The turban is one of the most adaptable head dresses humanity has created thus far. Turbans of different names have been used by many cultures in different ways since 8000 BCE. They are simple to make, and can be made from just about any leather, cloth, or gauze. In essence turbans are no more than a really long piece of cloth.
The Mongols, Cossacks, Viking and the Hun all used leather, or pelt to make a turban or non sewn hat to keep warm in harsh cold climates. A single piece of pelt could be tied in a variety of ways to make it more or less effective at repelling the elements. The Persians, Gals, Indian and North African cultures had a much different application. They use a cotton mesh to make layers that allow the evaporation of water while at the same time repelling the harsh desert and jungle sun. They tie their turbans very different from the cold weather methods. They create many layers to keep the heat from the skin. They also have different ways to keep blown sand and bright light from effecting the wearer.
The majority of turbans are between 1 and 4 feet wide and 3 to 9 feet long. A good shape for your average survival turban should be 3 feet wide and 6 feet long. This way it can be used as a blanket or bug net if you need it, and it makes an excellent signaling tool and should be made of cotton mesh or a light cotton material. Mesh works well in the jungles as it keeps bugs off your neck and entangles ticks and parasites, so when you undo it and shake it off the ticks will be visible and easily removed from the material. In more of a arid environment, a thin cotton cloth would make better sense, as it traps more air pockets which make the dissipation of heat more rapid as the sweat is drawn from the skin. For temperate and colder environments, fleece leather or wool makes a lot more sense. Since the material is so much thicker for colder environments 2ft wide and 6 feet long is more fashionable than a full 3 feet which makes a bulky awkward looking turban.
So why a turban? What is the advantage over other hats? Its a bolt of cloth. You are actually carrying around clothing repair material on your head. It requires no sewing to make one. Anyone can make a turban with a pair of scissors and some cloth. It works to lessen the severity of the elements in different environments using air pockets to regulate heat. A turban can be turned into a face mask by pulling down a portion and tightened in the back with a small tug. It is beneficial as a means of rapid concealment or to simply keep the bugs off. Its not bulky, and can cover almost any portion of your head face and neck that could be bothered in survival situations by the elements. You can hide things securely in the folds from money to weapons and many things in between. It packs well, often folding and rolling into something the size of a pair of socks. It can be worn with other hats, like baseball caps, to make them more effective in bad weather. It can be rapidly deployed from a cargo pocket. There are many percs to this head dress. I highly recommend trying it out some time.
