550 Paracord: Real vs. Fake
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- Опубліковано 16 лис 2024
- This is a video just showing you the differences on real paracord verses fake paracord. By watching this video you will now be able to spot the differences in between the 2. If you have anything to say on how you tell the differences or your experiences go ahead and comment to help other people out. This vid is more-so for the beginners in paracord.
WHERE I BUY MY PARACORD
I get my paracord from www.boredparaco... They are the best with prices, customer service and the selection of cord. This paracord is the real deal for a cheap price. Its made in the US and is true 550lb paracord. Use the code "boredpaintballhead03" to save 15% on your order.
I rarely ever post comments, but this video is full of so many ignorant remarks and inaccuracies. PLEASE don't base any of your research or purchases on this kid's "analysis". If you're going to make an informative video, at least do a little bit of research. I have been selling US made type iii 550 paracord (parachute cord) since before the "bracelet fad" came about. I have been to all of my manufacturer's factories in the United States. There is Mil Spec and Commercial grade 550 paracord, not "real or fake" paracord. Most commercial grade paracord is made of nylon, some may be made of a polyester sheath. If you are purchasing commercial 550 paracord, all you have to look for is 7-9 strands within the outer sheath. Each of those 7-9 strands should be interwoven with 2-3 smaller strands. The most common will be a nylon outer sheath, with 7 core yarns, each interwoven by 2 smaller nylon strands. MIL-SPEC is a whole different story, but both types still have a tensile strength of 550 pounds. It has nothing to do with fraying or rippling or any of that. @paintballhead03 please do research before posting your videos or any info on the internet.
The point this guy tried to make was that the generic was being pushed by advertisers as the higher quality & more versatile MIL-SPEC, not just on tensile strength; & if you believe after all your sales experience that cotton cord has that of nylon, I have a MIL-SPEC bridge to sell you.
Yes, which would you expect to get?
Honestly I would like the outer sheath of the paracord to not fray, the sheath has no use other than keeping the cord together and adding tensile strength, so logic
So just be careful when youre buying shit common sense aint that hard and even then shit happens so send it back if you can. Plus honestly with all im seeing about bankline im thinking id need it more than paracord in the end
If it’s being advertised as mil spec and is some other specification, it’s fake. Any apologetics about how the fake stuff has similar strength under some kind of ideal conditions is nonsense, there’s a reason the military comes up with specifications and standards, it’s so shady companies pinching pennies can’t sell them inferior products. The worst part about this fake stuff is how much it bunches up and twists and gets tangled, while the mil spec is much more resistant to that, ignoring any strength compromises by saving the manufacturer a couple pennies.
you forgot the one and only comparison that matters. how much weight they can hold.
Actually what you have in this video is the 7strand 550 paracord and the 4 strand 450 paraline. What you might want to show, is 550 nylon paracord and 550 polyester paracord. That's has a difference.
Well that ruffled some feathers! First let me say thank you for your efforts. I have never considered if the cord is 'fake' since I am more interested in the colour and flexibility, I use it for making bracelets or similar. Now if I wanted it for some type of survivalist activity I don't think I would risk my life on information learnt just from your video, especially since you don't appear to be very safety concerned. But as far I am concerned it made me think and consider what I am using, how it is made and how it responds, maybe that will help me to define what cord I want to buy and use. I hope all the negative and rude comments don't stop you from making more videos I enjoy your efforts. Thank you
1) the "fake" paracord you're using here isn't fake. It's just made out of polyester instead of nylon2) polyester paracord is mainly used for making things such as bracelets or necklaces because it has a softer, less rugged feel to it. 3) it isn't fake just because it's not as good as nylon paracord. Yes it cannot hold as much weight but that's not what it's mainly used for.
The cotton cored cord you showed is actually still paracord. It is just 450 lb test cord. A lot of people who use the paracord for projects like bracelets prefer the 450 cord because it is more flexible. The guy to check out is JD of Tying It All Together. He uses 450 cord in most of his projects. It was a shame that the company who sold you the bracelet claimed it to be 550 cord. You can use the whole 450 bundle for survival, just not the inner strands like with 550 cord.
Its funny, the "fake" is the one we use often in the military which I myself have tried and tested with 550 lbs worth of field gears. But sure try the 550 lbs cord with burn testing lol
Burn test on a piece of paper- on the bed . . .lol
i was gonna say that
True, but he did it and it worked... so there is that...
