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

Glow in the dark thread

I gave this Superior Threads NiteLite Extra Glow thread a try for use as a dreamcatcher on a 34mm paracord covered split ring. I blunted a large sewing needle, on a diamond file, to help with feeding the thread over/around the loops when making it.

Being 30wt polyester thread, it turned out okay as a pendant to hang on a necklace or from the truck's rearview mirror, but it's not strong enough, like the 0.9mm nylon cord, to be used as a fob or lanyard. Maybe if I twisted 3 or 4 strands of it together, like a rope, it might then work... That's would be a lot of extra work, but still something different to try adding to various paracord projects.

The glow is actually not bad considering how thin the thread is and the package info said it will glow for at least 6 hours. It was still visible after that when I hung it from a nightstand lamp to test it.

And another...

I used an oval shaped key ring/split ring with a gutted piece of paracord over it, then used 0.9mm braided nylon cord to make the dreamcatcher. For the fob/lanyard, I used some CoolGlowStuff 3/32" cord, with a snake knot to attach it to a flashlight. There's enough loop left to put my thumb through(the lanyard, not the dreamcatcher) for retention if used when boating, camping, fishing, hiking, backpacking, etc..., so that I don't lose it and a clip to attach it to a belt loop or even a watchband, to prevent loss.