Arab Gutrah or Shemagh

While living and working in the Middle East i was turned on to the use and practicallity of the Arab style head dress call the Gutrah or Shemagh, I bought one in down town Doha,Qatar and have been carrying it ever since.

This large, soft cotton garment has served me well and I have used it for everything from a blanket to a towel, I have also used it to filter water and to carry my extra plunder in(tied up like a "Hobo" bundle).

Most recently I used it as Mosquito protection while camping along the San Juan River in Utah and in the Forests of Arizonas white mountains.

There are several ways to wear the Gutrah and all are easy put on and adjust to your comfort.
they are fairly cheap(around $10.00) and easy to find, I usually get mine at the PX, Most U.S. Military Bases in the Middle east have this item in stock .

During WW2 the Long Range Desert Groug (LRDG) learned the value of this item of kit, and there are many pictures out there of members in this Unit wearing it. The Present day american and coalition forces in the Middle east and Afghanistan have began to employ this garment in every day use.

You can check this link to the LRDG website to get a little more info on the Unit and this item.

http://blindkat.hegewisch.net/lrdg/lrdg.html

Here is a discription of the complete set up Borrowed from the LRDG website;

SHEMAGH/Gutrah:

Arab Head-dress: While the traditional Arab head-dress consist of three parts: Thagiyah a tight fitting white skullcap, the flowing white head covering called Gutrah, and a black chorded band called an Ogal, the LRDG issued a sand colored Gutrah and the black Ogal.

It is unclear if the Thagiyah was issued. Most sources say the LRDG placed a folded cloth between the scalp and the Gutrah to create an air pocket. This may have been the Thagiyah.
In my attached pictures you can see my set up employed as a complete unit and also various other uses of the garment.

Lemme know what you think.

tomahawk