Pros - ditto what everyone else has said - versatile, extra cordage from the multiple inner strands

Cons - What others have already mentioned. Also, someone mentioned it melts easily and is flexible, making it unsuitable for use in making a fire bow drill, yes?

Best use -- Parachutes!! :-)

Worst use -- Lifeline (parachutes use lots of redundant shroud lines).

I carry mason line for most of the uses I would use paracord for, and light deema or other lifeline for a lifeline (about the same weight, 4k lb+ breaking strength).

Paracord is good for wrapping things like handles or making stuff you use anyway, ie braclets, belts, hatbands, etc. (like kevingg's beautiful stuff) which makes it available and maximizes its versatility.

YMMV

Respectfully,

Jerry

One of the cons I notice is it stretches a little. Not always a big deal, but when I use it for a bear bag, I've got to take that into account when I tie off the bag (I'm a tie-er, not a second-bagger).

Speaking of colors, there are stores that sell numerous colors. I know CountyComm has a good variety in the earth tone/camo department, as well as day-glo orange and some darker non-tactical colors (http://countycomm.com/550cord.htm). I know there's some places to buy other colors, but I can't attest to their authenticity.

I've got some mason line and fishing line in my BOB. Also have some ?spectra in my backpack - it's lightweight nylong line, looks similar to a single thread from the 550 cord. Not sure what it is - found a huge spool in the car from someone that I house-sat for - but it works great for little projects.

I don't see the benefit in an urban situation. When I take public transportation, all I have is what I can fit in my bag and pockets. The benefit-to-space ratio seems lacking in this situation.

Also, experience is a good teacher. Probably everything I EDC is the result of experience. I add and make modifications based on experience. Other than securing the trunk when closing it is not an option, I can't think of any situation where paracord may come in handy.

Jeanette Isabelle

I can think of a few:

Replace a broken shoelace
Tie open a door
Tie shut a door
Expedient lanyard
Replace handle of broken luggage/suitcase/purse
Fix/replace broken bra strap (I have 3 daughters)
Replace broken draw string in pants
With paperclip or safety pin, fish out keys/etc. from grate

Pete

Have you looked at angler's knots? If they work with monofilament (SP?), then they should work with mason line.




Off pavement: Invaluable. I've used it to hold together delaminating boots, for tent lines, hanging food, strap gear to packs, etc.

On pavement: Limited use. A flat pack of good duct tape and carpet thread is more usefull for urban situations. Go with an extra pack of shoelaces if you must carry cord.

IMO the best thing about paracord is that it is a good general use line.

In use it is fairly unremarkable by modern standards for synthetic lines. Biggest things to remember is that 550 pounds is the minimum breaking strength. Safe working load is a fraction of that. A common rule of thumb for calculating safe working load from minimum break strength is to divide by five. So figure safe working load on mil-spec 550 cord is 110 pounds.

It also has to be noted that paracord loses about 15% strength when wet. So figure 93.5 pounds safe working load when wet.

It also has to be noted that this only hold true for new line tested in a laboratory mounted with care to make sure the kernmantle sleeve works with the inner strands. Less careful use makes it less effective. Also older, worn, UV damaged paracord, like stuff that has been macramed into a bracelet and worn for a year or two, will have proportionally less strength remaining. Safe working load may be 50 pounds or less.

IMO the worse thing is that it has become a material, actually a quite unremarkable material, that has become a cult object. This has its roots in WW2 when it was primarily used for parachute suspension lines and airborne troops had easiest access to the stuff. It developed a cache of being new and special. In 1945 it kind of was high-tech and special.

This was reinforced during Korea and after when survival was emphasized for fliers and the working assumption was that they would come down in their chute and have a goodly amount of paracord to work with. Associated with airborne training and survival it was a natural for elite units. So paracord became the standard for reliable light line in the late 40s and early 50s, when much or the military, and most civilians, were still using natural fiber ropes for utility use.

Sixty years later paracord, even the genuine mil-spec Type III stuff, real 550 cord, is not all that remarkable. It is still reliable light line. It still caries a lot of cache, pull out a length of paracord and you summon up pictures of paratroopers sweating out rides in C-47s over Normandy and SF cadre patrolling triple-canopy jungle in Vietnam, but time has moved on. Nylon is no longer seen as a miracle material and kernmantle construction is old hat for climbers and boatmen.

Personally I've found that common quarter-inch triple-strand nylon, safe working load 182 pounds (ABYC), can do most of what paracord does and does some things better. You can pull the core strands out of 550 but triple-strand can be entirely unlaid, all the way down to thread.

The nautical phrase 'spinning yarns' came from the practice of sailors, lacking anything better to do, sitting in a circle and telling tales as they took worn or unused lengths of hawser and unwinding them to produce 'small stuff', anything less than 1" circumference (about 5/16" diameter), and yarns, the smallest twisted strands. Sailing ships seldom actually bought anything less than 2" circumference line, about 5/8 diameter, because manufacturing their own from heavier lines was cheaper.

Of course nylon isn't the only material now. Polyester, Dacron, is about as strong and costly as nylon but it doesn't pay a penalty for being wet, doesn't degrade as fast in sunlight (UV), and it doesn't stretch so much.

More modern materials, Spectra, Dyneema, Kevlar are much stronger than either of those but they are also much pricier and all have their own special issues. Many, particularly Dyneema, are so slippery that tying a reliable knot in them is a challenge. Kevlar wears out quickly if bent too tightly. Some compounds, if they aren't coated or treated, can suffer catastrophic UV damage in a few days in the tropical sun.

Where do you get the cord? Kevin's not the only knot-head in here and I can burn through paracord at an alarming (expensive) rate. I've been using this stuff because it's so cheap, but it's too stiff for a decent knot.

http://www.homedepot.com/Tools-Hardware-...catalogId=10053

Any cord would do for those.

Also, most of them could be achieved with a bandanna, folded into a triangle and rolled so you get the diagonal length. A bandanna is even more versatile (especially if you are willing to cut it into squares or strips), and will go flat in a pocket.

The facts that paracord is soft and bulky are probably the key to its virtues, however limited you conclude they may be.

Soft and bulky works because it is easy to see and easy on the hands and whatever other part of your anatomy to which it comes in contact. So: lashed-on handles / covers; replacement seat bottoms; haul lines within its weight limits; highly visible lines where that is good; knot / braiding / weaving / macrame / knitting / net learning; apparel add-ons or replacements; strap / retainer replacement; etcetera.

However, because it is not incredibly strong, abrasion-resistant, water-shedding, UV-resistant, etcetera, paracord is probably best for temporary, improvised uses. Which happens to be why most carry some around!