How to Make a Skivvy Roll | Pack Like a Pro
You may be familiar with this packing technique if you served in the armed forces. While the concept is attributed to the Marines, all branches use it. The skivvy roll technique is also called the “grunt roll” and is very similar to the “ranger roll”.
While the ranger roll is individual clothes, the skivvy roll combines the three most important clothing items for hygiene- undergarments, shirts, and socks. Having spares of these items is always a good idea, whether you just need a pair of dry socks or every piece of clothing for an emergency.
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This post has been updated from our original Skivvy Roll guide that was first published in 2016. We keep our content updated as the world around us changes and as we learn new skills and techniques.
How to Make a Skivvy Roll
Rolling a skivvy roll is quick, even without practice. While I learned a ranger roll in boot camp, I eventually switched to the skivvy roll to use in my go bag while I was in the military.
Like any clothing packing technique, you can learn it pretty quickly and be able to do it faster after only a few rolls. We’ll layer our clothes, roll them up, and secure them in 8 easy steps:
Gather shirt, undergarments, and socks
In the example, I’m using a 5.11 long-sleeve shirt, performance undies, and Fox River military socks. These are all top performers from our reviews and clothes that don’t wear out easily.
For the skivvy roll, you’ll need:
- Shirt – I’m using a top pick from our survival shirt review. You can go with long or short sleeves. Jackets and heavy-weight shirts will be too bulky to work.
- Undergarments – I’m using a budget pick from our survival underwear review. (Yes, we reviewed skivvies…)
- Pair of Socks – I’m using a variation of the tactical pick from our survival socks review. You can use any socks that are crew or longer (no ankle or no-show), but I like these for boots.
Lay the shirt flat
Spread a single shirt on a flat surface, like a table or floor. Pull the sleeves out so they don’t bunch up when you fold them over.
Place skivvies on top of the shirt
Place folded skivvies (undies, boxers, undergarments, etc) on top center of the shirt, towards the neck hole. Fold the sleeves down if you are using a long-sleeved shirt.
Fold the shirt over the undergarments
Grab an entire side of the shirt and fold it over the undergarments two-thirds of the width of the shirt. Fold any sleeves along with the shirt, pointing them down to the bottom hem of the shirt.
Completely cover the undergarments by grabbing the opposite side of the shirt and folding it over.
Place socks on top
Put the socks layered on top of the neck hole of the shirt. Make sure the openings of the socks are pointed away from the shirt. Point the toes down so they don’t stick out the top if your socks are angled.
Roll the shirt (with the socks inside) from the top down
Time to get rolling! Grab the shirt at the neck and roll it down to the waist, compressing as you go. Keeping the roll tight conserves space, makes the shirt less wrinkly when you unroll it, and stretches your socks out less.
Pull the sock ends over the shirt roll
One at a time, pull the ends of the socks inside out over the rolled shirt. If they are longer than the rolled shirt, double the sock back once you have pulled it tight.
The completed skivvy roll will have both socks inside-out and holding the shirt, undies, and socks together in a pill shape. If you’ve rolled it tight, it should be dense and solid.
Pack your skivvy roll
Throw your skivvy roll in your packs near the top. They are lightweight and form-fitting, so they are perfect for jamming into those corners of your backpacks where your rigid gear just doesn’t fit.
Because they are lightweight and less rigid, they make more sense at the top of your backpack, towards the external pockets, or on the sides. Stashing it against your back could make the pack feel lumpy or off balance.
Skivvy Roll Infographic
If you liked seeing the visual steps above, here is a condensed version you can print or share online as you see fit. You can easily save this infographic or share it with anyone who may be interested in making a skivvy roll themselves.
Skivvy Roll Video
While I’m a visual learner, following along is even better. That’s why we have a video that explains how to roll one, which is less than a minute long.
Give it a watch to see me roll a skivvy roll and explain the steps without any extra fluff:
Roll Benefits
Rolling clothes has all sorts of benefits, ranging from packing more efficiently to slowing consumption tendencies. Because a skivvy roll combines several pieces of clothing into one ‘package’, it helps with these specific areas:
- Conserving Space – The roll compresses the garments using the socks, letting the roll take up less space in and out of a backpack.
- Organization – Keep your critical garments that need to stay dry on your body grouped together.
- Speed – Time invested now to roll the clothes saves time in finding and removing the clothing from your bag later.
- Packability – The malleable pill-shaped roll fits in more areas than folded clothes or bagged clothes.
The last benefit is that it enhances your appreciation for those clothes, as explained by the KonMari method on consumption and well-being. By interacting with your clothes (and other survival gear!), you grow to understand and appreciate them better.
Roll Drawbacks
Just because you could roll everything doesn’t mean you should. Rolling the wrong type of clothes could damage them. One potential issue you need to look out for is stretching the elastic content in the cuff of your socks.
By overpacking a skivvy roll, you could permanently deform the socks, keeping them from staying up on your leg. Lower elastane (Spandex) content makes this more likely, as does using lower-quality socks in general. Heavier knits with 2%+ elastane content tend to provide better compression and less memory when they are stretched out for longer periods.
You can avoid this by rotating your skivvy rolls with different clothes. You’ll risk less deformation on the socks if you use different ones each time and unroll them regularly. Even though the skivvy roll is great for survival kits, you don’t want to forget about it for a long time without unrolling it occasionally.
The Final Word
Packing efficiently can save a headache later. A skivvy roll reduces the size of the clothes and balances the weight perfectly. A skivvy roll is a great addition to a bug out bag, get home bag, or everyday carry kit. It bundles the clothes together so you can grab and go if you need to. The roll also allows you to carry your clothing items compactly and separately from your pack.
Here are a few other good reads our subscribers have appreciated:
- The Best Survival Shirt Baselayer
- The Best Survival Socks for Preppers and Survivalists
- Get Home Bag List | 43 Essentials
Whether you are hiking, camping, or planning for emergencies, you can use a skivvy roll in your pack.
Keep exploring, stay prepared, and be safe.
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