Bandanas for Survival
1 min read
In my various articles and classes where I talk about what you should have in your pockets, I often include tissues, dust respirators and/or Band-Aids. The tissues can be used as emergency respirators or wound covers. Somehow, I neglected to include large handkerchiefs or bandanas in my recommendations. My bad! Bandanas were a must have in past centuries and should be carried by anyone seeking to be perpetually self-reliant today. Bandanas come in a variety of colors and usually are about 22 x 22 inches square, costing less than $3.00 each. They can easily be folded into any pocket. A bandana can be quickly turned into an effective bandage, tourniquet, splint/sling, dust mask*, head cover, and short rope, carrying sack, help! flag, and more. MacGyver could probably find another 100 uses. Oh, don’t forget its use as a cleaning cloth and handkerchief. I recommend that you carry two, one red or yellow and one dark or camouflage.
*I still recommend a true N95 folding mask if possible, but the bandana is BTN (better than nothing)
It must be me and my big head but I like a bigger bandanna than the standard 22″ X 22″. This is my bandanna supplier, they have a number of different colors and patterns. My favorite color is OD green; it blends in well with the outside world and doesn’t make you look like a gangbanger or pirate.
Rothco Jumbo Trainman Bandana; 27″ square; $1.69
http://www.campingsurvival.com/jumtrainban.html
As I am new to prepping, you can imagine how often I might be saying, “I didn’t KNOW that!!” Here’s another field that I can honestly say, “I didn’t KNOW that!”
Thank you for the information and I now have the larger bandanas on my “to get list.”
Maggie