Is there another piece of travel/backpacking gear more versatile than a bandana?
I bet we could come up with close to a hundred and one uses for a bandana.
I’ll kick off the first five:
1. Coffee filter
2. Glasses cleaner
3. Pot holder
4. Use to put pressure on wound
5. Emergency repair for broken strap on pack
eric murtaugh 
look like rambo is a good one
Or a ninja.
ninja turtles! haha last year i tried to learn to rock sling like david from david and goliath. It didnt work out to well figuring out how to release the rock was hard. maybe this year ill master it.
I used to do that when I was a young’un. Let’s just say I got in trouble. A lot. Maybe it had something to do with my lack of training.
Wipe off the sweat of your forehead.
Excellent!
Sling
Pouch
Strap to tie things to backpack
Dust filter
Identifier (If it’s a unique color/pattern)
Nice! Dust filter over your face, I assume?
Yeah, face, of course. I mean, what else could it be for…
Dumb question on my behalf. Next.
Hold up a second, I have one! Suppose you’re drinking beer in a dust storm. Place the bandana over the bottle top, and bam, beer bottle dust filter.
Loin cloth
Love me a good bandana loin cloth, especially out in the jungle! Do you suppose it’s possible to make a two-piece bandana bikini?
I’m sure I can fashion one, can’t promise how awesome it will look
Bandana clothes and swimwear are very awesome.
Hankerchief
Flag
Something to get the grease off you hands if your chain came off (don’t use as a hankerchief after)
Alright! A flag for rescue purposes, or a flag for the heck of it? Good call on not using the bandana as a handkerchief after degreasing your hands!
If it was a bright yellow bandana it would be good for rescue I think, or any other bright colour. i would also use it as a flag for the heck of it though, to brighten up the backpack I think.
did anyone say snot rag?
blindfold? (good for extra fun at night during ahem… nevermind that one…
pack your lunch – put it on a stick
amusement – capture the flag.. if you have a few people..by yourself if could be a little dull… or with the BEARS yeah!
soak in water put under your hat if its HOT…
sling –
tourniquet
sorry got to thinking about the bear…
Bear leash?
good one – have to be an oversized one or a bunch tied together tho don’t you think? I mean you don;t really want a bear to heel…do you?
You didn’t know I can get a bear to roll over? It’s a pretty cool trick!
Whoa! you can? nu UH!! that I would love to see 🙂
And shake. They’re just like dogs. 🙂
Oh, this ain’t gonna end well…
Shake like a dog – you are pulling my leg- I know it!!!! really? do you have to give them a treat or something…like a freshly killed chicken …or .. that would attract a lot of other bears wouldn’t it and how do you know they all shake? Cause I think there is at least one that would eat you…. just take your hand all happy like he;s gonna get some chicken and bite your head off…..that wouldn;t be cool. I;d be upset. I think you need to do a blog will like Hobbler and I did… i mean like a danger word… ya know? in case you are blogging while a bear bites your head off?? we could help
No, I just tell them “hello bear, nice to meet you,” and they shake. If more bears decide to show up, I say “hello bears, nice to meet you all” and then we all exchange a hearty round of handshakes. Bears wouldn’t eat me. I’m sour.
Danger word, eh?
yes.. a code word so if you are kidnapped by aliens or others butt heads…you can signal us that you are in need of assistance… and we aren;t allowing any dying or tragic accidents… I just don;t think enough are taking this seriously enough…You and EL Guapo for sure should have your code words – doing crazy silly stuff.. it;s a very….hey!! You could wave your bandana!! in a predetermined pattern.. I know someone else said rescue flag – so Im gonna call it…DANGER FLAG and …how many do we have now?
I still think the bear thing sounds a little fishy…um bears do like fish so maybe that;s how you do it. I never met a bear that didn’t want to eat me….and …with that I think I will be going cause… it didnt sound right..
( I want to see pictures… bears and you shaking hands!) 🙂
Lizzie, I can always count on you to think outside the box. Or in this case, outside a bedroom, in a tent, in the middle of nowhere, blindfolded. Ha!
I’d go hobo style with the lunch. What’s that called? A bindle?
Had to chuckle at the thought of playing capture the flag solo. “Come and get it, bears!” The ol’ soak a bandana in water to cool off trick is a good one! I like putting a cold bandana around my neck.
it IS a bindle – right you are!
I am thinking color would make a difference on the uses too…. Like red – attracts hummingbirds and butterflies….in fact the hummingbirds have been known to divebomb red…THAT could be fun combined with the bandana soaked in water around the neck and/or head don;t you think? Course you would have to watch out for…bulls… but that;s pretty unlikely
oh and it;s SPring!! I am no longer responsible for anything I might say that may be taken as …um ya know SPringy… and naughty… blindfolded! Not til June anyways
Quite the genius Eric. Hey, I am going to do the MS walk. I was wondering if you wanted to join my team as a virtual walker. Here is a link with more info: http://wp.me/p1Cvgh-Nh
Cool! I’m headed over there right now to check it out!
Thanks Eric…I just had someone from New Zealand sign up last night. We have like, 12 different states on my team. I’m loving it, and just so you know, I am still really thinking about that skydiving place you mentioned. My 14 year old wants to vacation in CA anyway, so she would be all over that idea.
Great! I hope you guys can make it out. Your 14 year old has good taste in vacations!
Yes…good and expensive taste. She has always been fascinated by CA. Her dad took her out there a few years ago, but the road trip might be fun too.
Kraft Dinner strainer
Ice pack
Insulation while making yuccaflux
Check, check, and yuccaflux? Fruit soaked in liquor, correct? Do tell.
I never hit the trails without one!
Good call Slimms! Hey, are you an AZ hiker? I just had a look at your Gravatar photo. That’s not Camelback off in the distance, is it? Kind of hard to tell from that angle.
I am in AZ, I was on Camelback when I took that 🙂
Ah, I was close! I knew it looked like Phoenix. Do you know what the name of that mountain in the background is, then? No worries if you don’t. Just curious.
Man, I miss hiking in Arizona. Hiked the Grand Canyon a ton (rim-to-rim was awesome), hiked Flag a lot when I went to NAU, and even hiked in and around Phoenix quite a lot, too!
I am not even sure if it has a “name”, It is more of an overgrown hill LOL
I pasted a link that should take you to it. Just to the north west of there (not in view) is pistawa peak, or squaw peak before they renamed it. Maybe that is what you were thinking?
http://maps.google.com/maps?q=camelback+mountain+az&hl=en&ll=33.54025,-111.951585&spn=0.028222,0.065274&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=54.269804,133.681641&hq=camelback+mountain&hnear=Arizona&t=h&z=15
who is in AZ??? Like THE AZ??? I am in AZ…is he single? just saying…what?
I’ll let Slimms answer that one. 🙂
Something to sit on (rather than dirt, gum, etc.), a napkin, an ascot/tie, restraints.. I really liked the strainer idea!
Cool ideas!
Lots of great suggestions here….I’m especially fond of some of Lizzie’s! 😉
Will you be compiling these Eric?
Good idea!
It takes two of them to make a proper (and comfortable!) loincloth. I have used this trick many times when the laundry need to be done. On the other end you can make a headcovering pirate style or aunt Jemima style. If you wet it and wear it as a neckercheif it will cool you down. I have used a wet one under a cowboy hat to cool me off and keep my neck from getting burned. A head band to keep sweat out of your eyes. I have also used one around my wrist to help with tendinitis (as learned from Randy Rhodes). Can use one to dry hands after a public restroom when those airdryer types don’t work. I never leave home without one.