemagh/dp/B007XV5R84/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1430793135&sr=8-1&keywords=XGO+Phase+1+Flame+Retardant+Shemagh
RevHiker
$27+ and there are some CZcams videos on them also.
They are also very good for neck protection in airsoft (paintball) games
Toxic HG ya I could have used that during my paintball days!
Best use. In desert climates during summer time the heat is UNBEARABLE. Using a towel or shirt or ... A shemagh creates a micro climate around your head and mouth making the air cooler to inhale and takes the edge off the heat thats cooking your face. Works best if the shemagh is a bit wet.
alright partner; The mentioned uses are "OK". But there are even more practical uses. Such as a shield for your mouth both to shield against bitter cold or blowing sand or even mask your breath. Another practical use is to keep your food cool. Many people have forgotten the purpose of a "hobo stick" You know the stick over your shoulder with a rag tied on the end and your contents in the rag? Anyway as you mentioned moisture evaporates well from cotton. In this example you'd soak your shemagh, wrap the food and tie on the end of your stick. What most people have forgotten or didn't realize the stick wasn't just a convenient way to carry this, it was that you could carry it and keep yourself dry well allowing your package to be exposed to the air and allowing the "evaporation". The evaporation works similar to a "Zeer Pot" for refrigeration, keeping your food about 15* cooler than the ambient temp.
fortbuilder100 Thought I'd add; You'd be surprised just how many people don't know that a military canteen pouch is lined with a pile. Which happens to be for the same use I mentioned above. Not as noise suppression as many assume. If you read the label inside the pouch (which most people neglect to), it directs you to soak the pile and allow to air dry with your canteen inside. For cooling it's contents.
fortbuilder100 True mate. Works exceptionally well. We used the old Vietnam war style covers just as you mentioned and our canteen water was cool even in the jungle
fortbuilder100 Cool, thanks!
Glad you fellas liked that. I'll share another example of the same process that used to be used a lot. Years ago, many of you are probably to young to remember, a lot of folks carried a canvas covered, rubber lined water bag, usually hung over the radiator cap on their vehicle. True this was for their radiator if needed but was also for drinking water and was kept cool by soaking the canvas and was hung on the outside of the vehicle anywhere for the very same reason as mentioned above.
incidently, hanging it over the radiator facilitated the evaporation cooling the contents more rapidly.
As an akfanboy it’s a disgrace I didn’t own one of these already. Im just now deciding to get one because I’m starting an outdoor job 60-80 hours and it’s the dead of winter so imma need that now. Just ordered a grey patter to match my grey digicamo fatigue pants.
You know what, I'm sold. I'm going to buy several.
I've got 2 of these. I just use them as scarfs. I didn't know any of this other stuff kinda cool 👍🏻
It’s also good to have more than one. two is one, one is none. Have one waxed for when it rains or store raw meats
You had me at tacticool points. Just bought a green one.
I'm 66 years old. I learned much of what people are now re-learning as bushcraft or survival (I've taught survival classes 40 years ago) when I was a child. We did a lot more out side stuff in the olden times.
The Boy Scouts wore neckerchiefs in those days, for all but the coolness factor, perhaps, as you listed. There are even more than you showed. Cowboys wrote "wild rags," which were 24 x 24 silk neckerchiefs, for the same reasons.
Check out an old Boy Scout field book, or SAS, or old U. S. Airforce Survival manuals for a lot of uses. Also look at first aid guides for uses for triangular bandages.
Steve Brettell There are near endless uses for something of this nature. The more ingenuity you have, the more useful an object. I made this video as a bit of a joke with the cool factor stuff, and to show a few things I hadnt seen on other videos, such as the pack. Thanks for watching!
No time for outdoor pursuits anymore, too busy paying back the national debt your baby boomer generation bequeathed us.
+Steve Brettell Girl Scout handbooks, too!
TheCamberwell ah, and non of you would be alive if it wasn't for the cuddly campouts baby boomers went on. It's the price you pay for 20+ years of caring for you little darlings.
Rhyli Esser absolutely true. The Boy Scout Field Book was separate from the Boy Scout Handbook, and was a uniquely usable book about outdoor living, not just surviving.
I don't know if it's true, book the story made the rounds in the 60s that the Air Force was using this book in what came to be known as SERE. It is well worth finding, if possible.
I'm wearing mine because of COVID 19. I wouldn't want to local authorities to fine me 1,000 dollars. *rolls eyes*
*""YOUSOUND VERY-AFRAID OF LAW-ENFORCEMENT, ""ALWAYSFIGHT THEPOLICE, ""THEPOLICE DIE AS EVERYONE ELSEDOES, ""THEYARE NO DIFFERENT FROM NOBODY-ELSE""!!!!!!!!*
So for you number 8, you can put some charcoal (from your fire) in the middle of your "filter" and get a lot more out of it.... again.... not the germs/viruses but worked great for particulates
Can also be used as a Davids sling
tacticool!
