What Is A Paracord Survival Bracelet & How to Use?

If you are relatively new to the world of camping and outdoor adventuring, then you might be wondering, “what is a paracord survival bracelet?”. As you can probably guess by the name, a paracord survival bracelet is a bracelet that is made by weaving paracords together. They are known by many different names, such as 550 cord bracelets, parachute cord bracelets, survival bracelets, etc. These bracelets are trendy among campers, hikers, survivalists, climbers, and anyone who likes adventuring through the great outdoors.

What makes these bracelets so helpful and handy is that they are made from 7 inner strands, each containing three strands of their own. Cutting off the interior cord and tying it to the outer line with a square knot will yield hundreds of feet of rope, which can be used for fishing, sewing, shelter construction, and other things.

They are typically equipped with a side release buckle, a knot & loop, or a whistle buckle. Among them, having a whistle buckle may be advantageous as making noise in an emergency will help people find you more easily. Lastly, let’s not forget the best thing about paracord bracelets – they are incredibly stylish and come in a wide range of colors and designs.

What Makes Paracord Different From Other Cords?

At a glance, paracord looks like an ordinary rope that you can find at your local hardware store. But that is far from the truth. The first difference between paracord and other cords is their material. Most survival ropes and cords are made from polyester or polypropylene, but paracord is made from nylon. 

The second difference between paracord and other cords is its incredible strength-to-weight ratio. They have a maximum weight capacity of 550 lbs, which is why they are commonly known as “550 cords”. And they are so lightweight you will likely forget that you are wearing them around your wrist. 

And the last difference between ordinary cords and paracords is that paracords consist of a braided sheath that includes a large number of interwoven strands that can be unraveled to be used in emergencies. Furthermore, you can use the inner cords of your bracelet as additional cords. 

How To Deploy A Paracord Survival Bracelet?

It is effortless to deploy a paracord bracelet. All you need to do is release the side buckle and pull out the paracord. For instance, if your bracelet has a fishbone gear tie, simply take out one end of the bracelet, then grasp the bracelet tightly and pull the fishbone gear out. That will completely unravel the bracelet leaving you with only the paracord.

However, keep in mind, different paracord bracelets require different methods to be deployed. But all of them are relatively easy to deploy and use. On the other hand, it can be pretty time-consuming to restore the paracord into a bracelet again. Unfortunately, that topic is beyond the scope of this article. 

How You Can Use A Paracord Bracelet In A Survival Situation?

Paracord bracelets are one of the most useful survival tools that you can have in your arsenal. Here is an outline of how you can use a paracord bracelet in a survival situation.

• Make a shelter: Let’s say you end up getting stranded in the middle of the woods. If you have a paracord bracelet with you, you can use the paracord to make a shelter for yourself. Use the paracord to tie up two logs together horizontally, ensuring there is enough room in between for you to slip under. Then lash together branches and lean them against the two logs at a 45-degree angle to form a shelter. Now you can sit and rest underneath your shelter while you figure out what to do.
  

• Fishing: You can use the inner cord of your survival bracelet to craft a fishing line. Simply attach your cord to a bait and hook, and you are good to go. If you don’t have a hook and bait or don’t have the time to fish, you can also use the paracord to make a gill net that you can use to catch some fish.
  

• Craft traps: If there aren’t any water bodies around for fishing, you can use your paracord to make traps for small games. Just like gill nets, you can make snare traps to catch small passing animals by tying one end of the paracord to a tree and making a noose. Make sure to leave the knot loose so that it will tighten when a nearby animal comes hunting for food. Attach the branch to a hammered or buried piece of wood nearby to keep the noose from being triggered.
  

• Use it as a tourniquet: In an emergency where you may have cut yourself, you can use your paracord bracelet to make a tourniquet. All you need to do is unravel the paracord and tightly tie it around your wound to stop the bleeding.
  
  
• Mark your trail: Unwind your survival bracelet and use bits of paracord to indicate your way through the woods by tying them around branches and other visible locations. Alternatively, use it to rig the path with bells, so you know when something is approaching.
  

• Make repairs: You can use some of the inner cord of your bracelet to make sewing kits and use it to repair rips and tears on your bags, clothes, camping gear, etc. However, you do need to bring a sewing needle along with you.
  
  
• Starting a fire: This is for more advanced campers as you need a lot of technical knowledge to start a fire using a paracord. To put it briefly, you tie your paracord to a bendable tree branch to make a bow. Find a stone to serve as the “socket,” a thin piece of wood to serve as the spindle, and a flat piece of wood with a little V-shaped notch cut into it. Insert some tinder in the notch, then wrap the bowstring around the spindle’s center and place one end of the spindle in the notch. Hold the spindle in position with the socket on the other end and move the bow back and forth fast to produce friction and heat.
  
  
• Transportation: Since paracords can generally withstand a maximum weight of 550 lbs, they are great for hauling prey, branches, firewood, etc. Just tie it around what you need to carry, and you are good to go.
  
  
• Making slings: You can also use your paracord as a sling. Not only to secure your arm in the case of an accident, but you can also use it to carry rifles, bows, etc.
  
  
• Climbing: In case you get stuck on a cliff and don’t have enough climbing rope, you can use your paracord as an alternative to climb up safely. It is also possible to make a rope ladder by using two pieces of paracord parallelly. 
  
  

There are plenty of other uses for paracord bracelets that we haven’t mentioned here. And let’s not forget that these bracelets come with many additional useful tools like a pocket knife, compass, etc. The only limitation for what you can’t do with paracord bracelets is your imagination.

Concluding Thoughts

Paracord survival bracelets are one of the most useful fashion accessories that an adventurer can wear. Not only are they lightweight and easy to deploy, but campers can use them in many different emergency situations. Most survival tools are large, bulky, and hard to carry. That is not the case with paracord bracelets. If you have read up to this point, we hope you have a solid idea about paracord bracelets and how to use them outdoors.