As a firefighter, I’m always looking for “gear” that keeps me safe. It’s especially nice to find a piece of equipment that I can carry both at work and at home. My rescue tool, for example, never leaves my pocket. It’s a versatile piece of hardware that I use almost every day, sometime to free an injured patient from their seat belt, other times to cut the blister pack off of one of my daughter’s newest toys.
When I saw the SurvivalStraps web site I immediate thought, “now there’s something that might come in handy no matter where I am.” The product not only looked functional, but when I delved into the information about the company and what they do to support our country, I was sold.
So what is a SurvivalStrap?
A SurvivalStrap is a bracelet that’s built from paracord. Paracord is lightweight, nylon kernmantle rope originally used in the parachutes from WW II. Today the rope has many useful tasks such as tying things down, securing items and even saving people from drowning just to name a few. For every inch of your bracelet you’ll actually be getting 1.75 feet of paracord (up to 16 feet.)
The best part of the SurvivalStrap? If you have to deploy it in an emergency situation, the company will replace it for free! All they ask is you pay the shipping to get your new strap to you, and that you write them and tell the story of how you used it.
The SurvivalStrap comes in an uncanny amount of color choices (30 to be exact.) Once at the ordering page you can choose both the inner and outer colors for your strap. It’s possible to come up with over 1,000 color combinations for your bracelet. If you choose a single color, your strap will be made from a single piece of paracord. If you opt for two colors it’ll be built from two separate pieces.
You’ll then need to measure your wrist. SurvivalStraps recommends using a piece of string to wrap around your wrist. Then measuring the amount of string it took to do so. You then can order your strap in 1/2″ increments from 6″ up to 9″. If your wrist falls between sizes they also recommend rounding up as the bracelet will shrink. They also do not want you to add any length to your wrist, measure it exactly. They’ll add some room when they hand make your bracelet.
You also choose the closure method for your strap. The SurvivalStrap comes standard with a plastic slide release buckle but you can choose to upgrade to a stainless steel shackle for $3 more.
My SurvivalStrap arrived in about a week and contained an owner’s manual.
The manual details not only how to wear the SurvivalStrap on your wrist, but how you should deploy it should you find you need to do so. They also include a couple of “brag tags” or business cards that you can hand out to friends and family who ask where your cool new bracelet came from.
I chose black for my outside edge color and Coyote brown for the inside. Honestly the hardest part about placing your order is deciding what color combination to select. There are so many options.
I also opted to upgrade to the stainless shackle. The shackle resembles a threaded pin which you stick through the two loops at the end of the bracelet. Then once through, you connect the pin to the other side and screw it together.
If you find yourself in an emergency situation which requires you to deploy the paracord, doing so is easy. You simply grasp the two ends of the rope and pull them through the loop that’s holding them down. Then you pull them apart and begin to unravel the SurvivalStrap. Once fully deployed you’ll find yourself with several feet of 550# paracord at your disposal.
Of course, since I ordered the SurvivalStrap myself I didn’t want to deploy it for this review, but I trust that’s it’s all there and if I ever do have to use it in the field I’ll be sure to update this review.
SurvivalStraps are 100% made in the USA and they are extremely passionate about supporting the men and women of our nation’s military. The company is involved in the Wounded Warrior Project, which helps raise awareness of the struggles the men and women of our military face when returning home from Iraq and Afghanistan. You can also choose to purchase a soldier care package along with your own strap. If you do, SurvivalStraps will send a bracelet along with some other goodies and a personalized card from you to a solider serving overseas. They also take $5 from every package purchased and donate it to the Wounded Warrior Project.
I’ve only had my strap a few days, and I haven’t had to use it yet. Of course I hope never to have to do so, but it’s nice knowing it’s there if I need it.
SurvivalStraps makes a host of other products using paracord as well. From dog collars, to key chains and watch bands, belts, rifle slings and many more.
Check them all out for yourself here.
In a world filled with cut-throat big business, it’s refreshing to see a family business out to do the right thing. SurvivalStraps care about their customers and offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. They’ll do whatever it takes to make things right, and that’s a good trait for a company to have, perhaps the best.
M.S.R.P. – $19.95 – You can get 10% off when you use the code geardiary10 at checkout!
What I like – wearable safety paracord with a purpose, made in the USA, replaced for free if used.
What I don’t like – nothing!