There’s a certain pride in being able to whip up a fire. Sure, anyone can start a fire using a duraflame Firestart or something similar. But what about if you don’t have such luxuries on hand? If you’re a true pyro and outdoorsman, you probably bring a lighter and/or matches on most outdoor adventures. Well, you can further up your fire starting game with the GEAR AID Fire Strand 550 Paracord.
Paracord is awesome stuff. Durable, versatile, and practical – it has been used by militaries and outdoorsman alike for decades. When you’re adventuring, you should always keep a little paracord for emergencies – lashing, building a shelter, repairing gear. Well, what if that paracord could also START A FIRE? You heard me right. GEAR AID really kicked paracord up a notch with their Fire Strand 550 Paracord.
If you haven’t already heard of the company, GEAR AID is an innovative company that makes all kind of gear repair and survival products. Famously known for their Tenacious Tape, their foray into paracord equally delivers. The Fire Strand 550 Paracord is a 7-strand paracord that also includes a strand of wax-coated tinder cord. Paracord in general is a great source of tinder – split the strands and you have prime tinder material (if dry). But the beauty of the wax-coated tinder cord inside the Fire Strand is that it stays lit, much like a candle. Once the wax is lit, it stays lit. From here you can use the paracord to either light multiple spots of your tinder pile, or you can leave it in one place while you slowly add tinder above the flame to get a bigger fire going.
The GEAR AID product listing names several other uses for this paracord, including hanging clothes; tensioning tarps; making a shoelace; and using the inner strands for fishing line, thread, or floss. I’ve not tested any of these use cases, but sure – why not? But I’ve only used it to start fires, which it excels at.
I especially love how the paracord is coyote brown. It provides a natural color that doesn’t conflict with any tactical or other concealment considerations. I like to keep a strand of it woven through the MOLLE straps on my forest green Mystery Ranch 2-Day Assault Pack. It fits right into my earth tone vibe.
This paracord comes with a plastic carabiner, which I suppose helps keep all the paracord together. But in reality, the carabiner feels cheap and useless. I wouldn’t use this carabiner for any heavy duty use. I basically chuck the carabiners into the spare parts bin. The carabiner is cool in theory but I would have preferred them throwing in a solid metal carabiner for an extra dollar or so.
I use a Maxpedition Micro Pocket Organizer as my wallet and I keep a small strand of this paracord tied into the loop within the pouch. I consistently find myself untying the strand and using it to start a fire in a pinch. Just last weekend we took the family camping and after a particularly damp morning, I was having trouble getting a fire going. So I busted out the Fire Strand and after some finessing – voila! We had a fire going to keep us warm in the morning.
I’ve also added Fire Strand to the handles of various knives in my collection and to a ferro rod necklace I made for when I’m feeling bushcrafty. It really is a solid add-on to any survival equipment you might have. You can’t go wrong throwing some Fire Strand into your kit.
Pros
- Easy way to start a fire in a pinch
- Strong
- Versatile
- Affordable
- Earth tone coyote
Cons
- Carabiner feels cheap and is not really useful
I’m not sure how much more there is to say about paracord, but the GEAR AID Fire Strand 500 Paracord is cool stuff. I regularly use it myself to start fires, and I make sure to spread it around my outdoor equipment and my EDC to have some handy for when I need to start a fire in a pinch. I prefer to challenge myself without using the Fire Strand, but sometimes you just need a fire and don’t have time to mess around (think hangry, cold kids on a brisk fall morning while camping). You’ve got nothing to lose by throwing some Fire Strand into your kit. It might make your life easier by upping your fire starting game, or it could save your life in a survival situation. You don’t need much to start a fire, so I’ve been working from the same 50 feet of Fire Strand I purchased a couple years ago – and I still have plenty left. I highly recommend this stuff for both your outdoor gear and your EDC setups. You might just be the hero who gets a fire going on a wet camping trip or a survival emergency.
What other unique fire starters do you use? Share your experiences with useful fire starting products with our readers below. Chris and I will give them a try and review! Thanks for reading.
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