I bought a couple snap buckles with a built in whistle to convert the sternum straps on a couple packs over to this new style. I was also looking into making a paracord survival bracelet and came on this web page that gives a good set of instructions on making a paracord bracelet using a snap buckle: http://www.instructables.com/id/EL5S5IADTYEY95S32O?ALLSTEPS . I was blown away by how easy it was to do.

All done, I have a whistle and 8 feet of line. I made one incorporating one of the Brunton watchband compasses too

Edited by dwambaugh on 02/27/2007 10:02:01 MST.

Dale, where did you find those at? How loud are they?

I know you can get the whistle locks at Quest Outfitters.
(http://www.questoutfitters.com/plastic.htm)
There may be other places to get them as well. I have been very happy with the service I have received from quest outfitters.

Dale,
BTW-- the link to the web site that shows how to make the wrist band is no good. Can you post it again??

It got trunicated somewhere along the line. It's really well done.

http://www.instructables.com/id/EL5S5IADTYEY95S32O?ALLSTEPS

REI sells whistle locks on the wall in their repair area in the Seattle store--- couldn't find them on-line. I got mine at Seattle Fabrics (http://www.seattlefabrics.com), which is a great place for MYOG supplies.

BPL should carry some!

I wanted to put one on a pack, but the sternum strap buckle was captive/sewn in and I didn't want to re-engineer and sew it all back together. Of course, the parts didn't want to mate. What I did was to cut the prongs off the whistle side of the buckle and sanded it down smooth, so I had a whistle with the ladder side only and I put that on the free end of the sternum strap. Small and convienient, but I lost the weight savings. Drat.

See the thread for several sources.

There are louder whistles out there. These are single tone and higher pitched than the ACR's--- I use the ACR's in my survival kits as they are a good balance of weight/size/cost. With this project, I was trying to get some multiple use mileage too.

REI sells them with their plastic stuff.
Not very loud, but a good comprimise I guess.

That's actually a really neat idea. Its convenient to keep on you at all times just in case, plus it has a lot of uses. I may have to make something like this, it just seems so dang handy! You could store more rope on it if it was, say, a belt or necklace/lanyard, but I don't know how uncomfortable it would be either of those ways.
Regardless, great job, they look really good.

Adam

I really don't like stuff around my neck that won't break easily, but a belt would work just fine. I just made a 10" grab handle for a messenger bag using the same knots and snap swivels instead of the buckle, giving me 10 feet of line any time I need it. Any good macrame book will give you lots of alternatives for more belt-like weaves.

Paracord isn't the lightest stuff, but you can take the seven strands from the inside to use and then you still have the outer jacket, so you have a potential 64 feet of material in an 8 foot package. As is, the stuff is 550 pound test (and is often called 550 paracord).

Of course, you can use the same technique with any line with adjustments for diameter. AirCore bracelets-- yum!

I found a paracord belt, this guy makes them and sells them on ebay:
http://myworld.ebay.com/1337krew69
I bought one of these off of ebay, and it still looks great after a year. It's an easy way to carry around survival gear. I wear mine to work and at home.

Edited by prepared4NEthing on 01/29/2008 18:13:36 MST.

Ranger Rick has some great tips for putting together mini survival kits, necklaces, etc. His advice is practical and comes from years of experience doing outdoors stuff for a living.

His Ranger Digests are a treasure. In the military some of the required equipment is a bit heavy and the guys need to be a bit rough. For one branch of Special Ops, the base weight is 120 lbs, not including items of specialty. They also are trained to be without resupply for one year. So one place to prune the weight is many of the traditional backpacking luxuries. And they have lots of knowledge on how to make do without. It's useful to farm this knowledge for useful tidbits and outdoor mindset.

Not all paracord is created equal. 550 paracord is the one to get. It has several individual inner cords that can be used separately as well as only using the outer sheath.

Update: Rick is updating his site. Some of his pics and ideas to accessorize more useful stuff to the little things you already carry have been temporarily removed. My appreciation for the engineered functionality, strength, and low cost to fishing tackle definitely increased after all the things I saw him doing with it many years ago.

