A flexible utility tool is deceptively simple. It’s just a fancy term for a piece of fabric that can be used in multiple ways. There are several options on the market that fit the bill, including shemaghs, bandannas, or maybe a sil-nylon signal panel.
A flexible utility tool can be an important resource when you’re out in the field, especially if you zig when you should have zagged and now you’re lost.
The upside here is that they are lightweight and don’t take up much space in your pack. While the size and shape vary a bit, they’re often square and average about 30 inches on a side. Some designs will pack down into an attached pouch, while others are a little more freeform in that regard.
Signal for Rescue
If at least one side of the fabric is brightly colored, you can use it to catch the eye of search and rescue teams in a survival situation. This could be done as a flag on a stick or lain flat on the ground with the corners weighted down.
Shade
Getting overheated can lead to serious problems. A flexible utility tool could be draped over your head and shoulders if you didn’t have the forethought to bring a wide brimmed hat. Dampening the cloth can also provide extra relief.
Evaporation is a cooling process. If you decide your best course of action is to sit and wait for rescue, which is often your best option, use a few branches to make a frame from which you can hang your flexible utility tool and create a shaded area.
Insulation
On the other hand, if it’s cold instead of hot, you’re at risk of hypothermia. A flexible utility tool can be wrapped around your neck like a scarf to help you stay warm. Depending on the size of the fabric, it could probably be extended up over your head, too.
First Aid
It isn’t ideal, but a flexible utility tool can be used as a cravat bandage to cradle and secure a broken arm. If it’s a leg injury instead of an arm, the fabric can be used as a cushion at the armpit end of a makeshift crutch.
Ground Cloth
Anything you can put between you and the ground when you sit or lay back is beneficial. A ground cloth or sit pad of some sort will help prevent the loss of body heat. It’ll also provide a bit of comfort, which isn’t a bad thing when you’re stressed or anxious.
Conveyance
Admittedly, this is sort of a last-ditch option. But it is a workable option. Think back to Saturday morning cartoons when you were a kid. Pretty much every depiction of a hobo included the poor sap having a stick over his shoulder with a small bindle attached to the end of it. You can recreate that favorite child Halloween costume pretty easily. It won’t hold a ton of stuff, of course, but it’ll be better than trying to carry it all in your arms.
The problem with many multi-use items is that they tend not to be outstanding in each of those uses. They’ll do in a pinch, but that’s about it. That said, the flexible utility tool does a pretty good job in many capacities while not weighing you down. Odds are pretty good that you won’t even notice one in your pack until you need it.
