Originally Posted by
FLRider
I think everyone covered the issues associated with using paracord pretty well.
However, it's worth noting that paracord is not bad stuff; actually, it works very well in its intended use. Since it stretches quite a bit, it absorbs the shock of going from freefall to chute deployed, keeping the person hanging from it from having a rough time with his or her harness.
Thing is, that stretch that's desirable for a skydiver? Not so much in our particular use: you don't want to wake up on the ground overnight when your suspension stretches under load.
And that's not even considering the weight limit and dynamic forces, which others have covered very well.