paracord critique

[crazydave]

over the years I've mainly used the british stuff as that was what we had and been quite happy with it, even finding the cheapo budget stuff useable for shelters and lanyards. the past few years though I have read loads on how much better the american stuff is as it has more threads in the middle and all other stuff is rubbish.

well today as I was bored and I did a proper comparison as I bought a load from the moot and have been chopping it up - the US stuff does have 2 more threads than the british stuff then it becomes useless really, you cant unravell it and use the kernmantel threads as they are too small to work with. its prettier cord in many colours, makes good accessories and is pleasant to work with, you can strip the inner thread, still have a usefull bit of cord and there it ends.

The brit stuff you can strip the inner threads out for sewing or fishing, still have a good bit of cord like the US stuff but then you can strip it down further to make a dozen or so threads the same size as the inner ones, I once made a gill net from a 2m piece of brit cord as part of a challenge on a course. try that with US stuff.

 

[Celt_Ginger]

mmmmm, I've just tried it with proper 550 7 strand paracord that I bought from the USA direct (I bought about 100m of the stuff in woodland camo colour.) I had no difficulty in stripping the inner cords out. like you though, I was unable to strip down the outer casing any futher. Oh, hold that, I gave it a bit of welly and I was able to get them. It takes a bit of force to get the first one or two to go though.

 

[crazydave]

see how long it takes to strip right down and what you can do with it and you'll see what I mean.

20 years ago I used to carry a dozen bootlaces for setting shelters up, how things change.

 

[Celt_Ginger]

I know what you mean CD. I'm not sure if I could strip down a piece of the outer casing longer than about one metre or so.

 

[mace242]

Here's an interesting idea: How about we post the type of paracord (or what we use in its place) we use and a brief summary of the makeup and the uses we put it to and how it does.

We'd all learn a bit and perhaps consider alternatives we've not thought of.

 

[Toddy]

Could we shove in photos too ?
I've been getting thoroughly vexed trying to find enough 'paracord' for 24 guylines for my parachute recently, and ended up buying 50' lengths from an Army Surplus place in Glasgow.......utter stuff from the fundamental orifice it snagged on every damned thing, shredded itself into fankled granny knots.........yet the inner knitted core lines are excellent

Nice thread CD

cheers,
Toddy

 

[crazydave]

I'll dig the camera out and do a proper comparison for folks then when I have a few minutes inbetween chores I should have most types kicking around.

purlon rope is probably better for chutes and a camping shop will sell guy line cord by the meter if its going to be dragged through hedges and such. paracord is designed to hold weight in a smooth airy enviroment.

 

[rik_uk3]

mmmmm, I've just tried it with proper 550 7 strand paracord that I bought from the USA direct (I bought about 100m of the stuff in woodland camo colour.) I had no difficulty in stripping the inner cords out. like you though, I was unable to strip down the outer casing any futher. Oh, hold that, I gave it a bit of welly and I was able to get them. It takes a bit of force to get the first one or two to go though.

I've also got around 100m of the American 7 strand, don't see much difference to be honest

 

[Aaron]

A whole 2 more threads? Well I'll be damned.

 

[Bimble]

What’s the love affair with paracord anyway?

When was the last time anyone stripped lines out the middle of the stuff and used it for fishing?

As with all things, the outdoor love affair with Paracord is to do with history. When the original 550 Paracord stuff was made (Minimum breaking strain 550 lb, hence the name, or 250 Kg in new money) it was a mil spec cord. If you brought some to the spec, it would have a guaranteed quality. This was very important back in the early days of nylon as the properties of the polymer would vary wildly. Not good if you have just jumped out of a plane.

The use of numerous internal cords allowed the cord to be very supple, which is its main advantage and quite possibly why it’s still popular, so when you jumped the cords had fewer tendencies to ‘knot up’ and you could pack the chute easily. These are good properties in a parachute but not for other things.

When it comes to knot strength and tying certain types of knots the sliding inner cords don’t help.

Much stronger polymers and copolymers have been developed since, and these make mind bogglingly strong, thin cords that are much stronger than regular Paracord.
Vectran, Technora, Spectra, Kevlar, (Note that trade name are rife in the plastics industry). Kevlar/Spectra blends and Spectra/Nylon webbing are all used for climbing, sailing, power kites, etc. These materials all have different properties, and in some applications/knots, dramatically different performance.
The Dyneema stuff, such as aircore guy lines, is stupidly strong for its diameter and weight and does not absorb water. It is however not ‘soft’ so some ‘gripping’ knots don’t work so well.

I think we should look at what the best ‘modern cordage’ is instead of worrying about the ancient military surplus stuff.