And that "razor sharp" EDC that he had to pull rather hard on to get it to cut.
OMG, the comments here are so ridiculous. Your "real" cord is actually commercial cordage, its not true spec.
Your "fake" cordage is not fake at all. It is firestarter cord. It is designed to light up. It is also quick drying, strand cord made from a cotton base.
Nice try on your video, but you should really learn about what you are talking about first.
I can't believe I watched 6:20 of that. You owe me.
It catched fire
This is very instructive, particularly by announcing, first of all, that this is a thing. I should have known, of course: if anything CAN be faked and sold at a lower cost than its genuine inspiration, it WILL be faked and sold. Second, the video provides quick and effective diagnostics for determining the authenticity of paracord. Both the tool (i.e. visual inspection of the inner strands) and the test (i.e. burning the inner stands) are simple to remember and employ. Like seemingly 99% of videos on UA-cam (so the videographer is in very good company) this demonstration is much longer than it needs to be. But it gives us both essential information (if you at all depend on reliable paracord) and the means to effectively use that information. Hell, I didn't even know this was a problem, so thanks!
If you are watching this video you are wasting your time , just saying .
wish I would've read your comment before wasting 10 minutes of my life..smh
Yup definitely wasted time when I could have been watching good videos
+Eli Tapia Told ya !
why?
Jake Tandy Because the paracord he has isn't actual paracord. Real milspec paracord has one strand that's braided with a different color to identify it as real.
I was in the military and yes some of the paracord you can buy meets military spec. and some don't. An easy way to tell is look at the braided strands in the core if they are made of two strands it is not mil-spec if there are three strands in each it is mil- spec. Also look at the braided strands closely if they seem like yarn or thread then it isn't mil-spec. If they look like nylon then it is. Typically nylon is harder and shinier than yarn.
I have seen it made different ways you can buy the same stuff the Army uses from amazon. www.amazon.com/550-Parachute-Cord-MIL-C-5040H-PIA-C-5040/dp/B00CMALZNM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1405205928&sr=8-3&keywords=mil+spec+paracord
Paracord was first deployed on the battlefield as actual parachute cord during World War II. Soldiers on the battlefield found it is very strong and has hundreds or thousands of uses. Not long after, the term “Paracord” was dubbed in reference to this type of rope. Now, it is even weaved into patterns and worn as a belt or bracelet when going on a hiking trip through the mountains.
you know what's really funny tho.. 99% of the people that have a paracord bracelet (real or fake) won't even use the cord for anything other than to be on their wrist.. and let's for the sake of argument say that they will all end up in a survival situation they won't use the cord for anything other than to snare animals in traps or tie shelter wood together.. which both fake and real paracord is perfectly able to do.. so imho paracord for a survival bracelet doesn't really matter whether it's fake or real since it's only 10feet of rope (x7 inner strands) which won't do much besides what i just said.
So true !
well there's also the possibility of having to lift a person/climbing, although you need to have a lot of paracord on you to climb "SAFELY", It isn't impossible.
plus there are bracelets that contain over 25ft of paracord in them, as well as belts and pack straps.
Real paracord is more useful because real paracord has 7 inner strands each one holds 50 or more pounds so if you have 10 feet of paracord you have 70 feet of useable cord
Well it's kinda like saying bracelets are pointless and why do people wear them, the paracord bracelets does have it's uses but some people use it for a style or outdoor use, but I do admit that a paracord bracelet can't do everything
I think your "fake" paracord might actually just be 450 cord, rather than the more prolific 550 cord. 450 cord has only 4 inner strands as opposed to the 7 in 550 cord.
I totally see what you are trying to illustrate here.
While your "delivery" isn't the best (and don't pay attention to all of the haters out there in UA-cam land-- if they want a perfect video that should take the time to make one themselves), I had no idea that there was "fake". Paracord. So bottom line is---
I want to say thank you for an enlightening and educating video. It looks like I have purchased a lot of the fake product and it is good to know that I might want to be careful about using it-- especially when it comes to a situation where safety is paramount.
You are correct. The 450 is softer for making bracelets. JD uses it.
Depends on what you mean by real.
