Best Survival Bandanas | Tested & Reviewed
There are plenty of clutch survival tools, but one often is underappreciated: the humble bandana. A bandana is the most lightweight survival tool you can get for any survival kit. A survival bandana goes even further, adding more versatility so you can be better prepared for an emergency. They stand out by adding the ability to signal, inform, and even have updated designs for first aid use.
Most bandanas we are all familiar with are cheap, thin cotton ones with bright-colored paisley designs. These bandanas are popular accessories for everyone from cowboys to gang members, and all of the hipsters in between. They are dirt cheap and can get the job done in an emergency, but there are higher-quality survival-oriented bandanas out there to pick from.
This is where we come in. We’ve researched all of the survival bandanas, put them through their paces, and selected the overall best, budget pick, and a high-quality upgrade option. If you need a bandana for your survival kit, one of our selections will be the perfect fit.
Contents (Jump to a Section)
In this latest update of the best survival bandanas, more pictures and testing data have been added. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Disclosure»
Best Survival Bandana
Colter Co. Stayin’ Alive
Hi-Vis, Durable, and Versatile
This informative bandana is high-vis orange with reflective printing, ideal for your survival kit.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
The reflective high-vis orange bandana is 22″ by 22″, is 100% cotton, and is made in the USA. The reflective ink stayed put and did not wash off or deteriorate after several washes and our field testing.
Specifications
- Printed Info: Wilderness survival
- Size: 22″ x 22″
- Material: Cotton
- Manufactured: United States
The information on the bandana is packed on there with small print and organized very closely to the survival rule of threes. While the information is great, this is the most visible bandana available, which really helps push it to the top.
The reflective ink makes the Colter Co. Stayin’ Alive Bandana the best of the bunch for survival.
Budget Bandana
UST Survival Bandana
Good Value, Informational, with Hi-Visibility
A high-vis, functional survival bandana for half the price still gets the job done, making it a great option for bug out bags and survival kits.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Ultimate Survival Technologies (UST) is known for making budget-friendly survival gear for the masses. This bandana fits that description well, solidly getting the job done without any extra cost.
Specifications
- Printed Info: Wilderness survival
- Size: 22″ x 22″
- Material: Cotton
- Manufactured: China
The printing did wear off a little after some use in our field testing and after several machine washes. Still, the printed information is comprehensive and makes this bandana a solid choice if you are going to stow it in a bug out bag or survival kit. It may not withstand everyday use, but the UST Survival Bandana will get you through an emergency or two.
Best First Aid Bandana
Colter Co. First Aid
Simple, Informational, and Quality-Made
The red and white print stands out for easy identification with its easy-to-follow first aid instructions.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
While first aid is the type of skill you’re better off having practice with, this bandana can walk you through common issues with easy-to-follow steps.
Specifications
- Printed Info: Wilderness first aid
- Size: 22″ x 22″
- Material: Cotton
- Manufactured: United States
It has minimal graphics on it, with only a few illustrations to show some positioning. The print is machine washable and has no issues with rubbing off or fading in our tests.
For easily followable wilderness first aid instructions, get a Colter Co. First Aid Bandana.
Best Foraging Bandana
Wazoo Foraging
Smart, Essential, and Accurate
A lightweight foraging guide you can wear and keep with you.
*Price at time of publishing; check for price changes or sales.
Also available to buy at Amazon.
Foraging is tough, and if you get it wrong, you won’t survive. This bandana is the lightest way to keep foraging info on you, and it’s a smart addition to any survival kit.
Specifications
- Printed Info: Plant and fungi foraging
- Size: 22″ x 22″
- Material: Cotton
- Manufactured: United States
It lists the common plants and fungi of North America, with an easy-to-follow reference and illustrations. The bandana also has the printed info of Thayer’s 5 Steps of Identifying Edible Plants and the Rules and Ethics of Foraging by Mark “Merriwether” Vorderbruggen.
As a kicker, the bandana doesn’t look bad either, with its beautiful illustrations and aesthetic design.
If you are looking for the best foraging bandana, grab a Wazoo Foraging Bandana.
Comparison Table
| Survival Bandana | Recommendation | Price* | Information | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colter Co. Stayin’ Alive | Best Overall | $17 | Wilderness Survival | 22″ x 22″ |
| UST | Best for Budgets | $9 | Wilderness Survival | 22″ x 22″ |
| Colter Co. First Aid | Best for First Aid Info | $17 | Wilderness First Aid | 22″ x 22″ |
| Wazoo Foraging | Best for Foraging | $17 | Plant + Fungi Foraging | 22″ x 22″ |
The Bandanas We Compared
Our research narrowed the field down to several contenders that we tested: UST, Colter Co, Battlbox, Head for Survival, Rothco, Levi’s, and more. This helped us eliminate bandanas that just weren’t a good value. Finding the best value and a solid budget pick ended up being much more straightforward than our upgrade pick. There were plenty of options at lower price points, but most of them matched their low price with low quality. The few exceptions stood out quickly.
There were not very many quality survival bandanas to compare, which made our job easier. The Head for Survival, with its unique shape, stood out immediately and was a blast to test with its versatility. The reflective Colter Co bandana is an extremely effective signaling tool, with retroreflective ink that withstood abrasion and washing tests. These two stood out as the highest-quality options.
