Bandana question

REI has a good selection and after they have been washed a few times they are pretty soft

I carry a bandana for the kitchen (dishrag, pot gripper, water pre-filter), and a bandana for everything else (hat, body washrag, towel). I wouldn't want the kitchen bandana treated. I don't know if permethrin can leach. I might end up treating the everything-else bandana, but it gets cycled between wet & dry often enough I doubt any treatment would last long.

The local Walmart has the cheap ($1.50) one-sided bandanas, but they're big enough to tie around your head as a dew rag (and great for keeping ticks out of your hair).

FWIW, check what the bandanna is made with. "Regular" bandannas are usually (not always) made from 100% cotton. These are the ones that absorb well and turn very soft with a few washings.

One-sided bandannas tend to be made from a cotton/synthetic blend. They do not absorb as well, nor do they get soft with washing, even many washings.

Both take the permethrin treatment, though personally, it's not something I'd do to a bandanna!

Are they the full cotton blend no one sided ?

Just going from my experience – and my wife's, who loves bandannas! She could open a store!

All the really nifty one-sided print bandannas I've come across are made from cotton/poly blend. Something to do with the printing process, I think.

The old fashioned bandannas, one color with white and black paisleys and what not, have mostly been 100% cotton.

Just determine what you want – pretty printing or full function!

I just double-checked the Walmart bandana… It is printed on just one side, but it's 100% cotton.

Just be sure to check!

All the ones I've checked were poly/cotton, including some very nice National Park topo printed bandannas! Also the one with chili peppers my wife got me. And the……..

cool thanks . I would hope it would soften up with time compared to my hobby lobby one.

I also been debating about using a Buff. I don't know much about them.

Buffs are awesome. My favorite use for them is to pull down over my eyes and nose while sleeping when nights are a little cooler (i.e., summer) but not cold enough for a full balaclava. Also like to dip in a cold stream and wear it. Basically it does everything a bandana can do but due to the tube design it functions well as a lightweight balaclava.

Hi Matt,

http://www.wowthemink.com/bandanas.html

27" x 27" for $2.50 each and they fit my size 7 and 3/4 head with no trouble.;-)

20 different colors to choose from.

In the winter I use a 100% Merino wool, extra long, Buff. It's great!

Party On,

Newton

I find that permethrin doesn't repel bugs the way Deet can. It does kill them, but takes a few minutes after exposure. So flying bugs will still bite before they die.

Treating a bandanna with permethrin is not that effective. Treating other clothing items like socks s, shirt, pants, … IS very good for tick/Lyme prevention.

>>. 27" x 27" for $2.50 each and they fit my size 7 and 3/4 head with no trouble.;-)

Thanks for the link! The Walmart bandana is 22" (shrunk to 21", but stretches to 23"). It fits my head, but I'd like to have the slightly larger one for the non-kitchen bandana, even with the 50% weight penalty.

>> In the winter I use a 100% Merino wool, extra long, Buff. It's great!

So what is a buff? Where can you get them? This is another one of those things I can't Google from work.

Edited for spelling.

Ken,

All you ever needed to know about a Buff.

http://www.buffwear.com/pages/technical/faqs.php#question_10

I've seen them in the store at Academy Sports, online at http://www.planetbuff.com, http://www.buffwear.com and http://www.amazon.com/Buff-AC-BUFFHEADWEAR-Original-Headwear/dp/B0012017HW.

Party On,

Newton

I noticed long bandanas in a few of the survival shows. They extended down onto the neck and were exactly what I had been looking for. I couldn't find anything like that locally.

In an internet search, finally came upon BilliBandana which has a variety of bandanas, including the three-point, oversized ones I was looking for.

http://www.billibandana.com/

+1 on Buffs. Get the one with the brim (not Evo 2) and you have yourself a bandana/ hat/ balaclava/ pot-picker-upper, etc.

Stargazer

The BilliBandana reminds me of Hulk Hogan.

I ordered a NosiLife Scarf from Craghoppers a couple of days ago. I had never seen something like that in nylon and was intrigued. http://www.us.craghoppers.com/buy/nosilife-scarf-135852