Howdy gang,

I respect y'all's opinions (even the ones I don't agree with).

After much internal debate (usually the only debate which I can win) and reading some posts elswhere, I decided start wearing a shemagh while I'm "playing" in my yard (mowing, etc).

Plan to use it as well when I'm out in the woods to keep the critters from buzzing in my ears.

I love it! It's so much more comfortable than using the bandanas I used to use, and when I'm mowing using the shemagh rather than the dustmask is a lot more comfortable as well.

I wear a baseball cap on top of it to shade my face a bit more as well.

Question #1: Does anyone else have or use a shemagh?

#2 Where / When do you use it?

#3 Anyone given you any grief about it?

#4 For our Mid East Vets, would seeing someone in their yard with one give you the creeps?

I've gotten a couple of weird looks from folks driving by but no one's shot at me yet.

It makes sense to me but at the same time some folks have got some strong feelings about the mid east area, and I don't want my odd-ball, defiant streak to lead me to cause any additional emotional distress to someone who's been there or has buried their son/daughter killed over there.

My experience in Texas is if it's not a blatantly "Arab-style" print you'll be okay.

Of course, also carrying a big sword helps keep the drunks rednecks at bay...

-Blast

Cool!!

Maybe I can put together a purple and gold one.

That'll go over big time here in Baton Rouge. Geaux Tigers!!!

Thanks Blast.

I'm curious, how big is yours (shemagh)? It looks like you got a lot more material wrapped around than mine.

Mine is 46 inches square and it leaves a little exposed on the right side of my neck where the knot is.

I've started to use an additional strip of fabric around the neck to keep my neck completely covered while I'm moving around and working.

Samhain,

It's 6'x4' thin cotton in a Celtic Dragon print. It's actually a tapestry I bought at a RenFest to keep the rain off my glasses. Worked great for that! I also used to wear it in the summer canoeing and hikiing but it was getting too beat up by branches and stuff.

It was great though. With that much fabric it was easy to tie up like a tarp to make a nice patch of shade during a lunch stop. While canoeing I'd wet it down and let evaporative cooling keep me comfortable.

Not sure if I'd wear it to a mall though.

-Blast

You could wear it to a mall with a backpack to test our Homeland Security.

I was thinking maybe wear it the next time I fly. It'd probably get me through security faster.

-Blast

Good thinking. Don't forget the backpack.

"...It'd probably get me through security faster..."

You just keep thinking there Butch, that's what you do best...

You people all look like Doctor Who meets Patrick Swayze in Red Dawn. 99.99% of America couldn't tell a Shriner in a Fez from a 3rd generation Sikhe Soy farmer from Bakersfield. The remaining 00.01% could care less.Wear the Shemagh. It beats the NVA Pith Helmets sold awhile back.

Of course you know, I am just giving Blast grief.

I wonder if we still have my late dad's fez somewhere.

Actually, I thought about buying a Shemagh to use hiking and camping. It looks darn practical to me. I like Blast's version better as it seems cooler to wear.

Or maybe not!

brigade quartermasters shemagh

I think so long as you aren't wearing the traditional red or blue checkered on white shemaghs you should be okay. The link above is for the type sold to our soldiers in Iraq and Afganistan and I have a couple of them now. They are lightweight and comfortable, and I wear them a lot when I fly. I use them as scarves in mild weather. I usually just wear them as a neck wrap most of the time, though I've worn them combat or desert style more than once. They make a great head wrap for sleeping in the bush at night.

While I was in Baghdad I got talked into wearing one combat style by a local girl working for us, and I entered a work area where a few local Iraqis were. I had on khaki pants and a black tee shirt, and when I walked through the door, you should've seen the look on some of their faces. I promptly removed the shemagh so they didn't get too set off by it, and they seemed okay then. I swear some of them must've thought they were about to lose their heads.