What you are calling "real" in this video is " commercial " grade Paracord .
"Real" Military-Spec Paracord - one of the inner strands will be multicolored to identify the manufacturer.
Yeah I agree with Scott H. I had my Father's military paracord from his parachute and one of the seven strands is multi color. Good observation.
its good to see children enjoying arts and crafts again....
I don't have any trouble with the "standard issue" colors such as OD, black, tan. The non-standard colors are obviously commercial and could be sub-par while still meeting the minimum spec. Buyer beware and if buying a large quantity on a spool ask for a sample first.
Despite all of the sarcasm and rudeness here, this is good to know if you are making actual "survival" bracelets. The cheap stuff, which you can buy on Ebay from places like Hong Kong, China, or somewhere, should never be confused for actual 550 paracord. It is good, however, for arts and crafts projects in places like Vacation Bible School or summer camp, when the kids are making things like key rings and bracelets that are going to be worn strictly as decoration. It's not likely, under those circumstances, to ever be used in a critical situation, where tensile strength is an issue.
You have performed a useful service in presenting this, and I, for one appreciate the time and effort spent in making the presentation.
Thank you, and I look forward to seeing anything that you might care to present here in the future.
VT Army navy, Cheaper than dirt, Rothco cord from amazon, and wholesale parachute cord are IMHO the best places to buy paracord... I can buy it online, pay shipping and it is quite a bit less money than buying it locally.
I have a bunch from the army when I was in. always took rolls of it home
@Christopher Lachcik, AIRBORNE Blue Falcon
ive got some crap paracord as well but unless you plan on jumping outta a plane with it or plan on mountain climbing with it its cordage and even the fake stuff is plenty strong enough for building a shelter or just about any other tasks u might need to do with it if your life depended on it
Thanks for the information, I will be checking my supply for my pack.
The cord which you say is 'real', is fake as well. Paracord was made by the military, Type 3 paracord has 8 strands, not 7 strands, and is also known as 'MIL-C-5040H' usually. Type 3 mil-spec paracord (the real stuff) holds around 750 pounds.
the real one is actually real it's called 550 paracord not 750lb paracord not any other paracord each paracord type has it's own uses. and it also has it's own "breaking points"(weight it can carry).
and a 750lb paracord is called MIL-C-5040h &/or PIA-C-5040 which are both type IV parachute with 11 CORE STRANDS.
Miguel Castro oops sorry didn't read your post before I posted.
trdrvr2 I don't understand, why are you saying sorry?
You are all wrong my friends. The genuine military issued cord MIL-SPEC MIL-C-5040 Type III Paracord has 7 to 9 inner yarns, each consisting of 3 inner strands of themselves. In addition to this, one of the inner yarns is yellow and black in color, and all the other strands are white. It is known to hold up to 700lbs.
I really don't give a fuck about paracord shit anymore, I'm tired of thinking, tired of explaining it to others.
people here on the internet can explain it for me. thanks Envenso Inc. go explain it to every single dumb ass on the internet. ohh and BTW there are paracords that have 4, 5 or even 6 inner strands.
If you're going to be using it in real potential survival situations, then of course you want the "real" paracord, something that will actually hold the 550 pounds as advertised. But if you're only using it to make pretty bracelets, the "fake" paracord is actually easier to work with. It all depends on what you want it for.
the name of the cord ie 550, 450, 225 ext, just stands for how much weight the cord can handle before it starts to break. 550 cords starts breaking at 550lbs so 450 cord would mean it can handle up to 450lbs before it starts to break. From my understanding the outer shell of 550 cord can handle about 200lbs alone and the 7 inner strands can handle 50lbs each, 200 + 350 = 550
Thanks for the information. -I didn't know this.
To all the flamers dogging on it, get a life. All it looks like he was doing was pointing out some of the differences between cords you might run into. If it does not appear to be helpful to your needs, then follow the advice your mothers surely gave you at one time, "...if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything". The reason why you use it for bracelets is so you have an easy way to carry it with you at all times.
NONE of your examples are real para cord.
Two of the makers of REAL para chute cord are "EL Wood" and "Gladding".
Real Type III has:
6 + 1 uniquely colored cords identifying the manufacturer.
each cord is made of 3 strands
small quantities small selection of colors are typical
The light house organization in Texas sells some types
I use the best and the cheapest stuff depending on the project.
