Military 550 Cord, how much do you carry?

k_estela

k_estela

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I love the stuff to death. I use it for knife lanyards, for bear bags, and for countless other uses. I have used the inner seven strands for fishing line, for sewing thread, and even dental floss. In addition to the foot foot and a half section I use for lanyards on my Project II and SAK, I try to carry a fifty foot section for odds and ends around camp.
I have known some buddies to make braided belts out of the stuff or to make necklaces out of it (I wouldn't do this personally since I don't find it easing to know that the cord around my neck won't break unless an excess of 550# is on it). Here is the question: How much do you carry and how do you do it? Anything peculiar? Whats the most bizarre thing you have used it for?
 
I carry 25' of it all the time, in my cargo pocket.

And I have another 100' plus in my backpack.

Plus the para-cord on my Siegle 'Daily' to static line it to my belt, and some from my cargo pocket button to my FireSteel, and ..... You get the point.

Very useful stuff.

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Where is a good place to buy this? It must be tough, it resembles (to me) parachute risers, and those were only rated at 300 lbs or so. At least, that's what they told us in jump school....
 
sweede79, I bought mine at http://www.actiongear.com (or Brigade Quartermaster) just to make sure that it is the true 550 lb quality.

I carry only about 20-25 feet in my belt pouch (due to lack of space) and the rest of the 100 feet is in the backpack.

Great thing but I cannot report any exotic use of it yet.

HM
 
Sounds great, thanks! I always carry rope, but this sounds much better and more useful!
 
I keep 50ft in an outside pocket of my pack, and varying amounts 50-100ft(as its used) in the toolbox of my truck.
 
I should buy stock in 550 PARACORD Industries!

I have literally hundreds of feet located throughout my gear.

All my bug-out-boxes have several 100' rolls in them.

All my backpacks do.

My truck has a few hundred feet.

All my edged tools have lanyards.

I love the stuff.

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"There are more things on this planet with fangs, claws, poisons and scales than
there are things that are warm, fuzzy, and full of love. It's a simple fact."
-James Keating-
 
I have lots of this stuff around. I use it to make slings (the Biblical style weapon), and as clothes line, and for knife lanyards. Like others, I don't feel comfortable with it around my neck.

But for the kind of camping I do where my sleeping arrangements are with me and completely self contained, I have found something I like better in a heavy duty nylon kite line. This stuff is very strong (though not 500+ pounds), but more importantly, it is very compact and light compared to the paracord. You can get a 250ft spool of this stuff in a convenient to use roll the size of your fist weighing maybe 25% of what 100ft of the good paracord weighs. If you need more strength you can always braid it. By itself I don't believe any human being could break it by pulling it appart unaided. Like the paracord, it can be used for fishing line, floss, etc. Paracord stretches too, and this stuff, because it is essentially a few braided lines (from the sort inside the paracord) stretches even more.

Yet for the most common use I have of cordage in camp, the binding together of sticks (poles) to make tripods to hang things from (or on), this stuff is much better than paracord because it is strong enough to do the job (you go around a few times after all), and much less expensive than paracord. The other most common use, extra tent or hammoc stays, is also well suited to this stuff.
 
550 is the american express of utility cords ( don't leave home without it )I use it for everything...150 ft. is a good stock for an outing..
 
Any time my team goes out, you can bet there is at least 500' going out amongst the team members. It is never planned but always works out that way. On one op, a Lance Corporal opened his pack and had an entire industrial size spool in there. (And I thought the entire concept was to save weight.)
Best
recondoc
Semper Fi!
 
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