Prepper Recon

The Many Uses of Para-Cord

Para-cord is prepper gold. Is has so many uses that make it a must have for every bug out bag. One of the things preppers look at when deciding what will and won’t make it into the bug out bag is how much room does an item take up compared to how many functions it has. For example, I would love to take an air conditioner and a small generator in my bug out bag. Unfortunately, that would use two bug out bags and not leave me with room for anything else. So picking items that have a lot of utility is key. Para-cord, takes up very little room and weighs almost nothing. The survival situation uses for para-cord are limited only by your imagination. Here are just a few to get you started thinking.

Shelter

Para-cord can be use to tie a tarp to a tree to make a shelter. If you do not have a tarp, para-cord can be used to lash a branch horizontally across two trees. Other branches can then be laid across that branch to make a shelter.

Food

Para-cord can be used to make a snare to catch game. It can also be fashioned into a sling that can launch small stones to hunt or for self-defense. Para-cord has several individual strands inside that can be separated and tied together to make long lines to use for fishing. A hook can be made from a safety pin or could be carved from wood.

Fire

Para-cord can be used to make a bow drill. Bow drills work best when humidity is low and all the materials are very dry. Some people carry a little dry tender to start their initial flame. Dryer lint is very flammable if kept in a sealed container.

Security

We mentioned a sling that could be made for hunting, it can also be used for security. You can also set up trip lines around your camp for security. If you set the trip lines to topple loud objects, it will add an alarm feature to the trip lines.

Para-cord can also be used to tie firewood together to make it easier to transport. It can be used to attach a knife or other equipment to the outside of your backpack. It can be used as a belt or to make a splint for fractures or sprains. You can use it to repair broken objects. The list goes on and on. Para-cord has so many uses that many people keep it as part of their everyday carry. One popular way to always have para-cord with you is to keep it as  your shoe laces. The problem is that the ends have to be melted which looks kind of raggedy if you work in a professional environment. Thomas Sciacca over at CampingSurvival.com now sells shoelaces made from para-cord. They come in a variety of colors and lengths.  For less than $2,  para-cord can be part of your everyday carry and you can still look like a million bucks. Below is a quick video on the para-cord shoestrings. CampingSurvival.com is our newest sponsor and is offering a 5% discount on all orders when you use coupon code PREPPERRECON.


Happy Prepping!