Paracord 101

 Just a sample of the few colors that paracord comes in.

Verification of the seven strand inner core.


So for those out there that have no idea what paracord is...lets begin. Paracord ( parachute cord) is lightweight nylon kernmantle rope. The original purpose of this rope was in the suspension lines of parachutes for United States troops in World War Two. Once troops landed in the field the cord was cut from the chute and found to be incredibly useful for numerous tasks. Type III cord is the most common used and has a breaking point of 550lbs, which is why it is commonly called Paracord 550 or 550 cord.
The inner cores is made up of 7-9 strands of 2-3 ply nylon braid covered by a sheath that is made up of 32 strands. The inner core is easily removed and the strands can be used individually for finer tasks. The relatively cheap cost of paracord and its wide range of uses has made it popular for non military personnel, especially hunters, fisherman and outdoormen. With its acceptance as a mainstream "fashion" symbol it has made it easier for outdoorsmen and others to wear bracelets, lanyards and other accessories as a means of always having paracord on hand. Here is a short list of just what I can think of sitting here at the computer of some of paracords uses.
snares
fishing line
floss
bootlaces
belts
bracelets
lanyards
tent tie downs
hanging food in the outdoors
tying a boat to a dock
nautical uses (not much of a boating person so I'm limited in this area)
pull string repair for motors
trip lines
whip making
tourniquets
making a spear
lashing items together
climbing purposes (although it is not designed for this and is very uncomfortable due to it being so thin, it will hold your weight.
gun slings
making bolas
making netting
making planter pot holders
dog leashes
dog collars
used for pulling loads
sewing repairs of clothing.
making a bow drill for fire making
This is just a small list of the many uses of this incredible cord. However the last amazing use of this cord I must put in. Paracord had been used in space.  This cord was  used by astronauts during STS-82, the second Space Shuttle mission to repair the Hubble Space Telescope. If it is good enough for NASA, then its definitely good enough for me!
(some facts obtained from Wikipedia)