What to Look For
The best survival bandanas have several important features to look for:
- Value
- Material Quality
- Printed Info
- Size & Shape
- Versatility
Below, we break down what each of these means for a great bandana. When you get the right blend of these, you can find a solid bandana without breaking the bank.
Value: Cost vs. Benefit
In a world full of cheap bandanas, you usually get what you pay for. The thin paisley print bandanas we all know from cowboys – both rural and urban – cost a few dollars at most.
A heavier-weight fabric, more useful printing than paisley (shouldn’t be hard), and unique shapes can all justify the higher cost of a bandana, especially if you need it to hold up in an emergency situation.
Fabric Material
Most bandanas use a thin, lightweight cotton or polyester fabric. There are pros and cons to each material type, but the main quality difference will be found in the weight of the fabric. Higher quality bandanas will be thicker and will be soft after a few uses, rather than stiff and papery.
All of the bandanas we’ve suggested are heavier-weight than the dollar-store bandanas, even though some are made of cotton and one is made of polyester. This gives them a better feel, more absorbency, and makes them more durable.
Printed Info
One thing that sets survival bandanas apart from others is the survival information typically printed on them. There is a variety of useful subjects, and I’ve always found it best to have information on you where your survival skills are the weakest.
Some bandanas have the print wear off easily, which isn’t ideal.
Size & Shape
Most bandanas come in a 2′ square shape. This has been the ‘default’ size for bandanas for quite a while. This is the perfect size to be tied around the head as a covering, as a face mask, to tie up in a bag shape to secure small items, use as a napkin, and many other traditional bandana uses.
Our upgrade pick is an exception to this rule with a modified triangle shape that measures 39″ x 39″ x 52″. It is a larger surface area, but more importantly, the longer length allows the bandana to be tied and used in more applications- like a sling.
Versatility
A bandana’s versatility is based on the material type, material weight, bandana size and shape, and visibility. Survival bandanas are designed with versatility in mind, so they usually include survival information and are high-vis, setting them apart from traditional bandanas. This expands the number of uses for them, as we will cover below.
The Many Uses of a Survival Bandana
There are hundreds of uses for bandanas, but we’ll list out a few that are important for survival.
Here are some of my favorite uses for a bandana:
- Mask – After the coronavirus, most people know bandanas can be tied as a mask. It is less effective for viruses and is better for particles, like dust and pollen. You can wet a bandana to help it filter smoke slightly better.
- Signal – Bright-colored bandanas (or bandanas with reflective printing) can be used to signal for rescue help.
- Bag – Tie all four corners of a square bandana together to create a makeshift bag.
- First Aid – A bandana can be used as a tourniquet, first aid dressing, cold compress, eye patch, and sling.
- Hat – Use a bandana for sun protection on your neck, head covering, or just as a sweatband.
- Gun Care – Bullet patches and barrel cleaning patches require you to cut the bandana up, but they can be effective.
- Insulation – It won’t do much, but you can add a little warmth by stuffing clothing with bandanas.
- Tissue – One of the more common uses.
- Water Filter – A bandana can be a pre-filter for water, filtering out particulates quickly and easily.
- Trail Marking – You can mark trails with bandanas, either with the whole bandana or cut into strips.
- Fire – Cotton material bandanas can be used as tinder, or can be soaked in oil to create a torch.
- Toilet Paper – As its final service to you, you can wipe your rear end with a bandana.
The list goes on, and these are just the tip of the iceberg. In an emergency situation, if you have a survival bandana and a need, you’ll find a new use for it.
Here are SensiblePreppers’ 40 uses:
Who Needs a Survival Bandana?
Bandanas are so lightweight and cheap that they make sense for any prepared person to keep in a kit or even on their person. Everyone can benefit from such a versatile piece of cloth.
A survival bandana is an integral and essential part of these kits:
A survival bandana is a suggested addition to these kits:
No matter what threats could come your way, a bandana is a good thing to have on hand.
How We Review Products: We research thoroughly before selecting the best products to review. We have vast prepping and survival experience and bring in outside experts when needed. Hours on end are spent testing gear in stressful conditions and using specialized testing gear to verify claims. We assign performance criteria and impartially rate each tested item. Learn more about how we test.
Sources & References
An objective look at the best survival bandana is useless without sources and references. We leaned on these for the book knowledge that we paired with our practical military experience and prepping acumen.
Bishop, P., et al. (2014). Modeling heat stress and heat strain in protective clothing. Woodhead Publishing Series in Textiles. (Source).
Rykaczewski, K. (2019) Cool future fashion: Personal cooling as part of social adaptation to hotter climates. Temperature, 6:2, 97 – 100 (Source).
Poulos, M. (2018). El mundo es un pañuelo*: The Bandana as a Global Symbol of Resistance. Eleven: The Undergraduate Journal of Sociology, Berkeley. Vol 8. (Source).
Conclusion
A bandana may seem like a simple accessory, but they are surprisingly versatile. They are simple- just a square (or triangle) piece of cloth that can cover, tie, stuff, and absorb whatever you throw at it. We’ve all used one at some point in our lives, but they can be clutch in emergencies or in survival situations.
Besides bandanas, there are many other types of clothing that you should consider for survival:
- Best Hats for Prepping and Survival
- The Best Shemagh for Survival
- Everyday Carry List | 25 EDC Essentials
See more of our expert-written guides, resources, and reviews in your search results – add TruePrepper as a preferred source.
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