Parachute cord also known as paracord or 550 cord is a lightweight nylon rope first popularised during World War 2 as the material of choice for suspension lines of US parachutes. Soldiers finding themselves with limited resources soon realised the benefits of dissecting paracord and the infinite uses of the inner strands and outer sheath. The outer sheath construction is tightly interwoven allowing it to appear smooth in texture and comfortable to wear against the body. This unique attribute has been influential in the widespread acceptance of paracord for mainstream use, where it has been fashioned for accessory making in bracelets, bottle holders and knife sleeves. This has led to the manufacturing of paracord as a general purpose utility cord for both military and civilian purposes. Within bushcraft and survival communities paracord has reached an almost iconic status where it is considered that its uses are only limited by a person’s imagination to use it. Take the second Space Shuttle mission in February 1997 for example... A bright and resourceful astronaut decided the best way to repair the Hubble Space Telescope was with the outer sheath of a length of paracord.

Although used for a number of mainstream purposes, paracord has not lost its identity as a functional military cord. Frequently soldiers favour paracord for a number of lightweight uses include repairing and securing equipment, shelter making, binding and even first aid. The inner strands (of which there are seven) can be gutted and used to make sewing fabrics and fishing line. Furthermore, it is possible to join or finish the ends of a single piece of paracord by melting it with a naked flame or heated knife.

Six types of paracord are commonly supplied. These are Type 1, Type 1A, Type 2, Type 2A , Type 3 and Type 4. Type 3 which has a minimum breaking strength of 550 pounds (hence the name 550 cord) is the most widely used today. Similar to any manufactured product, there can be variations in the quality of paracord supplied from different factories. However, All US Military issue paracord is certified to conform to the standards listed in the below table and as specified by MIL-C-5040H. There are no requirements specified in regards to the diameter of pacacord.