In a survival tool kit, one item that is never missing is the paracord. It is very simple, practical and can be used by anyone at any given time. It is also cool and trendy. This is highly versatile-filament nylon cord that has unlimited applications. It can be used in different situation by different people and comes with huge benefits. Originally, it is made from seven strong nylon cords. Each of the seven cords is made of equally strong woven strands that are smaller in size. All these are then wrapped in a flexible outer branded nylon wrapper. This gives results to a cord that has a combined breaking strength of 550 pounds. This is why it is commonly known as a 550 paracord.
Having been widely used for parachute applications during the WWII, the prefix "para" was added to the "cord" to give it its name. However, it has found its use in other areas outside the military field. It is now used by virtually all other armed forces, including the police, forest guards, scouts, and all other troops you can think about. It is also available commercially for home applications and other uses like camping.
There are no specific standards when it comes to the civilian markets; however, this is not the case with the military varieties. The military cord is distinctly marked as MIL-C-5040 Type III with a rating of 550 pounds. The military cord must have 7 inner yarns, each coming with 3 separate strands.
The civilian varieties are not strict on the number of cords, in some cases; five yarns are used instead of seven. The strands can also be two but not three. The result is that the commercial varieties might not be as strong as the military ones. However, they still serve very well in most of the applications that they may be needed for.
Both the military variety and the commercial variety come in many colors, hence there are many options depending on an individual's own preferences. In addition to colors, it comes in several lengths to choose from. One can also be cut to smaller sizes for specific purposes as demanded. However, after cutting one, the ends must be burnt to avoid fraying.
A cord with a length of 225 feet, weighs only 1 pound. This makes it easy to carry around. The cord is also resistant to the outside elements like water and mildew, drying very quickly in case of contact with water. Lastly, the inner strands can also be removed, a factor that makes it extremely versatile.
When it comes to the area of uses, the list is simply endless. However, there are some ideas that make it a necessity at home. It works best as a clothesline, a tarp tie down, a towline, string for supporting tents and poles or building of shelters. The other possible areas of applications include the lanyard, fire bow, shelter making, shoe lace, garden lines, and equipment guy-lines, pack strap, fasten, survival kit, lifeline and several others.
There are also wide areas of application such as the use as cloth lines, towlines, survival kit, and even life line. The inner strands can also be used as fishing strings, dental floss, trapping-snares, and even shoe laces. The important factor is to choose a good cord that can serve the purpose.
Having been widely used for parachute applications during the WWII, the prefix "para" was added to the "cord" to give it its name. However, it has found its use in other areas outside the military field. It is now used by virtually all other armed forces, including the police, forest guards, scouts, and all other troops you can think about. It is also available commercially for home applications and other uses like camping.
There are no specific standards when it comes to the civilian markets; however, this is not the case with the military varieties. The military cord is distinctly marked as MIL-C-5040 Type III with a rating of 550 pounds. The military cord must have 7 inner yarns, each coming with 3 separate strands.
The civilian varieties are not strict on the number of cords, in some cases; five yarns are used instead of seven. The strands can also be two but not three. The result is that the commercial varieties might not be as strong as the military ones. However, they still serve very well in most of the applications that they may be needed for.
Both the military variety and the commercial variety come in many colors, hence there are many options depending on an individual's own preferences. In addition to colors, it comes in several lengths to choose from. One can also be cut to smaller sizes for specific purposes as demanded. However, after cutting one, the ends must be burnt to avoid fraying.
A cord with a length of 225 feet, weighs only 1 pound. This makes it easy to carry around. The cord is also resistant to the outside elements like water and mildew, drying very quickly in case of contact with water. Lastly, the inner strands can also be removed, a factor that makes it extremely versatile.
When it comes to the area of uses, the list is simply endless. However, there are some ideas that make it a necessity at home. It works best as a clothesline, a tarp tie down, a towline, string for supporting tents and poles or building of shelters. The other possible areas of applications include the lanyard, fire bow, shelter making, shoe lace, garden lines, and equipment guy-lines, pack strap, fasten, survival kit, lifeline and several others.
There are also wide areas of application such as the use as cloth lines, towlines, survival kit, and even life line. The inner strands can also be used as fishing strings, dental floss, trapping-snares, and even shoe laces. The important factor is to choose a good cord that can serve the purpose.
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