The Paracord Bracelet

Last week I was out, and I got a few questions regarding the bracelet I wear on my wrist every day. Normally in circumstances like these, I'll respond with something sarcastic like "it's a friendship bracelet" and usually that will be the enough for the person asking. However, in situations where I feel that maybe there is a chance that someone may appreciate what it is, I'll give a proper explanation.

For those of you who haven't seen one before, the bracelets shown above are simple braids of military parachute cord. The type of braids and methods of closure can vary and are up to personal taste, but the purpose is the same. Like the similar Paracord Survival Belt, the idea is to carry a length of cordage with you that can be unravelled in an emergency situation. Parachute cord (or paracord) is ideal for this purpose because it has a test strength of 450lbs, and can be unravelled further to reveal 7-8 inner strands which can be used for anything from binding, to fishing lines to snare lines.


So if it's a survival thing, why would I wear it everyday? After explaining what it is, I'm usually approached with the response "So you wear it because somehow you're going to wind up needing to snare or build a shelter in the middle of downtown?"

Ok, an understandable response. The situation that I'll somehow be transported from the middle of an urban metropolis to the middle of the wilderness in an instant is a little far fetched, but the truth is that if I only wore it when I "needed" it, I'd never wear it. By that I mean that when I first started wearing it, it felt uncomfortable and I was always aware that it was there. By wearing it every day, I've become to accustomed having it on me, so now it feels awkward if I'm not wearing it. Now, if I ever did need it the chance that it was with me would be higher than the chance that it wasn't since it's a habit to have it with me. The same sort of rules that apply to having an EDC keychain.

So now that I've explained it, you no doubt want one of your own! So how do you get one? Sorry, I can't help you there. There are plenty of people who make these to sell, but you're going to have to do that research on your own. The ones I wear I've made myself, so I can however direct you to a few resources on learning to make your own. If you are interested, just follow the links:

∙ Need to buy paracord? Supply Captain has a good assortment.
∙ Want to learn to make a cobra stitch with a snap? Here is the guide I used when I first started.
∙ Want a different style (chain sinnet, snake braid, zipper braid)? TyingItAllTogether has some excellent videos on making braids and knots.