Dangling from a parachute I'd use the good stuff
small projects, the cheap stuff's perfect
thnx
Is it fake or a lower rated cord. You have 550 and what looks to be like 350
Thank you for actually clarifying it.
250, 350, 550, etc. are ALL paracord. It comes down to their tensile strength. The military uses 550 cord for multiple things; not just parachutes.
The only real question I would have is; why would you need 550? Survival? Honestly you can get the cheaper 250 or 350 and be just fine. I can't think of a single time you'll need something with that much strength in a survival situation.
is polyester paracord also considered fake because I buy that polycord from home Depot and I'm gonna switch to the bored paracord like u recommended in another video either way
You showed some differences but nothing that suggests one is better than the other.
Maybe a weight capacity test would be useful?
great video!!! I have a question. i bought about 50 ft of commando shell paracord and it says " don´t use for climbing.thhe price was 55 swedish kr and thats aprox. 8 $. i realy dont want to un pack it from the paackage. do you think it´s fake or real? Please respond.
The polyester can hold up to 35lbs it's not so bad, and you can still start fires even with the "fake" paracord. :)
Can you tell me what's the difference betweem 450 paracord and 550 paracord? I have to know before i order the wrong type. Thanks a thousand :)
interesting, I wonder how much the fake stuff will hold. Does the fake paracord have a rating on it?
I've got some cord from a normally reputable source that is still 550 spec (7 inner nylon strands) but the sheath is very coarse to the touch and has a dull finish. It has a flat shape and kinks terribly like a garden hose when you try to coil it. It doesn't hold knots well at all and the inner strands are very loose inside the sheath. Although it may be 550 spec, it's certainly inferior to other 550 cord that I have purchased. It is a neon (safety) orange color.
I forgot, how much weight does the 550 outer sheath hold? What about the individual inner strands?
neither are "real" non the less great vid man. i enjoyed
whats the difference between 450 and 550 paracord? thanks
Poor testing. You used different sections of the flame to melt the nylon, so your comparison is not accurate. The fake paracord, you said was cotton, but cotton doesn't melt. Wrong conclusion.
i just learned how to make the bracelet so good tip! Thank you so much for the video!
I bought 100' of black Rothco cord from Amazon, and it's like $13 shipping including. So, Rothco is legit cord?
where do you get your paracord and where did you get your knife
It's not real vs fake paracord. It's difference between 90 test and 550 test. It's all still called paracord and both have their uses.
the one with five strands is type 2 I believe and the other is type 3. they're both real, they both hold.
If you assume that you will get the authentic paracord simply because the store name includes 'army-navy' & you don't know the actual characteristics, you are in for surprises.
Authentic specs:
Manufactured to Mil-C-5040H Type III standards
Made in the USA by US Government Contractors
Has 7 100% nylon strands
Has an outer sheath that is braided from 32 strands
Rated for 550 lb static load
Köszi, hogy láthattunk egy ügyetlen tesztet a különböző nylon szálakról. Ugyanazon burok, ugyanazon átmérő mellett négyszeres szakító szilárdságot ad a PES mag, mint a PP. Ha ékszernek használom, nem túlélésre, akkor az ár a lényeg és a kinézet. Ajánlom tájékozódásra a Galco cég (hu) oldalát.
When you take apart a bracelet does the fake still have the twists
Great vid nice to know the real from the fake thanks
I would recommend to anyone that may use 550 para cord, to buy American made, as there may be Chinese made para cord that (looks) real, but be made with substandard materials, (such as their dog food, baby toys, ect.).
where do you get your real paracord at ?
an the rigidity of the bracelets all depends on how tight it is tied. you can make then REALLY stiff, or nice and flexible with real paracord
Ok thanks. I won't buy it again then; although the stuff i've made with it seems to be pretty good.
I just want to know what difference does it make. If one holds 5,000 lbs and the other holds 10,000, do I really care one way or the other?
