Is It A Superior Quality Paracord Bracelet?
A paracord bracelet is made using 3 equal pieces of parachute cord, (hence the name) which are woven in a special way to come up with a bracelet that can be worn easily and conveniently, and which can be used as a survival piece during emergencies. In most cases, paracord bracelets are secured with a special metal, button, or plastic lock. Should an emergency arise where you need to use it, you simply untie your bracelet and there you have your lifeline.
This featherweight nylon kern mantle rope was originally used to suspend lines of parachutes used by the US military during the World War II. Today, it has become a versatile utility cord that is very durable with a minimum breaking strength of a whopping 550lb.
As is with anything else today, the market has a variety of these pieces; hence it pays to pay extra attention when purchasing one. At face value, most all of these pieces will look the same. On closer inspection though, you will be very surprised to find huge differences in workmanship, quality, and attention to detail and sizing options. So, how do you go about buying the real paracord bracelet and not a close imitation?
Knot consistency – while buying a paracord bracelet in a physical outlet may be a little easier because you get to hold it and scrutinize it carefully, buying through online stores poses a great challenge. This becomes an even tougher challenge because most of the pieces are displayed with one or two pictures. So how do you know how consistency the knotting is? Just check closely to ensure that all knots appear to be spaced equally and have kind of the same tightness.
Sizing of the bracelet – of course you can always request for custom made pieces, and most vendors will always try to make your bracelet as per the circumference of your wrist. They will instruct you on measuring your wrist, but not all of them will advice you on the best way to do it. There are those who recommend using a cord, twine, or string. For accurate results, always ensure you use all the three ways and if there is a significant difference in the results, then ask for guidance. Avoid vendors who will attempt to evade the sizing issue by giving you 3 or 4 pre-made pieces.
Buckle closure – the other indicator of a good piece is whether the size of the buckle complements the width of the knotted bangle. Most vendors may use a tiny 3/8 inch buckle on a bangle with a ¾ or 7/8 inch knotted width, obviously in an effort to cut on costs. Of course the buckle will look out of place.
Real 550 cord – while all vendors will label their bangles 'paracord bracelets', not all of them will use the real type III Mil-spec 550 cord. Be advised that original paracord has this strong and durable nylon sheath and beneath each sheath are 7 individual nylon woven strands.
When all is said and done, the idiom "you get exactly what you pay for" is really applicable here. While cheap price is not always an indicator of poor quality, more often than not you will be getting your money's worth when it comes to a paracord bracelet.
This featherweight nylon kern mantle rope was originally used to suspend lines of parachutes used by the US military during the World War II. Today, it has become a versatile utility cord that is very durable with a minimum breaking strength of a whopping 550lb.
As is with anything else today, the market has a variety of these pieces; hence it pays to pay extra attention when purchasing one. At face value, most all of these pieces will look the same. On closer inspection though, you will be very surprised to find huge differences in workmanship, quality, and attention to detail and sizing options. So, how do you go about buying the real paracord bracelet and not a close imitation?
Knot consistency – while buying a paracord bracelet in a physical outlet may be a little easier because you get to hold it and scrutinize it carefully, buying through online stores poses a great challenge. This becomes an even tougher challenge because most of the pieces are displayed with one or two pictures. So how do you know how consistency the knotting is? Just check closely to ensure that all knots appear to be spaced equally and have kind of the same tightness.
Sizing of the bracelet – of course you can always request for custom made pieces, and most vendors will always try to make your bracelet as per the circumference of your wrist. They will instruct you on measuring your wrist, but not all of them will advice you on the best way to do it. There are those who recommend using a cord, twine, or string. For accurate results, always ensure you use all the three ways and if there is a significant difference in the results, then ask for guidance. Avoid vendors who will attempt to evade the sizing issue by giving you 3 or 4 pre-made pieces.
Buckle closure – the other indicator of a good piece is whether the size of the buckle complements the width of the knotted bangle. Most vendors may use a tiny 3/8 inch buckle on a bangle with a ¾ or 7/8 inch knotted width, obviously in an effort to cut on costs. Of course the buckle will look out of place.
Real 550 cord – while all vendors will label their bangles 'paracord bracelets', not all of them will use the real type III Mil-spec 550 cord. Be advised that original paracord has this strong and durable nylon sheath and beneath each sheath are 7 individual nylon woven strands.
When all is said and done, the idiom "you get exactly what you pay for" is really applicable here. While cheap price is not always an indicator of poor quality, more often than not you will be getting your money's worth when it comes to a paracord bracelet.
