One for all – Paracord Survival Bracelets

This has been an extra crafty weekend thanks to the husband. Who would have thought that he would come up with idea, the books and the material for knotting bracelets? But not any old bracelets, mind you, but manly and incredibly useful Survival Bracelets using Parachute cord (Paracord) original developed for military purposes. I’d never heard of that one before but a Google search turns up an incredible amount of pages and shops either offering information on how to make them or selling the bracelets themselves.

Survival bracelet from 5 mm commando cord

What the heck is a survivial bracelet, you ask? Well, I didn’t know either so I did the research. Originally it’s been a military thing. The basic idea is to carry around some strong cord in case an emergency situation comes up where some of said strong cord might save your ass. But since loose cord is a bitch to carry around someone came up with the clever idea of knotting a bracelet. The knotting technique makes sure that you neatly fit a considerable length of cord into a tight package that can be worn but can also easily be unraveled if need be. What has been an emergency item for military members obviously has found the way to a wider public if all the Etsy listings for ‚paracord bracelet‘ and paracord webshops are anything to go by. Today Paracord is available in a wide range of colors that turn those accessories into fun fashion items.

Wide bracelet

There’s a few good tutorials and videos online that show how to make your own bracelet. As a starting point check out Stormdrane’s instructions that can be found in several places, for example at instructables.com. I think it’s basically macramé but don’t tell the guys 😉

Bracelets in different widths and materials

The original Paracord is a bit difficult to get here in Germany. eBay is probably the most likely source. Outdoor stores carry similar cord though and even a trip to the hardware store might prove enlightening. We found nylon cord in different diameters and colors and even the brightly colored cord that’s been used for the kiddie bracelet in the picture above. So DH and me spent the weekend knotting some bracelets and key fobs. Perfect activity for an otherwise rainy and drab weekend.