Two types of commercial paracord. Inner strands can be nylon or polyester with nylon outer and is 7 strands of two individuals strands. Mil-Spec is 7 strands each is three individual strands and one is color coded this is to identify the original manufacturer. The strongest paracord made is 3000 pound paramax 5/16 in bike paracord planet
I am concerned that your "real" paracord is not actually genuine. One aspect most don't realize is the Colored Manufacturer’s ID Marker Strand. Within the Inner Strands of 550 Paracord, one strand is a “Manufacturer’s ID Marker Strand.” This is the color coded system the military uses for ID of a manufacturer. The Mil-Spec requires that every manufacturer of true Mil-Spec C-5040H be compliant and include this twisted COLORED Manufacturer’s Identification Marker Strand in all of their Paracord. You do not find this in the cord that is sold commercially.
Type III 550 paracord that is commercial grade still has the tensile strength of 550 lbs. MIL SPEC type iii does typically have an extra interwoven core strand that is colored, as you said to ID the manufacturer. This doesn't make commercial type iii any less effective, it's just not made to the US Defense supply centers NSN specs.
Does it really matter whether your getting the real stuff or not? I have been using paracord for years and it never made a difference to me or anyone else.
I think it matters. I think it matters very much. If it doesn't make a difference to you, that's cool though.
in a regular use of it no,but for someone like me who goes out in the woods and has to rely on cordage for his life it severely matters
Yeeaaahhh, I didn't really think about that when I wrote that comment. I was talking about what I had always used it for, and that did not involve climbing 50 ft ravines or it being under large amounts of pressure. Sorry if I offended anyone.
Hal F i don't believe you did ,lol although rereading my message it came off offensive which I really didn't ,mean so im sorry about that
chopstick thrower It's ok, thank you for your apology and thank you for accepting mine.
You know, this is how all conflicts in the UA-cam comments should be resolved
Both of them are real do you now how I now that? Because my dad was a marine
I appreciate that you are trying to help people identify real vs fake paracord but the stiffness of the finished bracelet has very, very little to do with whether it is real or fake and just about everything to do with how tight the weave was made. For example, 90% of the bracelets out there use the Solomon Bar (aka Cobra Knot) and as it is tied, the bracelet will be stiffer (and hold its shape better) if each "knot" is heavily tightened. On the other hand, the bracelet will be more comfortable, more pliable and actually have a little bit more paracord in it if each "knot" isn't pulled too tightly.
Thanks so much for the explanation
please don't base your purchases on his comments. there are so many inaccuracies, he obviously did no research other than how to make bracelets.
The fake 550 is 'everywhere', including places many larger vendors where many may assume the produce to be 'legit' such as Cabelas & Bass Pro, so it pays to be aware of the differences so that one can evaluate based upon physical inspection.
you sir have some valid points and then there are some points that your reasoning is just cause you see how they are kinda the same and how much the bracelet bends when let go it purely the tightness of the braid all you proved was that the "fake" one was not very well braided more than likely made by a kid in mexico
what site do you get your paracord from?????
so is the fake paracord the kind that is sold?
hi man! I appreciated so much your video, nice job you did! Do you know any brand of real paracord I can buy on site like amazon?
check out bored paracord. I have a video about him. check that out and there's a code you can use when you order from him to get a discount
go on paracordplanet.com they have hundreds of colors and they have all types of paracord also, you could buy it on Amazon as well
go on paracordplanet.com they have hundreds of colors and they have all types of paracord also, you could buy it on Amazon as well
not PARACORD GALAXY. paracord PLANET.
peachy 🍑🍑🍑🍑
thanks for the video
I use Atwood rope mfg. is that real? it is real as you described
true mil spec paracord has a single colored (striped) strand among the seven strands. That is also one indicator of good quality 550 paracord.
The 550 cord I was issue while in the US Army had a twisted pair of yellow and black in the center. I always believed it was kevlar though I may be wrong.
i have the same u say is real and mine dont hold shape it all depends on how tight u make them if u look at the video i can tell one is tight and one is loose and if u lay them out the will not bounce back to round unless u keep them cliped i use the same he says is real and when he burns the ends mine show the white unless u cut off some of the white
Fire ... Paper ... Blanket ... Bed .... House = Not good combinations
I wanted to add that GI plus isn't good. When I burn the ends they turn black unlike my good stuff from countycomm. The GI also has some lumps and feels like it is more loose.
I'm using a military contractors paracord called gorilla paracord, its really nice and pretty cheap.
Don't want to be mean but are you making this stuff up?
