What is Paracord?

What is Paracord?

Parachute cord was obviously used for military parachuting but has many other functions and is mostly used for utility purposes today. This braided cord is also known as paracord, which is just a combination of both the words “parachute” and “cord”. It is also known as 550 cord in reference to the cord strenth, which has a breaking strength of 550lb.

Where to Purchase Paracord?

Many different colors of parachute cord are available from retailers. Each one generally carries a very wide selection of colors. Aside from standard solid colors, some special colors are available such as neon, camouflage, rainbow, and other combination colors. The cord also comes in different lengths too. Depending on your usage, you may purchase spools of the cord in 50′, 100′, 250′, 500′ and even over 1000′. Also different grades of this cord are available. They have different breaking strengths so the more pressure you expect to exert on the cord, the higher strength you should get. The lowest one available is type I, which has a breaking strength of 95lb.

What is Paracord

Military grade cord is available as well in an 8 strand version compared to the standard 7 strand cord and is made in a 550lb. breaking strength. These usually come in shades of tan, black, and gray and are higher quality than standard ones. One way the military has used this cord was for suspension lines in parachutes during WWII. It was also useful for keeping things tied down, whether it was to a truck, to a bag, or to trees–this cord was very versatile. They also used to pull out the braided center to use just the sheath when a thinner cord was required. This type of cord has been found useful for many other applications for the military as well as civilians this day in age.

300' 7-STRAND 550 PARACORD

300' 7-STRAND 550 PARACORD  

• 7 Strand 550 lb. Cord
• Made In The USA
• Multi-Purpose: Camping, Fishing, Survival, Gardens, Boating, Crabbing & Much More!
• Quick Drying
• Will Not Rot Or Mildew
• Type III Commercial
• Strong And Durable
• Manufactured By A Government Contractor in the USA
• 300' Stra

You can find this cord easily online as well as in regular retail stores. Since it was used in the military originally, you will find it to be a common item inside army surplus stores. Most people not be using this type of cord for parachuting. It is a very useful thing to have on trips such as for camping. You can use it to tie down things to your bag while hiking, or for holding together bundles of items like twigs, clothes, and more. If you go fishing or crabbing, you can even use this cord to make a net. You can buy this parachute cord in synthetic so it dries very quickly. Water-resistant ones won’t any mold on it so its perfect for using for wet applications.