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If you read this website, you know that I am a big fan of Everyday Carry (EDC) items. And, of all the EDC items I like to keep with me, paracord is my favorite.
If you aren’t familiar with it, check out this article: What is paracord?
Not all cord is genuine paracord, and not all genuine paracord is the same. For most uses, "550 paracord" is the best choice.
Stick with solid, well-rated brands like the one below, and you’re all set.
Also, take a look at the strength of paracord.
Some links below are affiliate links: we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. Products are examples by function, to choose according to your needs; buying the entire selection is unnecessary.
A paracord jig is a huge help when working on complex designs and will significantly reduce your frustration levels (and the amount of swearing).
There are hundreds of uses for paracord; you are likely already familiar with the paracord bracelet as a way to always have some cord on hand.
But bracelets are just one of many cool paracord projects you can create. Check out these projects—they’re as useful as they are cool.
1. Essential Paracord Braids and Knots
a) Paracord Snake Knot
The paracord snake knot serves as the foundation for many paracord bracelets, lanyards, and keychains. It’s a bit bulky, but it’s also one of the most flexible knots. Use two colors, and it will look fantastic.
b) Paracord Cobra Knot
This is one of the most popular knots. It’s easy to tie, incorporates a good amount of paracord, and is very strong. There are many variations of the cobra knot (such as the well-known King Cobra knot).
Learn the cobra knot first, and you’ll quickly be able to get the hang of many other paracord braiding techniques.
c) Paracord Monkey’s Fist
This knot is known as a "monkey’s fist" (sometimes also called a "monkey’s paw"). It has been around for a long time and serves several useful purposes—beyond just the paracord from which it is made.
The ball-like shape of the knot makes it easier to throw; sailors would often tie a monkey’s fist at the end of their ropes to make mooring easier.
If making a decorative keychain, use a soft core and keep the object lightweight. While a compact knot can make it easier to grip, it should never be weighted or presented as a weapon. Also, consider the risk of it snagging on things, and check the rules of the places you frequent before carrying one.
And, for a bit of pure fun, you could even use your paracord monkey’s fist as a golf or baseball substitute.
d) Two-Strand Diamond Knot (for securing paracord)
https://youtu.be/0_shBwlQgRI
You’ve just finished a great paracord lanyard or another project—but how do you fasten it?
There are many methods, but the diamond knot is one of the most reliable.
Be warned: although the diamond knot may look simple, it takes a good deal of practice and skill to master.
e) Mathew Walker Knot (Securing Paracord)
As with the diamond knot, the Mathew Walker knot is more complicated than it appears.
You will need to practice to get the knot positioned correctly. Once you have mastered it, you can use this knot as a separator between different types of paracord braids to create more versatile paracord projects.
2. Paracord Keychains
If you haven’t already, make a bunch of these DIY paracord keychains and attach them to the items you carry with you at all times (such as your keys, multi-tools, etc.).
There isn’t a huge amount of cordage in each of these keychains, but every little bit helps when you find yourself in a situation where you need it.
Below, I have included instructions for some of my favorite paracord keychain designs. Not only do they look great and hold your keys, but they also ensure you always have some paracord on hand—just in case.
a) Quick-Deploy Paracord Keychain
One of the drawbacks of many paracord knots is that they take a long time to untie. If you need paracord quickly in an emergency, this can be a significant disadvantage. That is why I like this quick-deploy paracord keychain.
It’s somewhat similar to the knot used for a slip knot. However, you wrap it around several times to incorporate more paracord into the loop.
This one is made using 6 feet of paracord. You can, however, make it thicker and longer to include more paracord on the keychain.
Steps:
- Tie a simple overhand knot about ½ inch from one end.
- Form a loop approximately 4 inches long. Bring it behind the "tail" of the knot you just tied.
- Now, bring the cord back up, in front of the knot you just tied.
- About 1 inch from the top of the loop, begin wrapping the paracord around the loop.
- Keep the paracord taut as you wrap it.
- When you reach the bottom of the loop, begin wrapping back upward.
