Buff neck gaiters—-question

I had to look up Buffs, and now "get" what you're asking about. Not for sun protection, but for a bit of decoration on a plain tshirt, I have several twisted headbands in various colors and prints that I wear around my neck. They can usually be found near hair accessories.

Rip Skirt Hawaii has a big selection of neck scarves that I think are just what you’re looking for. colourful and cool. They’re made for hot weather. I live in Canada and they don’t deliver here. Had to get mine from a good friend coming for a visit from Washington state.

Yes, you should be able to cut them. The seam where you cut might need a few reinforcing stitches to make sure it doesn't unravel.

I'd fold it in half and put it on to make sure you like the size before you cut it.

The Rip Shirt scarves are 17" long (about the same as a regular buff). I'm seeing lots of pretty color/print options on Amazon for about $2.00 a buff.

The store REI has a great selection of buffs in varying styles and for different types of climate. I have one for warm months and a couple for the New England winters.

The Rip skirt Hawaii circular neck scarves look great, and serve the purpose. But I already have numerous Buffs I have bought over the years, since my skiing days, and am curious if there is any impediment to just cutting one or more of them in half to use for summer. There are no seams involved, just a seamless tube.

I would have cut them and tried them out before I even had any replies to the questions. Seems reasonable since they are not very expensive. What’s to lose? You don’t have to cut them in half, you could go 60/40, 70,/30, until you had your optimum length. By the time you researched this you could be done. There is no reason at all it could not work out.

@treemouse, it seems like a logical question to me. Perhaps the OP doesn't sew or have knowledge of different fabrics. As someone that sews, it is possible that the fabric could run creating holes. So it is completely possible that there are reasons that it wouldn't work out!

I have a Buff gaiter from REI and never thought about the fact they are unhemmed.

As a sewer, I would consider going to a fabric store and buying 1/4 of a yard of fabric and making your own. You would need to test the stretch of the fabric before selecting something.

Lola, I don't think anything will go wrong with you cutting it in half. I have a Smokey the Bear buff from the DNR, and the top and bottom edges are raw. Another cut is just going to make another raw edge.

I measured one of mine, and it is 10 1/2 inches long. I made them during Covid days, so it's double thickness and has a pocket for a carbon filter. Of course, mine had a seam because I made it. I think it will go with me to Europe next month in case I need a mask!

I’ve never heard of these.
I can see wearing one in winter, but aren’t they hot and clingy in warm weather?
I’d be tearing my fingernails out trying to get it off me, but I’m heat sensitive.

S J, actually these gaiters are intended for sun protection. They are quite thin and made to be breathable.

I’ve never heard of these.
I can see wearing one in winter, but aren’t they hot and clingy in warm weather?
I’d be tearing my fingernails out trying to get it off me, but I’m heat sensitive.

They're hugely popular in the open water fishing world. Long days of exposure to the sun and the reflection off the water, Buff's (neck gaiters) protect the neck and you can to pull them up to cover ears and back of head. They're not anything unique, winter sports have had them for quite awhile.
The reality show Survivor made Buff's popular as each contestant wore the distinct colored/patterned Buff of their 'tribe'

Now I know, and of course I will see them everywhere now! :)

Lola--seems like that would work, but make sure the scissors you use are very sharp. Knit fabrics can get "chewed" by dull scissors and then the edges are uneven.

Good idea to repurpose what you have! Echoing what Leslie said about sharp scissors, if you happen to have a rotary cutter (or could borrow one from a friend who quilts) that would work well for the fabric type. To get an even cut with the rotary (or even scissors), I'd put down a piece of cardboard over the end of an ironing board, and fit the buff over the end so you can rotate it around the board while cutting. Even if it isn't perfect you won't notice when the fabric is scrunched up around your neck.

I googled "Half Buff", and see that they are available at Buff, Amazon, REI, Backcountry and more, if cutting your Buffs to size doesn't work well.

Thanks, Grace. I did a search on REI.com for “Half Buff” and got no results, but I will look again. I actually bought one of the ones on sale for $14 and will use that for my first experiment. Or maybe one of the extra ones I already have, but don’t wear.

I will use my dedicated sewing scissors, which have never been used to cut paper, for the first attempt. I appreciate the suggestion to stretch the Buff flat on a piece of cardboard to make a good straight cut. And then I will report back with the results.

I never knew they are popular with fishermen, but that makes sense, with all the sunlight reflecting off the water. I will point this out to my two grandchildren who are avid fisherpersons.

Lola, a good friend of mine is allergic to the sun so stated a small business making these for hiking or any outdoor activities. She is in Auburn, so local. I think it is swimsuit fabric that she uses but I am not 100% sure. She has fun designs, so they are quite nice looking. If you want her contact info, let me know.

Here are some half buff options on Amazon.