26 Survival Uses for Bandanas
Twenty six ways to use a dollar's worth of cloth. Tourniquet, water pre-filter, sling, signal flag, trail marker, sweatband. Toss a few in every bag and vehicle you own.
Bandanas are an amazing survival tool with literally hundreds of uses. They are perfect for stockpiling and for packing in all of your bug out bags. Any prepper knows that these little gems are worth their weight in almost any kind of survival situations. We’ve compiled a list of 26 excellent uses for these multi-purpose powerhouses — though there are many more uses we couldn’t even begin to name them all here! For a deeper dive, see aluminum foil, the other duct tape.
Share the list with your friends – and never underestimate the power of the bandana! Related reading: top survival hacks.
First aid and medical
1. Tourniquet – To stop bleeding, a bandana can be tied around a limb as a tourniquet.
2. First Aid Sling – A few bandanas tied together can make an excellent temporary sling for first aid purposes.
3. Bandage – To keep a cut or abrasion clean, wrap a bandana around it.
4. Add Snow to Make Ice Pack – If you’re in snowy conditions, or you have access to cold water, a bandana can be used as a cold compress for injuries or to relieve heatstroke.
Hygiene and cleanliness
5. Wash Cloth – Bandanas are great for cleaning your hands, face and body, both in hygienic and first aid situations. We've also covered survival gear.
6. Napkin – A bandana makes an excellent napkin in a pinch.
7. Toilet Paper – No explanation necessary.
8. Handkerchief – You’ve got to blow your nose right?
9. Dishrag – You can’t afford to be sick when in a survival situation. Avoid food-related illnesses by keeping your supplies clean with a dishrag bandana.
Signaling and navigation
10. Signal – They can be waived to flag down help or disclose your location.
11. Trail Marker – If you need to leave a signal on a trail, bandanas are excellent ways to mark where you’ve been to keep you or others you are with from getting lost in unfamiliar territory.
Cooking and food prep
12. Pot Holder – When cooking in survival situations, a pot holder could save you from a poorly timed injury.
13. Food Collector – When foraging a bandana is a great tool for collecting.
14. Hobo Pack – A bandana can make a rudimentary bag to carry your supplies safely in.
15. Strainer – To wash food you’ve found, or as a pre-filter for water, a bandana works well as a makeshift strainer.
Clothing and weather protection
16. Sweatband – Tied around your head, it can help absorb sweat to keep you dry.
17. Wet Before Wearing to Keep Cool – In dry, hot conditions, wet your bandana and wear around your neck to keep your body temperature cool.
18. Neck Warmer – In cold weather, tie one around your neck to keep yourself from losing critical body heat.
19. Ear Muffs – Keep your ears toasty in wet and cold situations.
20. Sunblocker for Head – In almost all conditions– hot or frigid, the sun and sunburns are a real survival concern. Protect your head and other sensitive areas with tied bandanas.
21. Dust Mask – Especially in urban survival situations, you may not be able to trust the air you have to breathe. A bandana can double as a dust mask if you are concerned about air quality.
Self-defense and tools
22. Gun Cleaning Cloth – A great tool for keeping your defense tools clean and working properly. Check out duct tape and other survival tools you already own.
23. Sling Weapon – A well placed rock in one end of your bandana can easily be slung at a potential enemy.
24. Strip to Make Cord – If you need rope you can strip bandanas down and braid them to make a stronger cord.
25. Bind Together Items – If there is a broken bone, or if you need to produce a makeshift shelter, you may need a way to bind items together. A bandana is an effective tool for these uses.
26. Plug or Patch a Leak – Whether balled up and stuffed in a hole, or sewn as a patch for a tent or piece of clothing, a bandana can come in handy in a variety of situations.
Printed survival bandanas
Especially for the kids, I love the bandanas that have useful survival information printed on them, like topographical maps, star charts, or pictures of wild plants for foraging. Check out this great selection of useful, and informative bandanas that are available too. Think of the bartering power of a bandana with an area wilderness map on it!
Have we convinced you yet? Better add some more bandanas to your stockpile and bug out bags today!