- Repeat this process until you have almost no paracord left.
- Make your final loop at the bottom of the keychain (where you tied the overhand knot).
- Pass the end of the paracord through the opening where the knot passes through the loop. Pull on the top of the keychain to secure the ends in place.
b) DIY Monkey Fist Keychain
Most monkey fist knots require a bolt or a marble at the center. With this two-tone monkey fist keychain, a diamond knot is used instead of a marble, which means you end up with more paracord to carry with you.
If you want to carry a significantly larger amount of paracord, start with more than 2 to 2.5 feet of cord. You will have plenty of excess at the end, which can be used to create almost any paracord knot you’d like for the keychain.
Steps:
- You will need two colors of paracord: 2 feet of color A and 2.5 feet of color B.
- Start by tying a diamond knot. This will serve as the core of your monkey fist. Adjust it so that the diamond knot sits at the end of the strands. Trim any excess and singe the ends.
- Take color B, leaving a short tail, and wrap it 3 times around two of your fingers. Slide the diamond knot into the center of these loops.
- Take color A and pass it behind the loops you just created with color B. Wrap it 3 times around the loops of color B.
- Remove your fingers.
- Using color A, pass it through the center of the top loop. Now, make 3 vertical wraps.
- You should now have 3 wraps on each side.
- Locate the starting point of your diamond knot. Pull on those strands to begin tightening the excess cord.
- You now have a two-tone monkey fist with two strands extending from it.
- Do whatever you like with the remaining excess cord.
c) Decorative "Fractal Sinnet" Paracord Keychain
This is a beautiful decorative paracord knot that works well as a keychain. It does, however, require some skill to create!
Be careful to ensure that your paracord does not become twisted or kinked while tying the knots. I like that this keychain contains 12 feet of paracord, even though it remains compact.
To make this paracord keychain, you will use a combination of two knots: the "zipper" sinnet and the "thorn branch" sinnet.
Steps:
- You will need 12 feet of cord.
- Start by tying a slip knot in the middle of your paracord, leaving a loop at the bottom.
- Pull the left cord through the top loop. Tighten. Form a loop with the right cord and pull it through the top loop. (This creates a "zipper" stitch.)
- Form another loop with the right cord and pull it through the top loop. (This creates a "thorn branch" stitch.)
- Now, tie 1 "zipper" stitch, followed by 3 "thorn branch" stitches.
- Tie 3 "zipper" stitches.
- Tie 3 "thorn branch" stitches.
- Repeat: 3 "zipper" stitches followed by 3 "thorn branch" stitches.
- Continue repeating this pattern until you reach the desired length.
- Use the loop and the cord ends to tie the knots.
- Finish with a diamond knot.
If you would like to learn more about decorative paracord designs that combine various knots, I suggest getting this book: *Paracord Fusion Ties*.
It is available in two volumes and can be purchased on Amazon.
d) Boat Fender Keychain
I particularly like this paracord keychain design because it fits perfectly in your hand. It also contains 12 feet of paracord, which could come in handy in a pinch. The actual knots used to make this keychain are quite simple; however, tightening them requires practice (and patience!).
Steps:
- You will need 3 strands of paracord, each 4 feet long, a scrap piece of paracord, some masking tape, and a fid.
- Align the 3 strands of paracord. Find the center. Measure 5 inches from the center and tie that point off using your scrap piece of paracord.
- Below the point where you tied the paracord (on the longer side), begin braiding the 3 strands.
- Continue braiding until the untraided sections are equal in length to the strands at the top.
- Fold your braid in half. The 6 hanging paracord strands should be of equal length.
- Use masking tape to secure the end of the braid so it does not fray. Remove the scrap piece of paracord.
- Turn the keychain so that the braided loop is at the bottom. Spread out the 6 strands.
- Form a loop with one strand. Take the strand to its right and weave it over and under; it should end up back on the right side.
- Take the next strand to the right and weave it over and under the previous strand.
- When you return to the starting strand, you can pull down on the loop you originally created to tighten it.
- Repeat from step 7. Continue repeating until you are nearly at the end of the braid. The remaining length forms the loop for your keychain.
