I do not think anyone would not know about the parachute cord (i.e. Paracord) ever since it was first introduced and applied in military affairs during WWII. Nowadays, parachute cord is used by both military and civilians for a great number of purpose tasks. In this article, we will talk about what the paracord is and its applications.
What Is Parachute Cord?
Real paracord is usually made of seven strong nylon cords with each cord made of several smaller braided strands, which all wrapped in a mobile outer braided nylon wrapper. This structure and composition of the cord make it durable, flexible, soft and versatile in application. The combined breaking strength of real paracord is 550LB. So, some people also call it “550 cord”.
Applications of Parachute Cord:
Repair
The paracord can be used to repair torn or broken clothes and equipment. You can easily mend your torn clothes with the internal strands which slide easily out of the casing and a makeshift needle outdoors. As for the equipment, also, you can sew the pieces together securely when broken. The process is simple as well as.
Stay Cord
Whether you are going camping or a hike, you can use the paracord to tie things to your backpack for carrying more stuff hands-free. Besides, you are able to use it to hang a bear bag to keep your food away from critters, and string up a trip wire to protect an area, or a clothes line for wet clothes, especially when you are camping.
In addition, as stay cord, paracord can tie down items to the top of a vehicle and protect them from the gale. And even it enables you to lower yourself or an object very carefully down from a height.
For Outdoor Survival
If you’re hiking in a place where there is a danger of avalanche, you may tie yourself to your partner with the paracord, so that you can find each other in case that one of you should get caught under snow. In case someone get injuries, you can make a stretcher by running paracord between two long sticks, or fashion a branch drag to move the injured person.
And if you wandered into an original forest, you can use paracord to lash logs or other items together to build a raft. When you get lost, you can use it for signaling by tying a mirror or colorful cloth to the top of a tree. In the event of there is no lighter, you can make a bow drill for fire starting with the paracord. With it, you can even make a sling to throw stones for protection and hunting large birds in the wild.
What’s more, parachute cord is always woven into the so-called “Bracelets of Life.” And almost every wildness adventurer would wear such a bracelet for wild emergency situations.