My buff has been so necessary!

[Rav]

I always hike, work, and play with a buff around my wrist, so I naturally brought on on my first camino. Aside from its #1 intended purpose (wiping the sweat from my face), it’s been essential for me so many times. It’s a hand towel, because so may bars and albergues don’t have paper towels or hand dryers. It’s an eye mask for when pilgrims turn lights on way late or way too early. It holds my hair back when I wash my face. A bonus is that you don’t count it’s minuscule weight in your pack weight, because it’s always being worn

 

[JMac56]

Love the buff! I wear them on my head and/or around my neck.

 

[Anniesantiago]

Yep. Love mine. Some years ago seems like we bought some from the Forum.
Did I dream that?

 

[CaroleH]

No @Anniesantiago you didn’t dream it… I have my 2010 or 11 camino buff with me again on the Invierno. Love it and all its uses.
Thanks for all the ideas @Rav

 

[ShoshTrvls]

My favorite use is soaking it in water and wearing it around my wrist or neck to cool off.

 

[Keith H]

Truly a multifunctional item. I’m always a sucker for the Buff stores in the airports here in Spain.

 

[hikentravel1234]

On one CF I bought one that had a map of the CF.

 

[kforrestlutz]

I always hike, work, and play with a buff around my wrist, so I naturally brought on on my first camino. Aside from its #1 intended purpose (wiping the sweat from my face), it’s been essential for me so many times. It’s a hand towel, because so may bars and Albergues don’t have paper towels or hand dryers. It’s an eye mask for when pilgrims turn lights on way late or way too early. It holds my hair back when I wash my face. A bonus is that you don’t count it’s minuscule weight in your pack weight, because it’s always being worn

It's great for keeping gnats off your face too!

 

[jalluisi]

I have a Camino one that I bought at Ivar store and love it!! I have used it many times on the two caminos we have done. I am taking it with me again in a week and half. We leave on the 27th. I am really excited about walking again. We are going to walk from Porto to Santiago. Taking the Littoral route.

 

[BROWNCOUNTYBOB]

My wife and I have several and usually buy ourselves a new one each camino. Sometimes I wear one around my neck on cool mornings and one over my scalp. Bob

 

[K_Lynn]

I wore mine on my wrist to wipe sweat off my brow as well. I walked in '21 so masks were required indoors and I had to wear it as a mask to buy a proper mask when I had lost mine. It also works well to wipe down seats if it has rained or morning dew!

 

[henrythedog]

You can never have too many buffs or sporks.

 

[Icacos]

Yes, I think buffs are indispensable, on the camino and elsewhere. When I walked way back in the spring of 2013 I wished I had had two buffs with me instead of just one; one to keep my head warm on those chilly mornings and evenings, and another to wrap around my neck. Buffs no doubt could be put to all manner of uses.

I can’t help but be reminded now of a post by one of our beloved members (whom we haven’t heard from in a long time and whose engaging and endearing stories delighted so many of us for so long.) This member gleefully related to us how he had found a buff in the bushes somewhere along the camino, how he had retrieved it and how useful it had been to him over time …. until another one of our members wondered what task said buff might have been called upon to perform in the first place and why it might have been discarded in the bushes.

 

[David Tallan]

No @Anniesantiago you didn’t dream it… I have my 2010 or 11 camino buff with me again on the Invierno. Love it and all its uses.
Thanks for all the ideas @Rav

I have the same one which I always bring with me but don't use as often as I should.

 

[Hertsseasider]

Am I the only English speaker sniggering?

To us buff means naked !

 

[handzondeck2]

My buff always comes with me in the Camino and is well worth it. Me on the Camino Levante 2019.

 

[Myra Ramsay]

Love my buff. Followed the instructions which came with it. Turn inside out. Pull tube down over ears. Twist on top of head. Pull buff above twist down over ears - right side will be out. Kept my head and ears warm.

 

[shefollowsshells]

I always hike, work, and play with a buff around my wrist, so I naturally brought on on my first camino. Aside from its #1 intended purpose (wiping the sweat from my face), it’s been essential for me so many times. It’s a hand towel, because so may bars and albergues don’t have paper towels or hand dryers. It’s an eye mask for when pilgrims turn lights on way late or way too early. It holds my hair back when I wash my face. A bonus is that you don’t count it’s minuscule weight in your pack weight, because it’s always being worn

Absolutely one of my must haves!
A wool buff is my preference, I get two one on each wrist and they end up on my neck, hair, everywhere!

 

[Dawsie]

I also use it at night over my head to hold my jaw closed to reduce the snoring

 

[John Cook]

Mine is invaluable when I'm walking on a dusty dirt track and a vehicle drives by. I keep it around the strap of my rucksack so it's handy to shield my mouth and nose through the resulting dust cloud.
I've never thought about using it in place of a towel so I'll remember that when I walk my next Camino in under 2 weeks, yay .

 

[LouiseW]

Thank you for bringing it up! I learned a lot!!

 

[Handsome_Canuck]

Am I the only English speaker sniggering?

To us buff means naked !

As a gamer when I here "buff" I think upgrade. Definitely works in this context

 

[Lozette]

I always hike, work, and play with a buff around my wrist, so I naturally brought on on my first camino. Aside from its #1 intended purpose (wiping the sweat from my face), it’s been essential for me so many times. It’s a hand towel, because so may bars and albergues don’t have paper towels or hand dryers. It’s an eye mask for when pilgrims turn lights on way late or way too early. It holds my hair back when I wash my face. A bonus is that you don’t count it’s minuscule weight in your pack weight, because it’s always being worn

It’s an essential item, I totally agree. For me it’s keeping the cold wind out of my ears as well.

 

[Heal_to_toe]

I love them too. I have well over a dozen. As a gent, the only downside is that they 'pile' on my neck beard stubble (although I wet shave every day) and start to look scruffy in no time.

Buen Camino

 

[MissChic]

I have a Camino one that I bought at Ivar store and love it!! I have used it many times on the two caminos we have done. I am taking it with me again in a week and half. We leave on the 27th. I am really excited about walking again. We are going to walk from Porto to Santiago. Taking the Littoral route.

I will be doing that route next year at Easter. This is my first Camino and I'm overexcited about it. It seems that all my family and friends are rolling their eyes at me everytime I talk about it.

 

[JMac56]

I will be doing that route next year at Easter. This is my first Camino and I'm overexcited about it. It seems that all my family and friends are rolling their eyes at me everytime I talk about it.

Get used to it MissChic. Especially if you become a Camino tragic like me. Most people just don't get it! Buen Camino.

 

[MarkN]

I love my Camino buff so much I put it in my forum picture.
It is a buff brand but I haven't seen that design since, though many have asked me about it.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I always bring a buff and use it for several purposes, but never thought of keeping it on my wrist to dry my hands in a bathroom.
One of its most important uses for me was when walking on a few cold spring mornings. I had developed an extremely painful sore throat and it soothed the pain immensely as I walked with it covering my neck and pulled up over my mouth and nose as it warmed the air I breathed.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Am I the only English speaker sniggering?

To us buff means naked !

I hear what you say and agree! I first heard of the versatile neck buff when watching the well known American reality show "Survivor" twenty years ago as every participant was issued a buff for use on the show.

 

[DwainS]

Absolutely one of my must haves!
A wool buff is my preference, I get two one on each wrist and they end up on my neck, hair, everywhere!

I also have a merino wool buff. Used it only once when walking over pyrenees, very chilly. Even though I only used it once it will be in my backpack for next camino.