Tactical shemagh has its origin in Middle East where it is known as a Ghutrah or Keffiyeh. This head wrap has spread all over the world as a useful gear for any outdoor activities. People love it because it takes no room and can serve as a piece of clothing with multiple uses around the year.
The right kind of tactical shemagh acts as a gear cover in cold windy weather and a cooling and sweat rag in burning heat. It is a life saver in desert areas where dust and sand creeps in from everywhere and the wrap allows you to use it as a face mask or balaclava in such extreme weather.
Campers and backpackers have some creative use of it as a bag, pillow, emergency sling, bandage, towel and even water filter. This gives you an idea of how much baggage you can reduce by carrying this one tiny piece of clothing. This post will be a review of the 5 best tactical and survival shemagh.
COMPARISON TABLE FOR TOP 5 TACTICAL SHEMAGH
Look through the 5 attributes below and use this buying guide to purchase this fashion accessory and you can thank me later when you see how useful it is.
- Fabric is rated from very low to very high
- Design is rated from poor to excellent
- Size is rated from small to large
- Colour Quality is rated from poor to excellent
- Thickness is rated from very low to very high
| Name of Products | Fabric | Design | Size | Colour Quality | Thickness | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tapp Collection | High | Very good | Large | Very good | High | $ |
| Mato & Hash | High | Very good | Medium | Excellent | HIgh | $$$ |
| Military Shemagh | Very High | Excellent | Large | Moderate | Very High | $ |
| ROTHCO Men’s Shemagh | High | Excellent | Large | Excellent | Very High | $ |
| Maddog Sports Shemagh | Very High | Excellent | Medium | Excellent | Very High | $$$ |
Fabric
You must check whether your shemagh is made of 100% cotton as this will provide you with maximum comfort. However, full cotton fabric have a tendency to shrink in heat so, you can also buy a blend of cotton and poly or synthetic if you don’t mind wearing something other than natural fabric.
Design
Look carefully whether the threads in your fabric are stitched tightly with the loose ends closely tied off. This is to make sure that the shemagh won’t wear off easily if tugged or regularly used. A quality designed shemagh will have soft quilt spots to provide insulation and moisture absorbent quality.
Size
This may not be an issue if you are petite in size but many of you may find it difficult to wrap a tactical shemagh properly if it is too short and you have a broad shoulder or a big head. Each brand of shemagh comes with one standard size so, ensure that the size will adequately fit your measurements.
Colour Quality
The one risk that almost all shemagh bears is that it bleeds out colour in its first wash. The shemaghs are normally packed straight after it is manufactured without being washed, which leads the colour to bleed. It is normal as long as the shemagh does not lose its original shade of colour after getting rid of the excess colour. That is why; you should look for a good brand before you opt to purchase to secure a good quality product.
Thickness
A thick shemagh is more preferable in cold weather as the shemagh will wear off with time and it can be converted into a single purpose mask which is easily breathable. It also keeps you much warmer in cold weather and makes a good net for dust and water filter. A thicker shemaghs’ durability is much higher than the lighter ones. However, a light one is easy to carry and sufficient if you don’t venture in extremely cold weather.
Tapp Collection Premium Shemagh Review
The Tapp collection owns a versatile range of sophisticated shemaghs that comes in various colours and patterns with long colourful tassels. The fabric is a blend of cotton and wool which is soft to touch and gives excellent protection under tough weather.
You can use it round the year in heavy sandstorms and wind to keep the dust from intruding your eyes, nose and ears and also make it a shield in hot weather to keep your head cooler. One of its most attractive traits is that you can practically breathe through the light weight fabric without gagging in it and it simply absorbs sweats in a matter of minutes making it ideal for rough use.
It comes in a standard size of 42” x 42” easily covering your face, neck and ears only if you know how to tie it. You can Google your way through some YouTube videos to get some ideas on how to wrap your Tapp shemagh stylishly. You have to take good care of it as it is translucent and the colours are not as vibrant as it seems in the website. However, it is a certainly desirable wrapper with an extremely affordable price.
Price: $
Suitable For:
- Budget keepers
- Prefers blend of fabric
- Can use in all types of weather
Mato & Hash Military Shemagh Review
This brand screams resilient loud and clear and has grown to be a fashion statement. It is very popular among soldiers along with general people. The scarf is stitch patterned featuring charming tassels in the rim. It is available in 16 different colours such as black, gold, olive drab, desert sand, pink and black to name a few.
Though it demands to be 100% cotton, the fabric is partially synthetic allowing it to be breathable and perfect to dry off your sweats in hot scorching weather. If you like trekking in jungles and mountains, tie it around your head to keep the dust and bugs out of your face. You will love the soft feel of it on your skin in cold and windy weather.
You can fit it comfortably in your cargo pants and travel around using it as neck warmer or even just a hand towel. However, bring along extra woolen protection if you intend to tread in acutely cold weather. You will get a complementary hand book with this exclusive wrapper to give you some ideas on how many other ways you can make use of your shemagh.
