During WWII, Paracord, also called Parachute Cord or 550 Cord, gained wide recognition due to its usefulness in holding and securing weapons. It was highly considered because of its strength and durability. It served as a replacement for cotton and leather boot laces as a military-grade tool previously used for cordage.
A few years later, Paracords became one of the most commercially sold tools for different purposes. Within those years, it evolved from being a cord for holding weapons to survival gear, and finally, a fashion accessory. Many brands have emerged from this evolution of paracords for military and civilian use; it is almost impossible not to find it on 1 in 10 people.
For better understanding, let’s look at a few paracords’ uses in everyday life.
Top Uses of Paracords
The following are ways paracords come in handy to one’s advantage.
Emergency Situations
One of the best ways a paracord is useful is in emergencies. It provides you with whatever is needed before help comes to you. Say, it is a mobile-first aid that keeps you stable before getting the medical attention needed. See below for emergencies and how they are useful.
Sutures
Peradventure you have deep wounds or lacerations, paracords are alternative suture kits. They are used to cover/protect the part where you are injured, so you don’t run the infection risk. Moreover, it is a good solution to control blood loss before proper medical intervention.
Sling
If while climbing or walking, you roll over and broke your arm, paracords could be used as a sling. At that point, you may not have a medical-grade sling with you; thus, you need to make do with what you have. With a paracord as a sling, you could hold yourself together until you find medical help.
Stretcher
In cases where you break other parts of your body and not your arm, mobility could be difficult. However, to make sure it doesn’t get worse, you would need a stretcher to get you from one location to another. Here, a paracord could be designed into a stretcher for mobility. For other severe medical conditions, the stretcher could also be useful.
Bandage/Tourniquet
Excessive bleeding could be difficult to stop without bandages or tourniquets. What then happens when you cannot access either? A paracord makes a great alternative to control bleeding until you make it to a clinic or hospital for proper treatment.
Survival
While paracords are great in emergencies, they are also one of the best survival tools you could easily afford. It is designed in different forms to provide what you need when faced with situations that need your creativity. For instance:
Shelter
For people who spend more time outdoor and cannot possibly find a good place to sleep for the night, a paracord can be used to build a shelter. As long as there are trees or a stable structure around, it is easy to improve this cord for a good shelter.
Fire
Paracords are usually designed with reduced outer friction so that it is possible to start a fire when you need one. It uses a bow-and-drill method that involves the strands of the cord and dry leaves. Even though it looks traditional, it is quite effective.
Traps
You cannot be outdoor without getting hungry; a paracord is useful as a trap to help you catch games. It could either be designed into a fishing line or a snare to catch wild animals. Whatever your preference is, the cord is strong enough to get you the food for the day.
Defense
If you have been captured and tied up with zip tires, paracords are useful in setting yourself free. In most cases, knife holders are incorporated into the cord for defense and protection. Additionally, the cord is strong to keep wild animals like bears at bay – for instance, when camping and you want to mark territories.
Get more insights on survival on our website.
Fashion
It is fascinating how the same paracords used for emergencies and survival could also be a wonderful fashion accessory. In so many ways, they have proven useful to be a part of our everyday life. For instance, they have been used to make
- bracelets
- jewelry
- belts
- buckles
- shoelaces
- lanyards, and so on.
Even though there are different types of paracords, with each having its minimum breaking strength and inner features, i.e., strands and thickness, it doesn’t change its usefulness in fashion.
Type I and Type II Paracords are the most suited for this kind of accessory, while Type III and IV are heavy-duty cords.
Traveling
It doesn’t stop only at survival; paracords are great for traveling. For instance, if you find yourself in a different country; you may have to improvise with whatever you have so that you could adapt.
Trail Markers
A simple and effective way to make sure you don’t get lost in a new place is to set trail markers. Paracords are handy in ensuring the possibility of finding directions back to where you stay.
Snow Shoes
You may not have prepared well enough for a new place, especially with different weather conditions being an inevitable factor. Peradventure you are in a snowy place, you would need help not falling deep into the snow. Paracords are perfect for making snowshoes that will enhance mobility.
Apart from these 4 classifications of paracords’ uses, there are other ways in which they are effective for survival and everyday life. Generally, it is a matter of creativity and how intentional you are about surviving.
Learn about how you can effectively use paracords HERE
Conclusion
Finding yourself in different situations calls for improvising with whatever is around you; luckily, paracords are simple yet versatile to provide your need. Above is a list of how useful they are both as military and commercial tools.
Check online for the best paracords available that offer the benefits you want, and pick what is worth a good value for money.
How will you be using paracords? Tell us in the comments below.
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