Paracord: Fashion Fad or Survival Tool?

These days it seems like everyone is selling bracelets and other products made of paracord. I have seen them in locations from gas stations to survival stores to women’s boutiques.  With all the different places I have seen these bracelets it got me thinking about paracord and if these products are just a fad or if these are a real survival tool?

Paracord is actually short for Parachute Cord and is also known as 550 cord. It is a lightweight nylon kernmantle rope originally used in the suspension lines of US parachutes during World War II. Paratroopers found that this cord could be used for a variety of tasks and has since evolved into a general purpose utility cord used by the military and civilians.

If you have ever seen paracord you know it has a nylon outer construction made with a high number of interwoven strands that has a relatively smooth texture. The inside, or the guts, is 7 strands made up of 3 strands each. The reason this cord is also known as 550 cord is because the 7 inner cords have a strength of 50lbs each for a total of 350lbs with the outer layer having a total strength of 200lbs for a total minimum breaking strength of 550lbs, aka 550 cord.

Although Paracord was originally used by airborne units, it is now used in a variety of ways. Many military personnel and outdoor enthusiasts use is for attaching equipment to harnesses, tying rucksacks to vehicle racks, creating outdoor shelters, setting traps, etc. Even “the guts” of the string can be removed for a finer string to be used as sewing thread to repair gear or fishing line in a survival situation. So paracord can be used as a survival tool!

However, I have found after much research and browsing that there are a lot of products using “fake” paracord that is strictly for fashion or non-survival use. If you are interested in buying a product or creating your own paracord products that you intend to use in case of a survival situation, you need to be sure you have the real deal. There is a lot of paracord that is being sold these days that is not the same high quality as real 550 cord. Make sure you are looking for the 7 inner stands. If you want a purely fun fashion accessory, you can find paracord in a wide variety of fun colors, some real 550 cord and some not, but what does it matter if it’s real if you don’t have to survive with it.

The paracord that Going Gear sells is an 8 strand 550 paracord. This cord is straight from a US military parachute supplier, where they use the absolute best nylon they can find to make cord on which soldier’s lives literally depend. You may not need to jump out of a plane into enemy territory in the pitch black of the night, but this stuff will still work great for repairing gear, pitching tarps, or any other task where you might need high quality cordage. Please keep in mind that even though this is the best paracord you will find, it is still not meant to support human weight. The weight ratings are for static weight, not you rappelling down the Swiss Alps.

So, now you know about paracord and how to spot the real stuff. Head on over to GoingGear.com, pick up paracord in your favorite color, then check out our paracord project pinterest board for some fashion and survival use inspirations.

Survive!

Most people are familiar with survival shows on television such as “Man vs. Wild” and “Survivorman”; I have always been intrigued my the miraculous stories about surviving in the elements and beating the odds. It just amazes me what the human body and mind can endure once face to face with death.  I recently read the book entitled “Survive” by Peter DeLeo, and it really got me thinking… I am CPR, First Aid, Defibrillator trained, and like to think that I know enough about nature, camping, and the outdoors… but do I have what it takes to survive, really survive something if I were put in a similar situation?

In his narrative, Peter describes his experience and provides the reader with many great survival tips. His story begins in 1994  when he and two of his friends and colleagues take a trip in his small single engine Maule plane to the High Sierras to take some photographs of the awe-inspiring scenery. Unfortunately, the trip takes a disastrous turn for the worst when the plane crashes into the mountain range. All three passengers are alive (but severely injured) when the plane comes to a stop. The remainder of the story tells about  Peter’s  journey, hiking over 45 miles in 13 days with 16+ broken bones, and discusses what kept him going. A must read in my opinion.

I would love to know what books other people recommend that are about survival, or extreme circumstances that are overcome!

SOG and CRKT knives on sale!

Check out Goinggear.com or swing by our store if you are in the area and check out our SOG and CRKT knives!

All SOG are 15% off and CRKT are 20%off!!

We also just got some knew models

These knives make great stocking-stuffers and are the perfect  gift for a friend or family member!

10 Essentials List

George over at Modern Combative Systems has posted a nice article about the 10 Essentials that he carries on a daily basis in his self described “Bag of Evil.”  He works as a self defense and tactical trainer, so the list is a good look at what a professional carries with him at all times.  The list is not necessarily for camping, hiking, or anything outdoors, but it is a good look at some key items to carry when your regular life takes you to some sketchy areas.

Old lady makes me feel like a sissy

A 68 year old woman in Colorado was driving along a mountain road, swerved to avoid a herd of deer, and tumbled 350 feet down the side of the mountain.

She broke eleven ribs, cracked her vertebrae and punctured her lung. Stranded alone in the ravine, she says that thoughts of her family motivated her to stay alive.

She stayed alive for five days like this, using a golf club as a cane and crawling on her face in an attempt to get help. Five days is a long time without food and water, you say? Yes, yes it is.

She was alone in the woods for five days, basically crawling on her face, through a cold front of rain, sleet and hail. This moisture would prove to be life-sustaining, as she sucked on her hair to keep from becoming completely dehydrated during her ordeal.

I like to think that I could handle a situation like that and make it out alive, but I really have no way of knowing until actually in the situation. No matter how old you are or how much knowledge you have, what this woman did is awfully impressive and once again proves that the right mindset is as or more important than the right gear.

Source

Looking for some good bushcraft reads?

A fine fellow called Doc-Canada has been compiling lists of books related to all kinds of wonderful outdoors topics for a long while. He has 20 or so lists and was kind enough to send me several of them in Word documents so I could put them up in a more web-friendly format. The first one I worked on was wilderness survival books, so go take a peek at the wiki if you are looking for a good read on how to make a suit out of squirrel hides or how to light a fire using only human hair and a blade of grass.