Of all the various types of outdoor clothing, by far one of the most versatile is the tactical shemagh. Also known as a keffiyeh, hattah, ghutah or sometimes simply as an Arab scarf, the shemagh was originally developed by those living in the scorching Middle Eastern deserts -famous for their insanely hot temperatures and blowing sand during the day and cold, cold temperatures at night—where these scarves are still worn nowadays to shield the wearer from the sun and elements.
*Updated 2018
The best shemagh won't just help keep your face and head protected, they can also come in useful in a variety of other ways. In fact, although they originated in the Middle East, these scarves are frequently worn by military personnel around the world. Even the US military issues them to soldiers because they really are that handy.
As well, you can often see them on a variety of other types of people, especially on college campuses. However, that has more to do with fashion. Since this is a hunting site after all, we'll mainly focus on the more functional aspects of these scarves.
This article will explore the many uses of shemags, and what to look for when buying one. Let's begin by taking a look at the top shemaghs currently on the market.
Which Is the Best Shemagh?
In truth, there probably is no such thing as the best shemagh brand. As long as you pick one made from tightly woven cotton, you should be fine. There are those that will tell you that you should buy a traditional shemagh made in Palestine, but since this is a touchy subject, we'll leave this one entirely up to you. That being said, there are also a lot of cheaply made, inferior products out there. To help make sure you're getting the real thing, we'll now present our list of the top shemaghs.
Hirbawi Premium Arabic Scarf
OUR RATING: 5 STARS
Ok, so we said we wouldn't get into the issue, but the fact is this traditional Hirbawi shemagh made in Palestine simply is one of the best ones out there. Not only is it 100-percent cotton and woven in the traditional way to ensure quality, it also happens to be one of the biggest shemaghs on the market, measuring 47 inches x 47 inches or just over 15 square feet. As well, both the black and olive drab colors should blend in fairly well out in the field.
Explore Land 100 % Cotton Military Shemagh
OUR RATING: 5 STARS
At 41 inches x 41 inches, this shemagh is definitely smaller than the Hirbawi scarf. But it still should be big enough to wrap around both head and face. As long as you don't have a huge head this should be sufficient. The main reason it still scores so highly despite this smaller size has to do with the weave. The cotton threads are woven tightly enough to make this shemagh feel a bit heavier and better quality than most others. This slightly thicker fabric means its great at soaking up sweat. At the same time, it still remains very breathable to make sure you don't overheat.
Rothco Shemagh Tactical Desert Scarf
OUR RATING: 4.5 STARS
Another excellent product, this Rothco shemagh is available in a variety of hunter friendly colors suitable for any season, such as olive drab, tan, desert foliage or olive drab and white for those snowier occasions. At roughly 42 inches x 42 inches, this scarf is slightly bigger than the Explore Land shemagh. However, the reason it doesn't rank higher is that the weave on this one isn't quite as tight as the other two. This means the threads are easier to snag and it generally seems slightly flimsier. Nonetheless, it remains a popular scarf among hunters and it's obviously still a great product overall.
Mato & Hash Military Shemagh
OUR RATING: 4 STARS
Like the Rothco shemagh, this one comes in a range of suitable colors, even a special edition hunter's orange. Unfortunately, though, it is a bit smaller and thinner than the others. It measures roughly 39 inches x 39 inches or around 10 square feet. Otherwise it is made of quality cotton and generally seems to be quite high quality. It's a good choice if you don't need something quite as large.
What is a Shemagh?
Even if you're not familiar with the word, doubtless you have seen numerous images (not always good ones, mind you) of people wearing this iconic patterned headgear. Traditionally the scarves generally featured a black and white checkered pattern. Nowadays you can get them in whole range of different colors and patterns. Unfortunately, some people in the West do tend to associate these garments with terrorism, but the truth is they are worn by all types of people simply because of all the many uses and benefits they can provide.
Various Shemagh Uses
Shemaghs are generally quite large, square pieces of cloth, designed to be large enough so that they can be wrapped around the head, neck and face to keep you protected from the sun, wind and blowing sand. Still, while this may be the traditional way to wear a shemagh, you definitely don't have to be wandering around out in the desert to benefit from one.
Despite generally being made from fairly lightweight woven cotton that's breathable enough to stay cooler in hot temperatures, the shemagh can also be used to help keep your head or neck warm during those colder winter hunting trips as you'd be surprised by just how warm they can be when folded up. As well, many bald men use wrap them around their heads to help keep from being burned. When worn on the head, it also makes a great sweat band.
Another option is to soak cotton in water, wring it out and then wrap it around your neck anytime you want to cool off. Of course, considering its size and the strength of the fabric, you could also get creative and use it as a bag, pillow or towel. A Shemagh is also great to have around in an emergency, as it can double as an emergency sling or bandage should an injury occur out in the field.
What to Look for in a Shemagh?
The traditional shemagh is always made out of woven cotton. You can now find many products made out of a blend of cotton and polyester or some other synthetic fabric. The problem is that these synthetic fabrics simply aren't quite as good as cotton when it comes to both breathability and soaking up sweat or water—two of the key features that make a shemagh such a useful item. Simply put, cotton is hands down the best shemagh material, meaning 100-percent cotton is the best way to go.
Color is also a factor, as you'll obviously want to purchase something that either helps you blend in or at least ensures you won't stand out, such as one of the numerous tactical green military style shemaghs out there. If you do purchase one of these patterned scarves though, make sure you look for one where the pattern is actually woven into the fabric and not just printed on, as the woven ones are generally higher quality.
Although most all shemaghs are quite large—usually somewhere around 12 to 15 square feet—there are some on the market as small as nine or 10 square feet. In general, the best shemagh size is the largest one, as it offers more possibilities for wearing it as both head cover and face mask. Although, if you're a smaller person, you could definitely get away with one that's a few inches smaller.
One Final Note
No matter which shemagh you end up buying, it's important to keep in mind that it should only ever be hand washed and then hung out to dry. Even if the tag says you can machine wash it, even just one or two times in the washer is sometimes enough to turn the best shemagh into shreds. If you do take care of it properly though, your shemagh should keep providing benefits for years to come.
