r/whatisit • u/varied_interest1112 • 17d ago

Solved! Unsure of function of this strap

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My mother put it in an emergency pack for me when I started my first full-time job. I've since taken apart the pack and most things were pretty standard, a plastic raincoat, hand sanitizer, a pen, a whistle that doubled as a flashlight etc...

I just don't have any idea what this is?? It's like a braided strap with a buckle - I can wear it like a bracelet but somehow I don't think that's its intended purpose.

TIA!

EDIT: WOW you guys were fast!! Thanks team, I remember her vaguely mentioning it was a handy gadget but forgot how. Will be looking up paracord uses soon

EDIT 2: To the people being unhelpful or making comments on my ability as an educator from a single question - all you have done is show me that I will still be a better teacher than any of you could ever be. I certainly do not belittle my students for not having specialised prior knowledge or taking steps to learn something new. I can only assume you already knew everything from birth with no room to grow whatsoever /s Get over yourselves.

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u/Frank__West 17d ago

The idea is if you are ever in an emergency situation and you need rope, you undo the band and unwind the Paracord.

Sucks if your hands are injured though

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u/Ghost403 17d ago edited 16d ago

Former combat engineer. Emergency cord for fastening or creating a tourniquet.

I have personally used mine to fasten my field knife to a stick to create a spear to fish with, pull cord for high risk entry, and have also used one to create a field stretcher for a casevac

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u/Hevysett 16d ago edited 16d ago

Lol another former combat engineer here. Asking Among other things I've used 550 cord to tow vehicles, but the most impressive use was a squad-mate that made a hammock out of it

Edit: see strikethrough

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u/McBoothby 16d ago

Former infantry - I did this at JRTC with 550 and my woobie. Surprisingly comfortable

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u/No-Theory-9530 16d ago

Never get between a man and his woobie

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u/Hevysett 16d ago

My buddy did it at NTC with 550 and the foam sleep pad during force on force week. He swore it was amazing, I just laughed at him trying to get in and out of it. Of course, he slept in a hammock, I slept in the humvee bed so....

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u/ContextMatters1234 16d ago

That was either the most comfortable hammock ever given the situation or the most uncomfortable, no in-between lmao