Where is the cheapest place to buy real paracord. I would prefer online. I have been buying it from a seller on ebay. About $9.99 for 100 ft.
that sucks i have some p.cord and im not sure if its legit
got it for hobby lobby im looking at it and it seems ok
Could that outer casing be used as a lamp wick.?
since it's synthetic, probably not too effectively. would melt, smell like burning plastic, and likely not even wick the fuel very well, causing it to go out frequently. don't get me wrong paracord is one of the few GREAT military toys(like superglue and duct tape), with 1001 uses, but lamp wick? i say nay.
i bought a bunch from the bushcraft store online do you think its legit. btw i dont have a LOCAL millitary store.
Thanks brother, great info :)
Can the inner strands of Type III be used like Type I?
it's not woven as tight, that's why it doesn't hold its shape.
Perhaps I'm missing the point are you talking about quality or cost? the vast majority of people will not use original Paracord to its full potential and wont use it for climbing. So if its for a bracelet and needing a piece of string to tie a shelter or fire bow or pair of laces what difference does it make really. Most people would not try to use this stuff as a replacement rope..
If you're just making lanyards or bracelets ,its not gonna make any difference what paracord you use . All but the mil spec paracord has the "Do not use for climbing " warning on it. The 450,550 and 650 rated paracord is plenty strong enough for the needs of the average person. Even the stuff that Lowe's pawns off as paracord is strong enough for everyday usage and its rated at 150 lbs. If you're gonna apply 150 lbs of pressure to a bracelet,you're gonna break something.
Im uncertain about one i have here, its definitely not the reall thing. It doesnt have 7 strands it has one big interwoven one. It is definitely nylon though. The outer layer seems like the real thing. Ill probably just test its strength at some point but for what ill use it for it doesn't matter that much anyways.
Cotton is an organic material of course it doesn't burn. Nylon is a synthetic made out of oil it first melts then burns. The only difference between the 2 is strength and stretch. Nylon forms to a shape cotton doesn't. Nylon also stretches more than cotton before breaking. Nylon is stronger than cotton by weight. Cotton however feels much better against the skin. Para-cord by definition is nylon. Saying that nothing says it can't be made with cotton but it will have different properties.
Is it a good or bad thing that i bought a ton of string from china
Before you believe everything this guy says, Google 650 paracord. I don't know if anyone has mention this before but from what I can tell, that is what this stuff is. I don't know why they call it 650. It's only rated to 350 I believe.
Oh joy another thing that I hate about this video. He called his knife "Razor Sharp" which is an incorrect term. If his knife was "razor sharp" the blade would be so sharp it would end up bending the very tip of the blade making it worst than dull. it becomes a flat round edge. Sorry for bursting your bubble but its probably just "shaving sharp". Able to cut hair but still not sharp enough.
just my point of view but if you bought a bracelet advertized as survival cord then you cant call it a fake as it wasnt advertised as 550 cord suvival cord and paracord are 2 different things
Thanks for the info dude.
No disrespect to your video.. one thing and keep in mind at the cord that has the cotton can make a good Char Punk for flint and steel. Also you can take that inner cord and frayed up and it makes good Tinder for Ferro rod.. I do a lot of 1840s survival they didn't have paracord but they did have cotton. And the cotton rope was sometime used as like a cigarette lighter. Now you're going to say well there aren't any cigarettes back then but there was cigarettes were rolled up using corn husk. . And Cowboys had this thing called a tender tube had a rope in it in at the end was charred so that it could hold a spark from a flint and steel and they would smoke there cigs that way
These are both commercial paracord and not mil-spec. One is type II commercial cord and it is probably the cheap polypropylene cord. The other is type III commercial paracord. If you want to know how to find mil-spec cord, there are plenty of sites that can show you what to look for. These tests tell you nothing.
Doesn't real mil spec type III paracord have what strepo12 said and all of the 7 inner stands being 3 ply?
Where do they sell the real ones?
it's good for accesory uses .
key fobs, dummy cords, handle grips.
cabela should not use the words "mil spec". "commercial grade"
is more appropriate
wow. hold up. this guy just discovered what happens when you set fire to plastic, it melts?!?!?! WHAT>!?!?
Hey bud I have some bad news I have that para cord and hold over 550 cause we got a 400 pound dude hanging on it and also the red(real) para cord the white strands are smaller than the green ones