Buff
Recently Paul Saffo and Stewart Brand were raving about the Buff, the all-in-one garment. I am picky and a minimalist when it comes to clothing, but the Buff, in addition to being a shape-shifter, also weighs almost nothing, so I thought I should try it. It's pretty neat, now part of my pack. --KK
Here is what Paul Saffo wrote:
Y'all probably have known about Buff forever, but in case not, this thing is way cool. Described as "the original multi-functional Seamless Wear", it is a stretchy microfiber tube that can be a neckerchief/neck-scarf, headband, wristband, foulard, bandit-mask, hand-warmer, balaclava and more. I mostly use it as a neck-scarf when biking, and on hikes when it turns cool. Because it is microfiber, it has great thermal and wicking properties -- and it is a great glasses-cleaner.
Stewart Brand adds:
Do see their online movies of the ways to rig a Buff.
Favorite (15)
Oryctolagus habilis
FYI: I notice that this review is from '03 (long before I knew about Cool Tools) but Buff is going strong & seems very interesting. I figure one of the inspirations for them is the traditional Middle-Eastern Shemagh / Keffiyeh that has seen popularity in the West for decades -- from Special Forces to Art Punk. They're going through a resurgence in popularity right now, therefore can be found on Ebay for a few bucks. They're fantastic, even though they're made of cotton instead of microfibre / Coolmax, of course.
Feildin
I currently have 3 of these. I use them for working out, working, and as a handy hat to carry when I am riding my motorcycle, helping hide the helmet head. They are nice light beanies, dustmasks, etc. Nice light utility item, I highly recommend them.