Niles H.

There are many types, diameters, materials and characteristics to choose from, and many possible uses on tour.

Any favorites -- for tent and tarp guylines, lashing or securing loads, knot tying and untying, ridgelines, hammocks, bear bags, other uses?

nun

There are so many possible answers; sort of like asking "how long is a piece of string", it's a knotty question.

indyfabz

I am partial to wide wales myself.

fietsbob

Parachute cord in general , 1/8" ~ 3-4mm..

there are some specialty ones now, that weave in some light reflective threads in them.

so you can see them at night with your flashlight, and not trip over them in the dark.

LeeG

These mini spools are nice for misc. tethers or lashing.

https://www.apsltd.com/c-1515-small-d...ni-spools.aspx

staehpj1

I have been using a big skein of 185 pound test braided Dacron that I happened to have around. It has worked well for shelter guy lines and bear bag hanging. It is substantially lighter than the parachute cord that I used to use and snags less on rough surfaces when hanging a bear bag. There are lighter stronger options, but this stuff is cheap and adequate.

shelbyfv

Niles, why don't you start by telling us what you used on your latest tour, what you used it for and how you liked it?

BLYTZPK

3M HD electrical tape. Winds into cord, loop tapes to itself around bars, frame tubing - holding various carries.

COMES IN A COMPACT ROLL ! stores easily. Holds clip-ons to eyeglass frames.

imi

I use 4mm climbing rope to hang my hammock - round turn two half hitches

Thin 1.2mm cord is good for washing line, extra guy lines etc

Tourist in MSN

Agree. And, if you were unhappy with what you used, what was the deficiency that you are attempting to overcome with something else?

andrewclaus

Trip tease is good stuff, unless you're in stealth mode. I always carry a 50' piece of 1/8" para cord--I pretty much consider it part of my survival kit, especially since I used it to repair a backcountry ski binding and it saved my life.

Medic Zero

+1 Whenever I travel (cycle touring or not) I take most of a 50 foot hunk of paracord with me. At this point, I can date when I've acquired or first started using some of my equipment by what color paracord it has!

In fact, I recently replaced my shoelaces with reflective paracord. I really like having my guylines being reflective when I'm camping with other folks. I'm really good at knowing where they are, but I've had people stumble into them before. I do have another set of matte guylines for when I'm stealth camping.

Horses for courses, though, depending on the usage I like manila, hemp, or various other twines. Glad to see the mini-spool post above, I have a roll of orange of that that I'm almost out of and was wondering where to get more. That stuff is a great size (quite small, but strong).

Medic Zero

Wait, is this that guy? Still, a useful thread I haven't seen before here, which is saying something.

SmallFront

Dyneema, and if that is not reasonably due to cost/benefit, at least use polyester instead of nylon (it doesn't slacken like nylon does when wet.

Rowan

I use whatever cord looks right and feels appropriate for the job (yes, feels appropriate).

Good old window sash cord has worked well for me in the past, and similar sizes in various materials have done as well. If a piece of rope or cord feels slick, it won't hold knots very well, and the cheap stuff on the shelves of dollar stores doesn't really cut it for anything.

Currently, I have a spool of blue cord that I picked up in Canada last time we were there (possibly Canadian Tyre, IIRC). It will do me for another five years or longer. I've tried the stuff with luminous material woven into it, but it doesn't really work that well and isn't worth the price, in my opinion.

Really, it's not rocket science.

Niles H.

Lash-It and Zing-It.

The smaller diameter Dyneema/Spectra products tend to dig into one's hands too much. They are also often very slippery, and are unable to hold knots well.

Polyester-sheathed Dyneema can fail when the outer sheathing fails and the Dyneema core slips out.

SmallFront

Never a problem in real world scenarios, Niles. It is used for boating, sheeted and sheetless, and it works very well. Regardless of product or method, nylon will expand when wet. As for being too hard to handle when really thin, well, don't get the really thin stuff then, even if it's more strength than needed, or get something with a poly-sheet around it. It is not difficult.

Edit:

Btw, I thought you asked what our favourites were, and you weren't asking to pick imaginary, uninformed holes in other people's choices:

And as for holding knots, either get the polyester sheeved ones or learn which knots hold with Dyneema. Better yet, learn how to splice Dyneema and make some nice eyes and monkey fists.

The slipperyness of straight dyneema is great for lashing things down as you can easily get all the lashings to have the same tension.

Okay, I think I'm done.

Doug64

I carry about 50' of parachute line or braided nylon, both about the same size.


Primary use

Niles H.

This and other statements and assumptions you are making, Smallfront, are simply false.

SmallFront

Oh, I'm sorry. I am not an internet scholar but have actual experience with the products I use. I also take note that an internet scholar like you simply assert that something is "false", while making the completely unfounded assertion that "Other statements and assumptions" are false too.

Seriously, if that is the level of insight you have, please stop asking questions. You asked us to give you the type of string we preferred, and when I responded, you made baseless assertions against my choice. When explained to you, you then simply assert that what I say is wrong, without even attempting to make an argument. You are not even able to handle responses to your open ended questions unless they fit with your preconceived notions (that you won't share to begin with). You just made my list of all-time worthless posters.

Niles H.

This post, like others you have made, is just full of false statements and assumptions. Maybe when I am back in civilization where I have access to a full-sized keyboard, I can reply in more detail. On the other hand, given the level of rudeness, antagonism, misinterpretation, inaccuracies and false statements in you posts, it may be better to handle it differently, appropos of several similar types here and elsewhere.

SmallFront

Wow. Once again you have time to post at length, yet you once again just assert things without backing anything up. It seems your less than full-sized keyboard is good at helping you make ignorant assertions, yet are not able to even make an argument or back up your assertions.

I have already wasted too much time responding to your posts and ridiculous assertions. So I'll leave you to continue with your intellectual dishonesty and closedmindedness.

shelbyfv

If the shoe fits, Niles.... Check passive-agressive in your Wiki. Now. what did you say you used on your last tour, cordage wise?

Niles H.

These posts of yours are just one falsehood after another, smallfront. I'm not wasting much more time on such posts.

SmallFront

Yet another stupid assertion from your less-than full-sized keyboard. I note that this time you kept it short. At least in this thread.