As a scarf, I doubt anyone is going to even care. Wearing it combat style amongst the public you will get much unwanted attention. Unless there is a big dust storm in your location at the time, there is not much need to be wearing it that way anyways. Draped over your head with your face exposed may seem unusual, but will not be quite so alarming to others.

The BQ site has a link to instructions on how to wear the shemagh combat style. I learned an improved variation that is neater and more secure than what they show. Their size is pretty typical of what the MEs use. If you get an egal(the ring for the crown of your head) you can were a shemagh like a more traditional head dress brigade quartermasters shemagh

Haven't you been reading the news? If they pulled me aside I'd just yell "PROFILING!!!" and threaten a lawsuit. They'd whisk me off to first class on a gilded cart.

Though to keep up the charade I couldn't drink...hmmm...need to think about this more.

-Blast, foe of those who CAIR.

Samhain,

I wonder if a large peice of mosquito netting would make a good shemagh? It would increase the airflow as well a keep the bugs away. Plus, it shouldn't trigger anyone's xenophobia.

-Blast

"If they pulled me aside I'd just yell "PROFILING!!!" and threaten a lawsuit. They'd whisk me off to first class..."

If what I've been hearing at work means anything, TSA is profiling cute blondes with underwire bras.

They may be dangerous, all right, but probably not in the way Homeland Security means.

Sue

Might get you on TV faster.

Mr Samhain,

You've just been tackled and forcibly body-cavity searched by Homeland Security for having towel on your head.

What are you going to do next?


I'm going to Disney World!!!!!!

Couldn't be any worse than the kids with their pants down around their kneecaps.


Thanks for the info Blast.

I feel better about it after read y'all's posts.

I'm not alone in the world.

Kinda like the Bee-Girl in the music video a few years back. Wandering around and finally found a bunch of other Bee-people dancing around in a field just like her.


BTW anyone else go out in public in their bee costumes?? because I've gotten some strange looks from some of my neighbors....

I've seen people use them to keep hot brass from rolling down into their shirt. it's a usefull item, I just added one to the BOB.

Dave

Umm, can't really argue with that...

-BBBBBlastzzzzzz

would a person more likely get arrest if he wears it?

1. Yes, sort of - issued desert gear a long time ago

2. Never

3. No - see #2

4. No, but you must look, er, unusual with a baseball cap on top!

I've used a long woolen scarf as a head/neck/face wrap in extreme cold when I didn't have anything better to use.

If you like it, use it. I never really used mine for various reasons, half of which I've forgotten.

Tom

It's a really useful piece of kit. I got used to wearing the shemagh when travelling in the Middle East and later bought a British Army version which I carry almost every time I go hiking. It's a lot more versatile than any kind of hat because you can wear it in so many different configurations. I would seriously recommend including a large scarf or shemagh in a BOB.

I wear mine without incident, in New York, at the airport, wherever. Long as it fits the context, no one seems to even notice, let alone care. Don't wear it desert style unless you are in a dust storm. Wearing it like that in public will get you noticed in a bad way. Kinda like wearing a bandana over your nose and mouth like a desperado, or a Nixon head mask.

Now if I was wearing it with an egal or had on other middle eastern gear, that might start getting me noticed some also.

If you just wear it like a scarf and have it ready to deploy in other ways as the need arises, then you shouldn't expect any trouble.

Is the shemagh made of cotton or synthetic fiber?

Why are you guys like it so much other being desert fashion conscious guy? The fabric appears too be too porous to block snow in the winter or blowing sand.

All traditional shemaghs are made of cotton. It is just plain comfortable, practical in most conditions, just enough. Some of the cheaper ones I found in Iraq were too open weave to be much more than a sunshade and mosquito net. However, the ones marketed by brigade quartermasters and other such companies are more substantial, enough so that they will do an effective job as a sand block. You will get some blow-by, but too tight a weave, like a linen, get's plugged up and difficult to suck air through pretty quick.

Man, air travel is getting scary...