- To finish, trim the ends. Alternatively, if you have a fid, use it to tuck the strands back under the previous loop, then trim and singe the ends.
e) Cute pink paracord keychain
3. Paracord handles and slings
a) Paracord-wrapped backpack handle
I hate having to unravel an entire bracelet or keychain just to get a bit of cord for a small task. It’s much more convenient to wrap paracord around handles—such as those found on your backpack.
This paracord project is simple. Just wrap the cord along the handle and secure the ends with half-hitches, leaving a narrower section in the middle.
b) Paracord Jeep grab handles
I love this paracord project. The creator added paracord to the back of each headrest in the Jeep, giving rear passengers something to hold onto.
You can also wrap paracord around the grab bar in your Jeep—or any other handle inside your vehicle. It’s a fantastic addition to your vehicle’s emergency kit.
c) Paracord Rifle Sling
I have to admit, this might not be the most comfortable sling to use for your rifle. However, if you ever get lost in the woods while hunting, or if an emergency arises—such as needing a length of cord to fashion a splint for a broken leg—you’ll be glad you took on this project.
d) Paracord Flashlight Handle
You can find flashlights that come with built-in handles. In my opinion, these are poorly designed.
The handle sticks out, which means the flashlight takes up much more space than necessary and is awkward to pack. Because the handle protrudes, it’s also prone to breaking.
Instead of buying a flashlight with a flimsy plastic handle, make your own using paracord.
e) Paracord Bottle Carrier
This is another one of my favorite paracord projects because it’s so practical. With the right knot, you can easily carry any water bottle.
Again, a simple single-cord sling isn’t very comfortable; the cord would start to dig into your shoulder as you carried it.
But you could get more creative with the design. For example, tie a paracord strap and attach it to a water bottle sling.
4. Paracord Pouches and Bags
a) Paracord Drawstring Pouch
This is very easy to make, and you can craft the pouch in almost any size. A great feature of a paracord pouch is that it can be closed using a drawstring. In addition to gathering wild edibles, you can also use it as a water bottle holder.
b) Paracord Multi-tool Pouch
For this paracord project, you will definitely need a jig (Amazon link) and a needle. You will also need to pay close attention to your measurements if you want it to fit a specific phone or tool. That said, this pouch is quite easy to make. Add a carabiner, and you’ll be able to carry tools with you.
c) Paracord Phone Pouch
This paracord pouch is similar to the one above. The difference is that it features a closure (to keep your phone or tools from falling out). It also incorporates an additional weave, making it more robust.
While the pouch might be a bit bulky, it will help protect your phone from drops and ensure you always have a good amount of paracord on hand.
d) Paracord Bi-fold Wallet
This paracord wallet requires a great deal of patience.
You will need to carefully weave it into a bi-fold wallet. Each side of the wallet can hold credit cards or ID cards, and the fold area serves as a money clip.
5. Other Paracord Projects
a) Paracord Belt
What’s better than a paracord survival bracelet? How about a paracord belt!
You can carry a significant amount of cordage on a belt, and there are many survival uses for such a belt—even without having to unravel the cordage itself.
The only real downside to this project is that once you untie the belt to use the cordage, you might have a hard time keeping your pants up!
If you’d rather let someone else do the hard work, take a look at this RattlerStrap belt (Amazon link), which incorporates over 90 feet of paracord.
b) Paracord Bullwhip
In this comprehensive tutorial, you’ll learn how to craft a cool paracord bullwhip. Use your imagination to think of all the ways you could put it to use in a survival situation.
c) Paracord Gear Strap
If you carry a satchel or bag and want to keep things better organized, try this DIY project. It requires only about $4 worth of materials. Once finished, you can attach the items you need most frequently to the strap for easy access.
d) Paracord Dog Collar and Leash
https://youtu.be/J8idEaLew8s
I take my dog along on most of my hikes and hunting trips—so why not put him to work carrying a bit of extra paracord for me?
These paracord dog collars and leashes take time to make, but they are well worth the effort.