I think the ideas that really work for paracord accessories are the ones like bracelets, anklets, hat bands and keyfobs. They're not necessary pieces of equipment so you really don't lose anything by unwinding them in a survival situation.

A belt on the other hand is usually a functional item that keeps your pants up and it's the same for shoe laces. A rifle sling makes carrying a rifle easier and a handle wrap makes a blade more comfortable to use and for a more sure grip.

I might think about wrapping the butt of my rifle with paracord though.

Though I wonder just how practical it really is. I don't know about everyone else but I like to keep my ropes and cords readily available. Weaving paracord into a big braid that takes a while to do and undo seems to defeat the purpose somehow.

Space consideration is also a bit moot. I can compress 10' of paracord into a very small bundle easily. Fits well on a small carabiner attached to my backpack when hiking outdoors, can be deployed instantly. For urban EDC I prefer to keep the paracord inside the pack. Low profile and takes very little room. No more than a fat 10" braid I guess.

As for aesthetics, I don't find paracord braids very sexy. I've done some weird things but I wouldn't be caught dead wearing a paracord braid ankle bracelet. Like somebody else has pointed out already, too much braiding might hurt your sex life... But to each his own!

Before we learned to make them ourselves my wife bought me a paracord bracelet for Christmas last year and I wear it just about everywhere. She actually likes the look of it maybe she is wierd not sure but there is nothing wrong with wearing these bracelets. Someone mentioned they would just rather carry the paracord loose and I do that as well when hiking and camping but you don't always have a pack on with caribiners hanging on it. These items are more for every day carry out of the way and unoticed until needed. I do think rifle sling and belt are going a little too far because once you remove them you obviously no longer have the sling or belt. Just my two cents before I put on my bracelet and head out of the house.

Problem with paracord stuff like bracelets is that it is uncomfortable against the skin and it begins to stink big time very quickly. Washing it does not seem to help much.

nomad..

I'm curious about the belt situation. I EDC various tools on my belt and regular belts wouldn't stand up to the wear. I wonder how well the paracord belt would perform under similar conditions?

It would seem they have some uses as pack straps for connecting objects, compression straps (though I don't know how much the play would eventually be a problem), and similar items.

Does anyone have a source for a company that sells ready made Slatts paracord belts?

I use paracord and/or braided accessory cord to make little lanyards or fobs for EDC stuff like my Victorinox Farmer and my Fenix flashlight. It is discreet since it is in my pockets. I use a hangman's noose. It come's apart easily and get's put back into it's pocketable configuration in about a minute. It gives me a 3-4 feet length of cordage. In the case of paracord, times 8.

When needed around PHRASECENSOREDPOSTERSHOULDKNOWBETTER., I pull out the flashlight and unravel the cord for use. It deploys in seconds. I have used it to save a kid's (not mine) pinata event at his birthday party. The parents didn't have anything to hang it up with. And we were at their home. Can you believe that?

Also used it for field expedient repairs when I didn't have my pack with me and just my EDC pocket stuff.

In my pack and truck, I just have it hanked up.

What if you don't have access to, or lose, your pack? Do you keep that pack within arm's reach everywhere you go, every time? You very well may be able to do this, but most of us can't.

If there's a fire alarm or earthquake while you're in a meeting at the office or visiting the men's room, you probably won't be able to go retrieve your pack before evacuating the building (of course you must tailor your profile to fit likely problems, like Schwert demonstrates here). Now what do you have on hand, on your person to help deal with the situation? A boater who carries his critical gear in a boat mounted bag & nothing on his person is in trouble if he gets dumped from the boat, washed downstream and drags himself onto the bank. It's 38 degF and windy. Wouldn't it be great to have a firestarter & a AMK HeatSheet in your pocket?

The paracord bracelet/anklet idea fits into the concept of 1st/2nd/3rd line gear. The bracelet is not meant to be your primary source of cord. I too keep easily available cord in my pack, and it is what I go to if I need cord. But if I can't access the pack, I have the bare minimum in my 1st line gear profile. I keep a few feet of duct tape wrapped on a plastic card in my wallet, along with more in my pack. If I have my pack that's where I go to get tape, but the little bit in my wallet is there if I can't get to the pack.

I'm not saying that everyone here should wear a paracord bracelet and keep duct tape in their wallet. I'm just saying that if you plan to always be able to dig through a well-stocked backpack for critical items, you might find yourself disappointed one day.

Well, I have my backpack within easy reach maybe 90% of the time at work and commuting. I don't take it everywhere. Not to meetings that take place in the same bulding or when I'm out for lunch (5mins away where I work). The rest of the time I'm either home, meaning I have even more gear at hand, or going somewhere else where I usually bring my pack anyway. So all in all, I'd say I'm darn well covered.

Sure, there are times when I might not have access to all my EDC/PSK gear. It happens. Then you have to improvise. I don't carry a knife in my pocket when I'm home. Which technically means I don't have a knife with me when I go take a pee. Even though there might be an earthquake at the very moment, trapping me literally with my pants down. Does that mean everyone should keep a small pocket knife in their rectum just in case? Or a bunch of stuff tied to a big paracord necklace?

I don't know, there's being on the safe side and there's being paranoid. You can reduce risk but you can't eliminate it. I don't believe a few feet of paracord wrapped in a "tactical" braid will necessarily save the day if you find yourself in a life threatening situation either. To each his own.

I like the idea of a belt, and have actually tried to make one myself. Has anyone seen or made a version that uses a different weave than the bracelet originally mentioned? I would prefer something that does not use hundreds of feet of paracord, since that would be very heavy. I am thinking something that is similar to a nylon belt.