Friday, April 17, 2009

No Frills Spare Paracord Carry on a Boonie Hat

For those that want to carry some spare paracordwhen out and about, camping, hunting, fishing, hiking, backpacking, EDC every day carry(if ya wear a boonie hat),etc... this simple method will work just fine. I have posted other variations on 9/23/07, 5/16/07, 9/19/06, and 9/13/06.

If you've never worn a boonie hat, give one a try. They're inexpensive, comfortable, the chin strap comes in handy on windy days, and the full brim helps keep sun/rain off your ears and neck. It's similar to a bucket hat, but with a wider outward shaped brim. Fashion wise, as long as you like green, black, tan, gray, navy blue, or assorted camouflage types, there's sure to be one that fits the bill...

This method with the boonie hat ain't purty, like you might get with a sinnet, braid, weave, stitches, or other fancy knot work, but it will let you carry 50 feet of 550 cord/paracord/parachute cord, for fairly quick access. And it'll take considerably less time(for the impatient folks, and I know there's at least a couple of 'em out there) than you'd spend tying and untying knot work with all the kinks and twists that it will have in it too when it comes time to actually use it.

I like/prefer the knot work, but this is just an example for those that want something quick and easy to learn while still offering utility and being useful/functional.

I used the lanyard knot and loop(video), to secure the paracord, at the front, back, and both sides of my boonie hat, tied on the hat through the branch loops with about 1 foot of paracord used for each one. That leaves enough room to tie and adjust them before trimming off any excess. I made them after coiling the paracord around the hat the first time, so that I could make sure it would be a tight fit around the paracord and they will not come undone until you want them too.

For coiling the 50 foot piece of paracord(any more than 50 feet gets a bit bulky, YMMV), I first made an overhand slip knot/loop at one end and fit that over the hat. That helps keep the cord in place as I wrapped the cord around it. Then just continue to loop/coil the cord around the hat 'till you reach the end. Giving a bit of a twist to the cord as you go, like coiling a garden hose, keeps the paracord from developing twisted kinks as you go and helps it come off the hat easier without tangling when you remove it. Try not too wrap it too loose as it'll get messy and likely to tangle, or too tight as your head still has to fit in the hat. You can sit the hat on the floor to do this or even try it while you're wearing it.

Work each lanyard knot loop around the cord and over the lanyard knot to secure it on each side. The end of the cord usually ends up next to one of the lanyard loops, so you can just leave it tucked under one or tie an overhand knot around the previous loop to hold it in place.

I've tied it and pulled it off several times to test it out and make sure I can quickly get the paracord off without tangling, and it's worked out okay for me.

Boonie Hats

17 comments:

the Ambulance Driver said...

Nice, very nice... great for tying up terrorists or pirates!

audreyscountrycrafts said...

That's a great idea!! Will have to mention it to hubby, he wears that kind of hat.

SurvivalTopics.com said...

Good idea. Even just several feet wrapped around your noggin could come in handy.

Anonymous said...

Hi Stormdrane,

Love your blog. I keep catching myself looking at objects differently wondering what I could make for it after seeing so many of your projects.

I was looking for an email link to contact you, but couldn't see it - so I'm just going to post here in the comment with my question, which isn't really related to this post! (Sorry 'bout that)

I'm a Scout mom, and the kids are planning a trip for the summer. I wanted to look through your site for something they could make as a luggage tag, more like a bright fob that will make it easier to see their luggage on the carousel. I started off looking through your links for an index, then I tried the search button, but it searched to whole web, not just your site.

My first question is... is there a post of yours that you would recommend for this project?

My second question is... is there any other type of rope or cord that you could recommend that is made from natural fibres?

Thank you,
Sunny

Zak said...

Good idea!
Also, have you ever tried to make a sling? Sling as in the stone thrower not an arm sling. Sorry about the long comment, but I couldn't find an email link.

Stormdrane said...

Thanks. Yes, I've made a sling.

You have to look through my 'Older Posts' links at the bottom of each page to see my earlier posts, since I have the blog set to show 20 posts per page, and I currently have 266 posts on this blog.

There's also a link in the 'Links list' showing a tutorial for another sling made with a wider pouch.

Albert A Rasch said...

Sometimes the most obvious solutions are right in front of our noses, or as in this case, on top of our heads!

Regards,
Albert
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles.
The Range Reviews: Tactical.
Proud Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit.

Gregorio said...

I really like these tips and tricks some have already come in useful for me.Thanks looking forward to more of them.

Matt said...

Stormie,
What a great, simple idea. I saw this right after you posted it and decided to give it a try on my Boonie (which I wear on all Scouting trips). I tied it up last weekend at the beginning of a scout camping event and got lots of "COOL" comments. Worked great. THANKS

mig said...

I love this site. Thanks so much for teaching.

Johann said...

Thanks for a great blog and posts. You just got me onto something which I really like. Now just to find the right supplies over here. Keep it up!

Johann - Pretoria, South Africa

Waterrose said...

What a great idea. We do a lot of off roading, then hiking.

James "Used forklifts" Henry said...

Nice!
You've done a very great job with the hat!

Suburban Survivalist Blogger said...

I just absolutely love this idea. I am always looking for new ways to carry useful items. Although my purposes are probably different than yours (I'm thinking of a hat to keep with a bug out bag). I may write a post based on the information you have here.

forklifts hire said...

Love the glow in the dark thread used to make a dreamcatcher. Our business sponsors the local scout group and we had the scouts make these as presents for the local retirement village. They were a big hit. Thanks for he idea.

Forklift Courses Sydney said...

Because of this site, my wife is now obsessed with decorative knots. She ties everything into some variation of fancy knot from this site. On the upsite, I guess it's a much better hobby than her old one... buying handbags.

HergahBlergh said...

Thanks Stormdrane. I lack the dexterity to tie some of the more complicated braids, but this one works perfectly.