Doing it in the Buff
I think you’ll agree with me that it’s better in the buff? So, with that in mind this article is all about doing it in the buff! What’s more, just for your entertainment you I shall illustrate it with plenty of photos of me (a grey, slightly overweight, middle-aged man) in the buff as well. I bet you can’t wait!!
Don’t get too excited though, it’s not what you might think, (this is a family friendly blog after all). No, it’s all about the humble tube of material known as a buff and the multitude of uses it has.
What is a Buff
A Buff is actually a brand-name for a thin tube of material used mainly as headwear or as a scarf. Some people call then ‘snoods’. They come in many different materials and a wide variety of colors and distinctive designs. They have more uses than you might imagine and being very lightweight, small to pack and versatile makes them a must have for those of us hiking, biking and doing anything else in the great outdoors.
Versatile Headwear
A Buff (or snood by other manufacturers) is usually sold and used as a versatile piece of headwear. It can be worn as a basic scarf, a bandana, a hat a balaclava and such like. When you buy one it usually comes with an instruction card showing you variety ways to tie it so that it can be used in different ways.
Buff even have a little video to show it’s main uses.
Most of these are variations on a theme but I do find them useful from time to time so always carry at least one with me. They do have may other uses too.
Cold and in the Buff
When it’s cold, the humble buff can be used in its normal fashion as a scarf, hat or balaclava. I usually use it to cover my neck, mouth and nose when out running but then generally pull it down onto my chin once I warm up a little
Most are made from a thin material and don’t have huge insulating or windproof qualities so doubling up is always an option. However, just having a single one around your neck makes a huge difference to how warm you feel, especially in the wind. That said, I also have one with a lovely fleece section that is particularly warm and cosy.
If anything this fluffy buff is far too hot for anything but a gentle stroll in sub-zero conditions.
Buffs are easy to carry, easy to don and easy to adjust so can be worn however you prefer to keep you comfortable.
You can even create make shift mittens from a buff. They help keep your hands warm but it’s also easy to pop your fingers out when you need to do something fiddly in the buff!
Hot and in the Buff
Buff’s can be used when it’s hot too. I often wear one around my wrist when running in the heat so that I can use it to wipe sweat from my head, neck and face. Sometimes I’ll wear it as a headband to stop sweat dripping into my eyes. It’ll obviously need a wash after such use but they just go in the washing machine and tumble drier on a normal cycle so there’s no issues there. Sometimes I’ll wear one as a bit of a sun shield to to stop me getting burnt.
Wet and in the Buff
The buff itself isn’t waterproof but I do find that wearing one as a scarf under my waterproof jacket does help keep me a little more comfortable and a little drier. It stops water dripping down your neck and also makes the collar feel a little more comfortable where it my rub on your face or neck.
Windy and in the Buff
If it’s really windy a buff can help insulate your head to a certain extent, but I also found another use for it the other day. It was blowing a gale, chilly and pouring with rain so I had my full waterproofs on whilst walking up the hill with the wind on my back. Once I turned around to head back down I was heading directly into a headwind. The wind entered my hood around my face and tugged at it trying to pull it down. The hood on my jacket is quite large as it will accommodate a climbing helmet, and I do have a particularly small head which doesn’t help, so no adjusting of the hood would keep it up in the face of the ferocious wind. My only option was to hold the hood tight around the collar and keep my head down. Not ideal and not something you’d want to do for prolonged periods of time. A nice secure velcro adjuster on the collar would help here but my jacket doesn’t have one so it was time to bring the buff to the rescue.
I simply put a buff on as a scarf over the top of my hood and pulled it up over my chin a little. This not only held the collar a little more tightly (as an adjustable collar would), but it also stopped wind getting in around my face as well so the hood remained securely in place despite the wind.
Dust
If you find yourself in a dusty environment then a buff can be used as a facemask. It’s not going to protect you from hazardous particles but it can be a help now and then in sand or dust storms.
First Aid
The first aid uses possible with a buff are almost endless. It could be used as a dressing or a bandage, it can be used to hold splints in place, as a sling and even as a tourniquet. Not that tourniquets are often a preferred first aid technique these days, but if needs must then the humble buff could be the answer. I guess there’s no reason why it couldn’t be used as an eye patch either.
Mud and Muck in the Buff
The great outdoors is a messy place. Muddy hands, dirty faces, blood, sweat and tears are all part of the experience. You will need to clean things up from time to time though and the buff can help here. It can become a flannel, a towel or just a place to wipe greasy fingers.
I’m sure there are plenty of others uses too. They can be handy as temporary ties and fixers around camp, you can wear one as an eye-mask for sleeping, you can mop up spills with them and dress up as a pirate. Their uses are endless so having one or two handy is always a good idea.
The fact that they only weigh a few grams, they squish into pockets and rucksacks with ease and don’t cost much means that there is no excuse for not having a few spares. You can even give them to people in times of need. You’ll be doing a good deed and making friends and influencing people all at the same time. The non-branded ones are obviously a lot cheaper than the original Buff branded ones but they all do pretty much the same job. The designs and colours available allow you to express yourself in the buff too. So, what are you waiting for, buy some, pop them in your rucksack and join me in the buff in the great outdoors.
