7 important uses for socks

(Bugout.news) They may seem like unimportant pieces of clothing, but believe it or not your socks can play a very important role in ensuring your health and survival during times of chaos.

Let’s examine seven of the top uses for socks:

— Getting from Point A to Point B: If you’ve ever been in the military or if you do a lot of hunting or hiking, you already know the importance of having a good pair of socks. Worn-out socks or socks that are too lightweight for the task of moving through rough terrain will wreak havoc on your feet, most generally in the form of blisters. If that happens, you won’t get very far, so make sure you obtain and pack heavy-duty pairs of socks for your bugout journey.

— First aid: Socks can ably serve as field dressings to stop heavy bleeding from a wound, if you don’t have a first aid kit and are far from available medical care. Ideally you’d like to have a clean sock, of course, but a dirty sock is better than nothing. To apply fold a sock several times and then hold it in place over the wound, applying pressure (like you would a regular field dressing). You can tie the second sock around the makeshift field dressing to secure it (then elevate the injured body part to further control bleeding).

— Signal flag or mark your route: A bright-colored sock can serve as a signal flag to mark your camp. If you shred one, it can be used to mark your route so you can find your way back to camp. Indeed, any clothing can serve this purpose, but use socks if you have several pairs to spare.

— Self-defense: A sock filled with rocks or acorns or coins can serve as a swinging weapon of self-defense. Tie a knot in the end to secure the contents and then use as needed.

— Speaking of acorns…: Acorns pack a nutritional punch, at 2,000 calories per pound. But most people aren’t able to eat that many per day unless they can remove the irritating tannic acid acorns contain. A sock can assist in that process. Simply crush the acorns to remove the shells and then break them into small pieces. Fill a sock with the nut-center chunks, tie off the open end and then tie it to a rock that you can then submerge in a fast-moving waterway. After a few days most of the tannins will have been flushed away by the moving water, making the acorns much more palatable that won’t cause digestive issues.

— Hand coverings: Forgot to pack cold-weather hand gear or work gloves? Don a pair of socks to keep your hands warm and protected. If you have spares, layer them for extra warmth.

— Toilet paper: Yes, you will have to “go” eventually (and even more so if you develop dietary/stomach issues) when you’re on the go, and socks can fill the role of toilet paper very well. Try to start at the one end and work your way up (or down) so you can use the same sock multiple times. Mind you, this is a terminal use of a sock for most folks.

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