Drawstring Belted Plaid

[ChattanCat]

After posting my reply suggesting paracord I thought...man, you're going to get trashed for that.

It is great to know that I'm not alone in my 550 mania. I never hike without about 100 feet of it.

Oh yeah...a roll of duct tape and four carabiners, too.

Ok, I am curious. What have you used the paracord, carrbiners, and duct tape for while in the woods, meadows, and mountains?

[Tartan Hiker]

Ok, I am curious. What have you used the paracord, carrbiners, and duct tape for while in the woods, meadows, and mountains?

Duct tape repairs packs, raingear, tents and tarps. I use it a lot to mark trail areas that need work...wrap it around a branch and write instructions for the trail crew to follow. Boot repair.

With 550 you can make a dog leash for lost pets, tool hoisting lines when doing tree work, tarp support lines, extra tent fly tie-downs in high wind areas (try camping on top of Mt. Mitchell some time...the winds blow down the tents of the uninitiated on a regular basis. Pretty much every night someone loses their fly or their entire tent). I used 550 last year to lash two branches to my leg for a splint when I blew my ACL, then when I found that I kept banging my foot on the ground I rearranged it to lash foot to my backside so I could hop down the mountain more easily.

Carabiners are invaluable when making a z-drag to move really heavy objects (but this requires heavier line than 550 and a couple of Prussik loops, all of which I also carry when doing trail work). They're also handy for attaching gear to your pack loops, and having several hanging on your pack makes you look like you know what you're doing even if you don't.

How's that?

[ChattanCat]

Carabiners are invaluable when making a z-drag to move really heavy objects (but this requires heavier line than 550 and a couple of Prussik loops, all of which I also carry when doing trail work). They're also handy for attaching gear to your pack loops, and having several hanging on your pack makes you look like you know what you're doing even if you don't.

How's that?

That is quite a utilitarian piece of equipment. What the heck is a Prussik?

[Bugbear]

Now I want to know too. Couldn't find it in a dictionary unless it is a german thing.

That is quite a utilitarian piece of equipment. What the heck is a Prussik?

[herminator]

Here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prusik_knot

[Tartan Hiker]

Here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prusik_knot

Wow, what an informative link.

Check out this link...see the last illustration on the page...to see how you can make a pulley system with ropes and carabiners. This is one very handy trick.

http://cucc2.co.uk/guide/rescues.htm

[Pleater]

There is another option if the length of the cord and attached fabric is to be reduced to 1/3rd.

You can make the folds equal by tying the cord to whatever holds it at measured intervals, and include a small loop at one end of the pleated part.

To pleat, pull the first length of cord through the loop, so making a second loop, pull the next length of cord through the new loop, repeat along the pleats. At the end of the pleats tie the last loop to the end of the cord or pass the byter end through the last loop.

If you leave the ends of the cord long enough so you can tie it to your waist and so support the weight of the pleats, it should make the adjusting and arranging of the rest of the fabric easier.