Fashion in the Bush?: What to Take as Your Cotton Option

Last week we finished up talking about cargo tape which was our ninth installment of our 10 C's arc. This week we will be talking about the last of the 10 C's of survivability; the last C that David Canterbury has come up with. Today we will be talking about cotton. What I have with me today is just a typical cotton bandanna. You can get a pack of two at Walmart for one dollar making them fifty cents a piece. My older viewers will know that I used to wear a bandanna everywhere I went, however, after some testing, researching, and viewing some very informative videos I have learned that these little things are not as useful as I perceived them to be and they actually have a lot of problems. But we'll get into that another time. Just because bandannas aren't the best, doesn't mean they are the worst. They are easy to find, purchase, and maintain. I typically will fold my bandanna diagonally, drape it around my neck, tie it off, and turn it so the triangular portion is in front of me. It keeps my neck warmer in cold weather and keeps the sun off to prevent sunburn. They come in a variety of colors so I can easily match it to my attire.

The next cotton item I have I was very fortunate to find at Walmart. I have a 3 ft by 3 ft square
section of bandanna fabric that I purchased for $2.50.  This is actually the size that Dave Canterbury recommends you carry. Now it's not an exactly perfect square, but that isn't something that I can't quickly hem up later. Now if I try to wear it the same way I wear my other bandanna, it's way too long, however I can fold it over and wear it like a scarf. It's a little bulky and uncomfortable, but I could dress it up and add a handkerchief holder to it. And there I have my 3 ft by 3 ft square section of cotton that I can wear around my neck and have on hand any time I need it in the bush. And bonus, I look like I have a fancy bushcraft neck tie.

So if the smaller option isn't your taste and the larger option isn't in your taste, I may have a good in between for you. What I have here is a flour sack towel. They are $5 for a pack of 5 at Walmart. Even if you don't take them out side they are still great to use around the house. So these towels are 28" by 29", almost a perfect square and not nearly as large as the 3 ft by 3 ft section of bandanna. When I fold it over and wrap around my neck it is immediately more comfortable and lighter. Where the bandanna fabric is not 100% cotton and there is some polyester in it, the fabric is slick. These towels are not slick at all. I don't like that it is white because I think the appeal of wearing it into the woods is lessened, but I can store it in my pack or fold it up like a handkerchief and keep it in my pocket until I need it. This is definitely my favorite option so far.

I hope you enjoyed the blog this week. Cotton has so many uses around the camp and that is what we'll be talking about next week and you know you won't want to miss it! As always feel free to comment by clicking the comment link at the end of the blog, hit the follow button in the top right corner, share this blog, and check back next week for a new one on Sunday 10pm (est). If you want to keep up with me and what I’m doing, Follow me on Facebook: @BPackBushcraft and on Twitter @BPackBushCraft. Lastly if video is more your style check out my YouTube Channel backpack bushcraft where there is a video version of this with the same title. Until next time, keep those fires burning and put another log on for me.