The Best Paracord Bracelets For Outdoor Survival

We’re not entirely fond of the word bracelet. Primarily because it conjures up images of femininity and female fashion. But if you take a look back in history, you’ll see that there’s actually a pretty extensive history of men wearing them. Ancient men wore them as a means by which to ward off evil. During the Bronze age, they were worn as a status symbol. In WWII, American soldiers were given identification bracelets which, after the war, became a cool trend (Elvis and James Dean wore them).

Nowadays, we tend to lean toward arm accessories that serve a more pragmatic purpose. Just like the rest of our everyday carry gear, we prefer things that serve at least a secondary purpose outside of fashion. And paracord bracelets are about as good as it gets. In fact, paracord might actually be the ultimate survival tool. So we’ve wrangled together a few of the best best available on the market today. Ranging from the most basic to the ultimate in emergency preparation, these are the most superb options money can buy.

Why Do You Even Need a Paracord Bracelet?

To understand why a paracord bracelet is a crucial outdoor companion, we should first discuss why a paracord is so invaluable to begin with. There are endless uses for a paracord, but some of the most popular are for tying down gear, hanging up wet clothes, and assisting the grip on your knife. However, paracords are also key survival tools, especially when binding or bracing wounds or building a tourniquet (although this should be a last resort and purpose-built medical tools should be used if handy).

Paracords can also be used to hold up your pants, tie your shoes if your shoelaces break, or attach to your zipper if you don’t have a pull.

How to Wash Your Paracord Bracelet

If you’re using your paracord bracelet as intended, there’s no doubt it will get quite filthy. To clean it after each adventure, simply put it in a capped container with warm, soapy water. Shake the container for about 60 seconds and let it stand for about 3 minutes. Do this again, but this time replace the soapy water with clean water.

What to Look For in a Paracord Bracelet

Material: Typical paracord material is either nylon or polyester, which gives you fantastic weight-to-strength ratios. Polyester is better for wetter situations while nylon may be lighter and softer on average.

Length: Most paracords will stretch between 5 and 12 feet after being unraveled. 

Weight Rating: Most quality paracords will hold up to or around 500lbs, maybe more. So, if it’s rated much less, we suggest opting for one that’s a bit more capable.

Features: Aside from having an actual paracord attached to your wrist, many bracelet options will sport other useful survival tools such as compasses, firestarters, and/or emergency whistles. There are even some options that have knives or flashlights equipped.

Size: Paracord bracelets will either be a set size that depends on your wrist circumference or will be adjustable. Adjustable bracelets are great if you’re swapping between different people or want to equip your child, who will inevitably get larger wrists as they get older. However, non-adjustable bands are just fine if you know who’s using them and don’t mind a little wiggle room.

The Friendly Swede Trilobite Extra Thick Paracord Bracelet

Best Paracord-Only Bracelet: This paracord bracelet is about as bare bones as they come. It doesn’t have a bunch of fancy bells and whistles (some come with literal whistles). It’s just more than 10 feet of a 500-pound paracord. In this case, the lack of extra functionality is hardly a drawback because the paracord is such a useful tool. It is load-rated and verified by SGS testing at a maximum force of 531 pounds. That means you could feasibly use it to hang a hammock that would support just about any average-sized human. It also has a super secure pin clasp that will prevent the bracelet from sliding off your hand without express intent. And unlike many options out there, this bracelet can be adjusted easily to your wrist size – although there are other size options too. Not to mention, it’s covered by the Friendly Swede’s lifetime warranty. In regards to the basics, this one is simply the best.

A2S Survival Paracord Bracelet K2 Peak

Best with Compass: Offering a bit more functionality than its predecessors, this survival paracord bracelet offers 5 useful tools together in a single pared-down format. Having your back in nearly any jam, it is comprised of military-grade 7-strand paracord and features a compass, ferro rod, fire scraper, and emergency whistle that are all built into the snap-on buckle. Made from an actual parachute cord, the paracord is rated to 550 pounds and the emergency whistle can scream at up to 100 decibels. There are four size options — including one for kids — and an adjustable option. Whether you’re going off on a weekend getaway or you’re about to start a multi-day hike, this bracelet is an indispensable emergency toolkit.

Atomic Bear Paracord Bracelet

Best Upgrade: Much like the A2S Survival Paracord Bracelet up above, Atomic Bear’s model comes with some extra tools to increase your chances of survival when venturing into the unknown (or even the known). This includes a compass to help you find your home base, a ferro rod and striker for firestarting, and an emergency whistle for warding off wild animals or calling for help. Adjustable to fit any sized wrist, including smaller kids’ wrists, the bracelet itself features 12ft of paracord made of military-grade cellulose. Colored in black and orange, the unit comes in sets of two and can be adjusted by simply pressing the fastener and sliding the cord through to tighten. 

Savior Survival Gear Paracord Watch Band

Best for Smartwatches: Just because you want to be one with nature and disconnect from your regular life doesn’t mean you can’t bring along some technology on your adventure. For those who like their Apple Watches or other smartwatches to accompany them into the outdoors, whether for tracking steps or having a GPS unit at the ready, this paracord band from Savior Survival Gear is your best bet. Available in a couple dozen options, the bracelet comes in two sizes plus an adjustable variant and is clasped with a stainless steel buckle. The seven-strand paracord is rated to 550 pounds and gives you about 5.5ft after unhooking it from your watch — after which you’ll need to attach it to a backup band.  

Luminox Bear Grylls Mens Watch Survival Land Series

Best Paracord Survival Watch: Few watch brands know the outdoors like Luminox, and few people are better prepared for outdoor survival than Bear Grylls. Together, they’ve teamed up on a number of rugged timepieces, including this particular bicompax chronograph adorned with a paracord bracelet. Part of the Survival Land Series, this watch ref. 3798 is powered by a Ronda quartz movement with 50 months of power reserve inside of its CARBONOX case — Luminox’s proprietary carbon fiber material. Colored black, the paracord itself is made of nylon material. However, like, the Savior Survival Gear Apple Watch band above, you’ll need a backup strap if you’re planning on seriously using this one.