Edited by catamountain on 02/02/2008 16:42:15 MST.

I never posted an update to this thread, but I did end up daisy-chaining about 25' of GG EZC guyline and using it as my survival lanyard. I have a whistle, pinch light, and my LMF mini firesteel on it and it goes around my neck anytime I'm not sleeping. I like it a lot, it may not be the most fascinating MYOG project but I'm pretty happy with of it.

Adam

I hope you have some sort of break-away. It freaks me out thinking about getting hung up in a branch in a fall, etc. I added a paracord braid hatband to my Tilley. At one foot of line per inch of braid, that gives me a LOT of cord (I wear a 7-7/8 Tilley).

Hey guys I am new to this place so Hi!
For those of you that make these bracelets yourselves, you can also put a length of hemp twine (emergency tinder)down the center as well as wind and encase the center paracord strands with 10lb test FireLine.10 lb FireLine is the size of 4 lb. mono so it goes a long ways and you get a ton of it on there.Also the FireLine has no memory so after you unwind it you can make it straight again for fishing or whatever unlike some mono's.
Happy trails folks.

Reviving an old, dead, thread here...
Just realized this would be a great way to build a sling for a lightweight rifle. I was looking for a new sling for my small game setup (Ruger 10/22)and somehow remembered this thread.
At 1 foot of paracord per inch, a sling would give you at least 30'.
Not exactly sure how useful less than 10' would be (bracelet size), but a belt or sling would definitely give a good amount of cord to work with.
Thanks for the ideas folks!

UL people don't carry guns. Do you really need a gun? Why? Please educate me? Are you hunting as you hike?

Edited by Creachen on 10/13/2008 20:34:21 MDT.

Do you really need to start a gun debate? Honestly...

Adam

HUH?

I hunt.
When I hunt, I often spend the night out.
If I spend the night out hunting, I'm also backpacking. If I'm backpacking, I prefer UL. UL people don't carry guns?
Well, hopefully not when they're on the John Muir Trail or AT or something (although many on this site would argue that...)
But you will certainly find there are many UL hunters out there.
And yes, I do need a gun if I am HUNTING.
Why?
To shoot animals so I may eat them.
Am I hunting as I hike?
Or am I hiking as I hunt?
I suppose that depends entirely on whether I'm hunting or backpacking or both.

So forgive me if I'm way off base for observing that I could take the paracord survival bracelet and use it as a rifle sling.

It seems we cannot mention a firearm without a debate anymore.
My apologies, I'll refrain.

I thought the gun sling made in this fashion was an excellent idea.

I also don't think taking a gun is mutually exclusive with UL hiking. I've taken a fishing pole. Is that really any different?

I have nothing againts guns- really!! I am just interested in other peoples views on UL backpacking- the more views the better- more power to ya!! thanks

PS What animals do you hunt? Do you eat them that same day? or when you finally get home? Just wondering? I fish!!

Edited by Creachen on 10/13/2008 21:11:17 MDT.

I've hunted most variety of small game and bird...I'm currently looking into bowhunting (saving $$$ for a bow), likely for larger game (deer, wild pig) and turkey.
I'm into rabbit hunting in the Mojave Desert- I'll probably be going out this Sunday. Overnight solo trips are a good way to do it- set up a camp and hunt the evening and wake up early for a dawn hunt (the most active times, like fishing). It's nice to find a high spot, take some cover, get out the binoculars, and just watch. I can pass hours doing it.
I would only ever shoot what I would eat...when rabbit hunting, if fortunate enough to shoot something that evening, I'll dress it and grill that night (the advantage of BLM land- no fire restrictions).
If I get something in the morning, I'll pack it out. I usually have an ice chest waiting in the car. Like fish, mammals should be cleaned/cooled immediately if they're getting eaten.

I really don't see much difference between hunting and fishing- I do both...same idea, different tools/prey.

Edited by xnomanx on 10/13/2008 21:35:02 MDT.