What does the term 550 paracord mean? What is it used for?
The term paracord itself comes from the cord used on the parachutes in WWII. The term 550 simply meant that it had a breaking strength of 550 pounds. Giving it it's full name of 550 paracord or 550 cord. When soldiers landed in the battle fields they would cut the paracord off their parachutes and pack it up for later use. This particular cord would come in handy for the soldiers during battle. Whether it was used to strap gear to humvees, help build a shelter, or lowering gear down ledges, the cord could be used in endless ways.
What types of 550 cord are there?
Commercial: Ever since paracord started becoming popular amongst civilians, there has been plenty of knock off types of paracord made. This particular type of paracord can be called "commercial 550 paracord".
Genuine MIL-C-5040 Type III: This particular 550 cord is the real deal, and there are only a handful of companies that make it for the government. One well known company, is E.L. Wood Braiding Company. They make a number of cords and ropes for the government which are used for a number of things throughout the military.
What's the difference?
Well the difference is pretty slim. Commercial 550 cord has the same breaking strength, and is the same diameter as well, so you must be careful when purchasing as there are many fakes out on the market that claim to be the real deal. The US military has a number of parameters and specifications which the MIL-C-5040 Type III paracord must pass before it's ready for use. The commercial 550 cord does not have to pass these same parameters, making it different in another way.
How do you tell the two apart? Well the only way to actually tell the two types of 550 cord apart is by cutting it in half and looking at the inside "guts". The "guts" or the inner strands of the paracord are different in commercial paracord then they are in the genuine Type III cord. Most commercial paracord will have 7 or 8 inner strands each consisting of 2 inner strands of themselves. While the genuine military issued cord has always been made with 7 inner strands, each consisting of 3 inner strands of themselves. In addition to this, one of the 7 strands is yellow and black in color, and all the other strands are white.
When buying paracord be sure to watch out for what you are buying. If you want the genuine stuff, make sure it follows all the parameters listed in the article above.
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