The Most Versatile Item in Your Bug-Out Bag

Recently by Tess Pennington: Security in the Suburbs

No fashion accessory says “prepper” more than a paracord bracelet. With that around your wrist, you have at least 10 feet of 550 pound test rope. The cord is made of many tiny strands and can also be unravelled if a thinner cord is necessary.

Paracord, according to Wikipedia, is a “light weight nylon kernmantle rope originally used in the suspension lines of US parachute during World War II. Once in the field, paratroopers found this cord useful for many other tasks. It is now used as a general purpose utility cord by both military personnel and civilians.”

The question isn’t “What can you do with paracord?” It’s “What can’t you do with paracord?”

Here are some ideas for what paracord can be used for. Some of these would use the cord in its entirety, while others would call for the cord to be unravelled with single strands being called into duty.

50 Ways to Utilize Paracord in a Survival Situation

  1. Bear bag
  2. Belt
  3. Bow drill for fire starting
  4. Clothesline
  5. Dental floss
  6. Dog collar
  7. Fish stringer
  8. Fishing line
  9. Hair tie
  10. Hammock
  11. Handcuffs
  12. Hatband
  13. Handle on an improvised weapon
  14. Key fob
  15. Lanyard
  16. Leash
  17. Net
  18. Pulley system
  19. Rappelling (Only in extreme emergency – not designed for this)
  20. Repairing broken equipment

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Tess Pennington joined the Dallas chapter of the American Red Cross in 1999 Tess worked as an Armed Forces Emergency Services Center specialist and is well versed in emergency and disaster management and response. You can follow her regular updates on Preparedness, Homesteading, and a host of other topics at ReadyNutrition.com.