Lol
I like how you say God bless you!
on the subject of using it as a filter, you can use that as a base for making a bio film that will actually filter out most bacteria as well.
and #1 should probably be as a pillow. it is a wonderful pillow.
+Alec Fisher I thought pillow too
It can also be used as a scarf and you look tactical with it on.
I finally got my shemagh I ordered today can't wait to use it for 25 tacticool points
I don't own one yet, but I think it might be good for helping with mosquitoes
Another use for these (for those who think they make you look like a terrorist and those that would wear one if it looked more American)
Is to take one end and wrap it around your neck, while holding the other end. Then pull both ends away from your body maintaining constant tension until you pass out. Do this preferably where none is around to talk you out of it.
Thanks for the laughs, commenter from 6 years ago! 😂
I loved these things. If anyone gives you shit for wearing one just show them a picture of your favorite navy seal, because chances are if the pic is post 2004 he's wearing one of these. Don't let stupid racists denture you, these things are amazing.
Also a simple towel if it is dry.
I've had one for years and don't really use it. I am prepping for a hike saw it and thought I wonder what all I could use this for.
Great video! Seems like having a shemagh would be a super-basic addendum to any kit. Thanks!
thanks!
the fringes give a good wick to use with oil, buttle, bacon, a candle that lost the wick...
and hey, if you lose your pants somewhere along the way, you can tie it around your waist like a kilt. Or if you lost a shirt, cut a whole in the middle of it longways, and it becomes a poncho
Lol true
I actually had to do this once. my friend had one in his truck so I made myself a skirt and wore one of his shirts... stylish
awesome video. read an article about how many ways that you can use Shemagh. they said "10"
Special Operators like Green Berets, Navy SEALs, Air Force Para-rescue Jumpers, and Marine Raiders use it... While operating under SOCOM (Special Operations Command).
LOL @6:18 right after you said you were going to be hunting stuff in a survival situation, the cat got up and walked away. Does he know something we don't?
I love the video. I'm going to get one for my pack.
+Geoffrey Stephens lol thanks, and its a dog, unless I have a cat secretly living in my house...which I guess is possible lol
+RevHiker the dog is camouflaged. :)
You recommend a COTTON schmsge?? What about merino wool? Wouldn’t that be much better?
Cool water bottle holder, what brand is it and where do I get one?
Number 11 : in a survival situation you can use it to collect dew. You then wring it to pour what you just collected into a container
These are awesome, but as a lady I find myself frequently using it to cover my hair. Trails and such can get dusty and three days with no shower means if I wrap my hair, it's not nearly as bad when I get home. To the people who commented about getting negative feedback because of it... I've never had an issue. Even if I did meet someone that ignorant I suppose I would just educate them.
+Jewel Ciappio Thats a god idea...use it to keep the dirt off...nice
I carry one in every pack I own.
I use it most often to keep the cold win off my face while hunting,
I also use it to cover my head while sitting in front of my 15's or spotting scope for long hours scouting. Works super for that!
I buy them off Ebay, don't buy the cheapest ones, spend 10 bucks or more and you'll get a quality one.
steve stone good uses. I got mine for about 10 bucks at an army navy store. Worked great
That is a good straight to the point video with plenty of tips. Thanks for sharing.
Love it, lol. The humor was excellent, but you made good points also on the main topic of this video.
Instant thumbs up just for the tacticool points jibe.
CountDoucheula haha thanks!
If you don't want to wear a shamagh can you just wear a Shamwow?
You could also use it as an emergency "breathing mask". In Case of a possible situation like a volcano eruption with the sit in the air. Just fold up and tie around your nose and mouth.
+jared wheeland good call
All the tacticool points if you walk away from a volcano erupting while wearing a shemagh
Alex Mariner haha
Thank you very much.
Thanks good tips on the use of Shemagh's I enjoyed the video thanks
+Peralta Insurance Thanks!
what you going to do with all that junk all that junk inside your shemagh?
lol good one
Imma get get get get your shemage
Haha watch 6:11 and pay attention to the dog in the background! He knows he need to hide better than his hunter.
Btw. it´s a nice video, thumbs up!
+Lino Hauffe haha thank you
Wrap it around the top of the stick you use to hold up your tarp, to avoid ripping tarp.
Shemagh of Tacticool
+25 charisma
FREAKING AWESOME! Thanks!
This guy makes it look like a pashmina. Coo-ee