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I just bought a 300' role of parachute cord and I'm trying to figure out what lengths are most useful/practical for miscellanious uses. I remember we had lengths of it back when I was a kid, but just can't recall how long they were.

 

I've read some troop sites mention 50' lengths, but I fear that length would get tangled easily. I'm thinking maybe 25' or 30' lengths??

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What do you plan on using it for?

 

Also, remember it is always a bad idea to cut a rope, cord, or string unless necessary. It is easy to make a long cord short but it is a good bit more trouble to make a short cord into a long one, particularly if you want it to retain its original strength and not become easily tangled on knots.

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The plan is to bring along several lengths for miscellanious uses - clothes lines, storm lines on tents, tie downs in canoes/boats, lashings for pioneering type stuff, etc...

 

I don't have any real specific use in mind. Just figuring having some lengths of rope in the camping gear would prove helpful. Just being prepared.

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welcome to the campfire.

 

Para cord by its nature needs to be heat sealed after being cut and having differnet lengths already prepared is a good idea. The trouble with that is knowing where you stored which length where. I carry several 3-4 foot lengths for tie downs and similar uses. A longer length about 30 foot is wrapped around my pack frame and one around my lawnchair. Anything over 30 feet really needs a larger cord (sisal?) as para cord will stretch over time and not be that usefull. I also have some 5-6 foot lengths and a couple of 10 foot lengths soted the same way.

 

Remember when carrying para cord also carry one or two lighters to seal it.

 

Bungee cords will also cover a lot of uses you mentioned and have other uses as well.

 

yis

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I carry 25' and 50' lengths. The stuff is very stong, small and light. It's certainly not climbing rope, but it should be good enough for almost any thing else you might need on the trail.

You can always use a 25' piece for the job that requires a 5' length, just be careful to coil up the excess rope and prevent a tripping hazard. It's a nice idea to color code your sections, so that you can go straight to the piece you're looking for.

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If you want to pre-cut it, I think 25' is probably as long as you'll need it, with some 10' lengths for guy lines, if you use it for that.

 

Unless you're buying it in shorter lengths from commercial outlets, you almost have to cut off what you think you'll need ahead of time -- that stuff comes in spools that are a little too bulky to carry around with you.

 

BTW, the inner threads from para cord work great as rope whips, too.

 

KS

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Since I actually bought three spools of different colors (red, black, and olive drab), I might try to color-code the lengths: 100', 50', and 25'.

 

I originally bought the red thinking it might work well for tent cording - less likely to trip over red cord??

 

Thanks for all your inputs,

 

Ken

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