Evo Loop Construction

[cmoulder]

What is a paracord version of a soft shackle?

[cougarmeat]

Q: What is a paracord version of a soft shackle?
A: A rubberband.

[cmoulder]

Lol, I'm thinking maybe paracord 'alternative' because of the big construction difference vs Amsteel, i.e. core and no core.

Also, there's paracord and then there's the real thing, mil-spec paracord. I wonder if the fanciful, brightly colored paracord sold for arts and crafts and boy scout projects — or the generic stuff sold to bushcrafters — is really rated at 550lbs.

When in doubt, there's an easy solution... just make more wraps and double-triple-whatever material is available. I once used Zing-it to make an extension around a really big tree. Made about 5 wraps, tied it off and didn't worry one bit about it being strong enough. Heck, with enough wraps you could use polyester sewing thread. Hey wait, isn't that what they use for bar tacking to make webbing loops??

[nanok]

construction: well, we were talking about the "tie whatever knot you fancy" dyneema soft shackle, that's the context where paracord was mentioned as an example of why not to do that. there was a pic and some talk of a double overhand stopper and a fixed capture loop. so, the spliceability etc is kind of irrelevant for this context: take a length of paracord, fold it in half, tie a double overhand stopper with the ends, tie a simple overhand maybe toward the fold, to make some sort of capture loop, and you're done. "5 second soft shackle" *

(*) a pointless 5 second softshackle if you ask me, i don't know why anybody would do this, but clearly people do, so might as well make it from paracord, instead of wasting perfectly good dyneema to make a deceivingly weak softshackle.

mil spec vs "tie your own coffee cup"-spec: my guess would be, from what i have seen so far, they are, likely, mostly about that strong, but i expect most of them are not rated at all. (nobody bothered). they are probably about that strong because they use materials and manufacturing processes which are already very well established, so blindly copying the design of "mil-spec" paracord will very likely result in similar strength, even if nobody cares. now, if you care about the strength, for some particular reason, then "probably" is not good enough, so either get rated materials, or do your own break testing. but for general utility use, i wouldn't worry too much. if you're going to rappel on it, of course, then, well, you shouldn't (you might die. regardless of mil spec or not)

[Kenna2016]

mil-spec = lowest bidder.

I was in the Army for 9 years, mil-spec is synonymous with garbage. Civilian gear/tech is light years ahead of the military.

Also, "mil-spec" is a commonly used marketing ploy as there is no one to prove/disprove whether a product is in fact "mil-spec".

[cmoulder]

mil-spec = lowest bidder.

I was in the Army for 9 years, mil-spec is synonymous with garbage. Civilian gear/tech is light years ahead of the military.

Also, "mil-spec" is a commonly used marketing ploy as there is no one to prove/disprove whether a product is in fact "mil-spec".

Then things have gone downhill. Some 30 years ago my brother in law was a C-130 loadmaster and I was occasionally the recipient of some military castaways and that was some good stuff then.

Mil-spec hardware from McMaster-Carr is definitely better stuff.

[Kenna2016]

Likely the same stuff used now as was used then... The procurement and testing procedures that the military uses ensures that by the time anything hits circulation to regular units it's outdated by a few years. When the Army started issuing the DAGR GPS to replace the PLGR around 2006 it was already far eclipsed by civilian GPS units. As far as I know (I got out for good in 2017) the Army is still using the DAGR (early 2000s tech).

Anyone can claim something is "mil-spec" as there is no real way to prove or disprove the claim, specifically for paracord as was the example above my post. I've seen many products labeled as "mil-spec" that I never saw during my time in the Army. After using Amsteel whoopie slings I would prefer Amsteel over true "mil-spec" paracord any day.