Para Cord

Para cord, a working line that packs down to nothing

Para cord is braided utility line: a woven outer sheath around a bundle of loose inner strands. The range covers plain cord on the reel in lengths such as 30 and 100 metres, thicker 6mm cord for heavier lashing, and woven bracelets that carry a few metres on the wrist, some with a flint striker or a small knife built into the buckle. It is one of the few pieces of kit that costs almost nothing in weight and gets used on every trip.

What is it actually made of?

Nylon, in two parts. The sheath is a tight diagonal braid that resists abrasion and gives the cord its smooth feel; inside sit several thinner yarns, each of which can be pulled out and used on its own. That construction is the reason a single length is worth more than its diameter suggests: the inner strands become fishing line, boot laces, thread for a repair or whipping to bind a frayed end, while the sheath keeps doing the heavy work.

How much is worth carrying?

It depends on whether the cord is for repairs or for structure. A few metres in a pocket covers a snapped lace, a broken zip pull or a splint. Shelter work is hungrier: a ridge line, four corner tie-outs and a couple of guys will swallow twenty metres before anything is pegged down, and hanging a camouflage net between trees needs another run of line at each anchor point. Buying a longer reel and cutting to length is generally simpler than carrying several short pieces that are all the wrong size.

What is para cord used for?

• Shelter: ridge lines, guy lines and tie-outs, where the sheath takes the friction against bark and pegs.
• Repairs: replacement laces, zip pulls, strap keepers and lashing a broken pole to a splint.
• Load control: compressing a roll mat, tying kit to the outside of a pack, hanging food off the ground.
• Inner strands: fine thread for sewing, snare or fishing line, and dental-floss-thin cordage for small jobs.

Are paracord bracelets any use?

They are a way of carrying a short length without thinking about it. A typical woven band unravels into a few metres of cord, which is enough for a repair rather than a shelter, so it complements a reel instead of replacing one. Versions with a flint striker or a compact blade in the buckle add a second function to the same wrist space. The honest test before buying one is whether the weave can be released quickly with cold hands, since a bracelet that needs a knife to open has lost half its point.

How do you stop the ends fraying?

Cut cord unravels almost immediately, and once the sheath opens the inner strands slide out. The standard fix is heat: pass the cut end briefly through a flame until the nylon melts, then roll it smooth against a hard surface rather than pinching it with fingers. For a neater finish, whip the end with one of the inner strands. Keep reels dry and out of long sun exposure, because ultraviolet light slowly weakens nylon even when the cord looks untouched.