Make most of your wrapper and here is a friendly tip for you. When you get your hands on this wrapper, make sure to hand wash it in cold water a few times and line dry to let the extra colour bleed out and prevent the wrap from shrinking. Treat it with care to avoid long threads sticking out ruining your treasured wrapper. It is a keeper and absolute value for money.
Price: $$$
Suitable For:
- Desires quality products at good price
- Prefers blend of fabric
- Use mostly for hot and windy weather
Military Shemagh Arab Tactical Desert Keffiyeh Scarf Review
This Pakistani made shemagh is made of 100% heavy cotton, which is tightly stitched with the knots tied closely together near the edge. The fabric has beautiful Arabian patterns woven in it with fashionable tassels bordering the scarf.
Hunters and adventurers will love to have one of this in possession as it has a universal size of 43” x 41” perfectly fitting your head and neck. Moreover, it comes in 45 astonishing colours and styles giving you a huge choice of collection.
The wrap can easily dry the sweat off your neck with its moisture absorbent cooling properties during outdoor activities in hot weather. So, wrap it around your head or use it as a hand towel while camping in the wilderness. Since, the fabric is relatively thick; you can even tie it up as a face mask or neck warmer to withstand the unforgiving cold winds and snow in harsh winter season.
You must have a good look before purchasing the item as the colour shade may not be exactly like it is shown in display. It is recommended to wash it properly before use to get rid of any smell and excess colour and prevent the material from shrinking. It will be softer and thinner with each wash just like a baby blanket.
Almost anyone can afford a couple of these fashionable shemaghs without breaking any sweat so; it will be a real loss to miss out on one of these trendy accessories.
Price: $
Suitable For:
- For budget keepers
- Prefers wide range of colours
- Not too adamant on colour shades
- Desires thick wrap for all purpose use in all climate
ROTHCO Men’s Shemagh Tactical Desert Scarf Review
The Rothco brand is earning praises globally for its multi-purpose attributes that comes in deluxe pattern and 12 vibrant colours like olive drab, foliage green, desert tan, and coyote brown.
The material is tightly woven in either 100% cotton or a blend of poly-cotton with light quilt in spots enabling it to absorb sweat rapidly and save you from being dehydrated. Though the full cotton fabric has a chance of shrinking in hot weather, it is preferred by travellers rather than the later since the blended fabric have loose weaves which can snag very easily.
The shemagh comes in one standard size of 42” x 42” giving you the full freedom to tie it as a head wear to relieve you from the heat and sand and keep the bugs out. Likewise, you can use it as balaclava as it provides excellent insulation in brutally cold and windy weather.
It can convert into a single-purpose breathable mask that blocks your face perfectly and gives you a clear view preventing the glasses from fogging making it a favourite survival gear for hunters and sport enthusiasts along with the hunting gloves and binoculars (check out rangefinder binoculars here). Rothco is often used by backpackers as a sling for dislocated arms or shoulders or even just a simple piece of bandanna.
You must hand wash it in lukewarm water with gentle detergent and line dry before use to lose the crispness and turn it soft and comfortable. It remains in perfect condition for years even if you repeatedly wash it for regular use. These versatile features of Rothco make it a swift seller among consumers and get glowing reviews worldwide.
Price: $
Suitable For:
- For budget keepers
- Prefers 100% cotton or cotton-poly blend
- Desires good quality wrap for all purpose use
Maddog Sports Shemagh Tactical Desert Scarf Review
Maddog is the new brand which has broken into the market successfully. The shemaghs are designed with people’s choice in consideration, which is shown in their effort of reducing the size of their company emblem and also subduing the colour to blend with the scarf pattern.
It is composed of 100% heavy cotton making it a suitable wear for sports activities like paintball. However, you may find it slightly smaller than the traditional shemaghs so feel free to access YouTube videos to learn a trick or two to properly tie it around your head, face and neck.
Sportsmen like to keep it in their collection of scenario gear and soldiers have high demand for it to get protection from dust and heat of the battle ground. You can use it in hot weather to keep the heat off and your head from burning up and even use it in cold weather with mild wind.
There are so many other uses of it that you can take advantage such as emergency sling, bathing towel and net for filtering water. But make sure to wash it in cold water and tumble dry it to drain out the excess colour and clip off any loose ends to keep the weave tight.
Now, that you know all of its attributes, you have realized that this is a tactical shemagh in true sense for every season. You can get hold of its wide range of collection in amazon at the best prices.
Price: $$$
Suitable For:
- For value for price buyers
- Prefers 100% cotton material
- Desires good quality wrap for rough use
Conclusion
The exotic designs and colour patterns of the shemaghs with its versatile creative uses make it a desirable item in all sense. Any survivalist, hunters and adventurers will crave to buy a couple of tactical shemaghs for its handy use. This buying guide must have given you a concrete idea of what to look for when buying your shemagh and which brand is your most favourite one. Do not hesitate to leave comments if you like to have more insights on these cool accessories.