Just a thought (I still carry Paracord on my tarp, though I’m tempted by the Aircore and some niteze figure 9 tensioners ) ........any suggestions?

 

[spamel]

I use Purlon and Paracord (Brit pattern!) for most applications, but that's because I blagged a reel of each before I left the Mob!

I use large diameter Purlon for ridgelines, it would come in handy for a crossing over a river, perhaps on a fallen log as a handline, or for swimming across, not that I'll probably ever do that in UK. I have very fine Purlon for lanyards on little bits of kit, and an intermediate Purlon for prusiks, etc.

Paracord is the normal Brit diameter paracord that is used for anything. It is great cordage and will stand up to a good amount of abuse. I haven't had any trouble with yarns being snagged and pulled out, it seems to slip through undergrowth quite nicely.

I'd love to use natural fibre ropes on my tarps, etc, but it rots if it stays wet and just weighs too much for its' rated load. I'm afraid that nylon cordage is the way ahead on this one.

 

[fishy1]

Here's an interesting idea: How about we post the type of paracord (or what we use in its place) we use and a brief summary of the makeup and the uses we put it to and how it does.

We'd all learn a bit and perhaps consider alternatives we've not thought of.

I use 1.3mm nylon net rigging cord. It's a very tightly woven cord, incredibly abrasion resistant, lightweight, and does not stretch at all. Cheap also. I can get sizes up to 4mm easily. It's terrific stuff.

For a ridgeline, I use 4mm polyprop as it's useful for lashings as well. Also very cheap.

 

[Toddy]

Paracord is the normal Brit diametetc.er paracord that is used for anything. It is great cordage and will stand up to a good amount of abuse. I haven't had any trouble with yarns being snagged and pulled out, it seems to slip through undergrowth quite nicely.
QUOTE]

I was in a hurry and I couldn't get anything in Glasgow but a very soft weave stuff in OD that they insisted was paracord..........it looked *nothing* like the paracord I got from Rapidboy, which has been rock solid. If I hadn't needed it so quickly I just wouldn't have taken it 'cos even to me it looked dodgy.
Is purlon the softer stuff ? or is it the narrower braided line ?

I've since bought a 100m reel of 3mm braided polyprop. that seems as though it will do very well, but it would have been good to know 'exactly' what I was looking for in the first place.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[ANDYRAF]

I use Purlon and Paracord (Brit pattern!) for most applications, but that's because I blagged a reel of each before I left the Mob!

Spamel did you used to use the reel of "green" string for camo nets, do you remember the stuff it was a bit like gardeners string but stronger,all the trees on Salisbury plain are festooned with it.
I want to get some but can't find it anywhere, any ideas.

Andy

 

[Toddy]

Don't know of this helps but this is the stuff I bought.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-Tracpac-p...Z007QQcategoryZ123703QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

cheers,
Toddy

 

[scanker]

Spamel did you used to use the reel of "green" string for camo nets, do you remember the stuff it was a bit like gardeners string but stronger,all the trees on Salisbury plain are festooned with it.
I want to get some but can't find it anywhere, any ideas.

Andy

Is that string, green, hairy? I've used Comms cord which is pretty thin, strong and lightweight.

 

[spamel]

Yeah, I've got a reel or two of comms cord kicking about some place. It is just like gardeners string, really strong. If you can't find any in your local B&Q, Homebase, etc, then give me a shout. In fact, I have a bunch of things I have to get sent off to people, so sorry to asnyone still waiting. I haven't forgotten you!

 

[spamel]

Here's a quick shot, bottom to top:

Comms cord, small purlon, medium purlon, large purlon, paracord.

 

[Aaron]

Having found to my dismay that the British paracord in my pack possesses no less than two fewer inner strands than the US issue, I have a mind to write a strongly worded letter to my MP.

Our boys in US and Afghanistan deserve better than this blatant attempt at cost cutting - while those flashy yanks parade around with their two extra strands and flashy multi-coloured inner weave! I urge you to do the same!

 

[Wayland]

A whole 2 more threads? Well I'll be damned.

Having found to my dismay that the British paracord in my pack possesses no less than two fewer inner strands than the US issue, I have a mind to write a strongly worded letter to my MP.

Our boys in US and Afghanistan deserve better than this blatant attempt at cost cutting - while those flashy yanks parade around with their two extra strands and flashy multi-coloured inner weave! I urge you to do the same!

Are you spoiling for an argument or something?

It's long been known that paracord varies but this is the first thread I've seen looking into the differences.

Maybe the differences aren't huge but if paracord is a component of your survival equipment it might be significant.

If you are not interested go and read something that does interest you. Simple really.