What's Schmug?
A Schmug. Also known as an Afghan stole. As the name suggests, it is a cloth that originated in the Middle East.
The image is that of the "thing" that male soldiers wear around their necks in arid regions.
In the Middle East, it is worn around the head to protect it from the heat, and around the neck to protect the mouth and nose from sand and dust.
Survival game players and military enthusiasts are familiar with it.
Recently, it seems to be gaining attention in mountain climbing as well.
It is a square piece of cloth about 100cm in size with fluttering (I don't know the name) on the edges.
(The fluttering is called fringe.)
The basic material is 100% cotton, but I heard that there are some with synthetic fibers.
If you want to buy one, choose 100% cotton.
Why is it good?
It's just a piece of cloth, but it can be used in so many ways.
If you wrap it around your neck, you can use it as a scarf.
If you cover your nose and mouth, you can use it as a mask.
Wrap it around your head as a sunshade.
When you sweat, you can use it as a towel. (It's so thin that you can see through it, so it dries very quickly.)
When your feet get cold, you can use it as a lap blanket.
It can also be used as a wrapping cloth to wrap things.
There are probably many more ways to use it.
Since this can be done with just one piece of cloth, I hear it's getting a lot of attention from minimalists.
So What?
You can reduce the number of things you have with you because you can do all of the above with just one.
If you know what you can do with just one Schmug, you will also have peace of mind because you can handle sudden situations.
For example, if you injure your arm, you can put your arm through your neck and hang it up as a triangle.
How do I do it?
I basically wrap it around my neck most of the time, but here's how I do it
Fold the unfolded Schmug into a triangle.
Fold the long side about 10cm.
Put it around your neck with the top of the long side diagonal to the bottom, bring both sides of the long side to the front, and tie it inside.
This is easier than wrapping a necktie.
If you are conscious of the balance of the volume of your upper body, it won't look so strange.
When it's really cold, I put a neck warmer under the afghan stole to make a double layer.
The afghan stole is roomy, so even if I put a neck warmer inside, it doesn't feel tight at all.
I think it's also possible to wrap it around your waist.
It's like wearing a shirt around your waist.
Right now (why do it now?)
You can buy it online.
You can also buy it at military stores.
The prices start at around 1,000 yen, so it's easy to try them out.
To be honest, it's difficult to confirm whether or not it's 100% cotton, so you'll need to find a store, manufacturer, or place of origin that you trust.
By the way, the Rothco Afghan scarf I bought recently (November 2020) was 100% cotton, made in India.
I've been using it for four or five years now, and it's been a pretty heavy user for four seasons.
In the hot season, I use it as a sunshade, a sweatshade, and as a fashion accessory.
During the cold season, I use it as a scarf and mask.
They are very good for both outdoor and indoor use.
They come in a wide variety of patterns and colors, so you can find something to match any outfit.
Now that you know it's so versatile, you have a use for it, so now that you know, take this opportunity to buy it and show it off to everyone around you.
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