Something seems to have wrong while trying to post this message yesterday. I hope it works out all right today.<br><br>I am currently gathering gear for a "personal mini kit" & "don't-leave-home-without-it" equipment based on Doug's recommendations.<br><br>It ain't easy finding all gear locally (I don't like ordering thing via WWW), but week by week my kit gets more complete. I will post the contents when it is more or less complete.<br><br>On my search for gear I found some possibly interesting alternative for the Red Cotton Bandanna. It's called a "Buff".<br><br>To me it seems to perform all the functions of a bandana and more.<br><br>Possible extra "functions" compared to cotton bandana:<br>- better (more complete) protection of the head due to its design<br>- because they "wick moisture" (absorbing water?), they could be used to collect dew from plants in the morning (?)<br>- could be cut open to provide some kind of bandage<br>- It seems to be very strong: supports up to 150KG (over 300 pounds!)<br>- ...<br><br>possible disadvantages compared to cotton bandana (?):<br>- It's made of polyester micro-fiber in stead of cotton for the bandana<br>- It seems to be very strong: supports up to 150KG (over 300 pounds!) => can be a disadvantage if you get stuck to something when around your neck => danger of strangulation.<br>- might burn easily (?)<br>- ...<br><br>I found some info on-line at: http://www.green-extreme.com/<br>(many colours, polyester or fleece, ...)<br><br>[Part of their FAQ:<br><br>"What is a Buff?<br>Buff Wear is a uniquely versatile garment designed to provide a high level of comfort and protection (and to be cool!). <br><br>How many ways are there to wear it?<br>Buffs are multi-functional headwear with at least 12 ways to wear it on your head. They offer protection from the elements, and form an attractive piece of head, or hair, wear. You can carry it on your wrist, or even on your ankle, and they've even been worn as leg and arm warmers!<br><br>How big is a Buff? Are there different sizes?<br>Laid out flat they are a 49 x 25 cm tube. Buffs weigh just over 1 ounce (30 grams). When folded up they are smaller than a deck of cards. One size fits all, apart from Baby Buffs which are smaller and designed for children aged up to 4 years. <br><br>What fabric are they made from?<br>They are manufactured from 100% polyester micro-fiber, which is wind resistant, breathable, and wicks moisture. When washed the Buff is colour fast, dries in minutes, and retains its elasticity.<br><br>What does 'stitch-free' mean?<br>Buffs are stitched and formed on a specialised machine. This leaves a tube that has no irritating seams, allows the fabric to retain it's shape, and gives a tremendous amount of strength to the finished garment. The ‘stitch free’ process allows Buff Wear to support up to 150KG (over 300 pounds!) of weight. One has been used to rescue a climber from a crevasse on Mont Blanc!<br><br>Where are they made?<br>They are made in Spain (Europe) and sold around the world."]<br><br><br>Is there any one on this forum who has a "buff" and has used/tested it? Is it a worthy alternative to the red cotton bandana?<br>Why (not)?<br><br>(Maybe I should just buy one buff & a bandana and test them).<br><br>tranx

Buffs are a very good product. "Wicking" refers to a materials ability to pass water for evaporation. Poly longjohns are able to wick perspiration from the skin surface to prevent chilling. I personally use traditional cowboy rags of silk and cotton. You can avoid potential strangulation by either a scarf slide or loose slip knot with traditional bandannas. You are supposed to wear to wear them snug ( barring sandstorms or train robberies) anyway. Buffs are obviously more expensive, but clothing is a vital piece of survival gear. Having " misplaced " my photon ll and chemical lightsticks coincidentally with a nephews halloween party, I'll pass on a third fad for now.

I absolutely love most synthetic clothing items, but I still carry at least one cotton bandanna, preferably red (unbiased research shows red to be a much more effective color than , say, blue). The virtue of the cotton bandanna is its versatility - it can strain large impurities out of a water source, then function as headgear to cool down my noggin in hot weather. I often use mine as a hot pad when cooking. I clean my glasses with it (at least early on during the trip, before it has seen too much use as a water strainer). It's an arm sling, it's a bandage, it's a trail marker. It's incredibly versatile! and they are very cheap. But wait, there's more..Some kinds even come with knot diagrams, maps, and other useful tidbits of outdoor lore. End of Ronco commercial.

I use mine to cool of on hot summer hikes by roling it up and tying it loosely around my neck. The evaprative cooling next to the two main arteries in the neck really does help. Some of the boys in the troop have started to emulate this practice, those that remember to bring bandanas that is.<br><br>Alternately, the scout neckerchief has a long history of multiple uses. Here's a link to a 1927 pamplet on the topic.<br><br>Scouting With a Neckerchief<br>BY COMMODORE W. E. Longfellow<br>http://www.pinetreeweb.com/neckerchief.htm<br><br>The neckerchief described in the pamphlet is much different than the ones worn today. Originally, they were large squares of cloth. Today, the are smaller triangular cuts of cloth. The new ones are more "stylish," but less practicle. One would be hard pressed to make a sling from today's neckerchief, except for a small child.<br><br>BTW, BSA is marketing this pamplet again under their Scouting Classics collection. It's sold with an original style neckerchief (6 colors to choose from) and a strand to rope to weave a woogle slide. Go to www.scoutstuff.org to view. The s8ite does not sell as BSA sells only through local authorized Scout Shops.<br>

I've got one - it is always in my pack when hiking, a never leave home without it bit of kit. A second lives in my works bag.