Shemaghs are great travel accessories. I've used mine to keep sand and sun off of me in Egypt and Jordan, used it as an impromptu blanket in a freezing cold hostel in Singapore. Sure, the "fashionably trendy" scarves might look cool but if you need to keep warm and cool, this is what to get. The quality is first-rate and feels solidly constructed. It hasn't bled or frayed with a few washings. A must for travelers.