Outdoors

Wearable survival: Bison Designs fire-starting paracord bracelet

View 3 Images
The Bison Designs Flint and Steel gives you a knife, firestarting flint and 15 feet of paracord in a bracelet
The Flint and steel closes by way of flint toggle
The Sharp Eye Survival Bracelet has just a knife with no flint
The Bison Designs Flint and Steel gives you a knife, firestarting flint and 15 feet of paracord in a bracelet
View gallery - 3 images

It looks like survival jewelry and fashion accessories may become a thing. Earlier this month, we covered the HypeX necklace line from Swiss Army manufacturer Wenger, and now we have a type of wearable survival gear that wraps around your wrist. The Bison Designs Flint and Steel Survival Bracelet gives you several small, easily transported emergency tools.

Bison Designs isn't the only manufacturer to offer paracord bracelets. Several different companies have these bracelets, which are kind of like burly friendship bracelets for adults - adults that fancy themselves getting lost and isolated in the wilderness. These bracelets typically wind about 15 feet (4.6 m) of paracord around your wrist. If you ever find yourself in need of some rope or a knot, you have it at your disposal.

For the average paracord bracelet, "survival" might be a bit of hyperbole - the paracord will probably be used for simple tasks like replacing a broken bootlace or guying your tent as opposed to life-lining your dangling hide off a 2,000-foot cliff. It's more of a utilitarian bracelet than a survival bracelet.

The Flint and steel closes by way of flint toggle

The Flint and Steel, on the other hand, brings a little bit more legitimate survival cred to your arm. Not only do you get the 15 to 17 feet (4.6 to 5.2 m) of 550-test paracord, the bracelet includes a one-inch (2.5 cm), stainless steel eye knife buried inside the woven paracord. The knife won't exactly take the place of a full blade, but it will work in conjunction with the flint clasp to start a fire. It should also be ample for small cutting tasks like slicing through the paracord or duct tape.

The Flint and Steel is an innovative way of carrying a few survival basics with you wherever you are. It retails for US$25 and is one of the few bracelets a man can wear without getting called metrosexual by at least one of his friends. Bison also offers a version with just the knife for $12.50, but if you're going to walk around with a survival bracelet, you might as well load it up with every tool they offer.

Source: Bison Designs

View gallery - 3 images
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Flipboard
  • LinkedIn
10 comments
Steve Pender
Just a way to sell paracord for a premium.
Marcus Carr
Good luck getting on a plane with it. If a water bottle needs to be impounded, the bracelet doesn\'t have a chance.
Joe Sobotka
Great idea,,, fair price.
Dawar Saify
The sharp area or knife seems exposed, or looks like it could be exposed as the cord is used?
paracordist
This bracelet is based on my idea and product, the BSB - Best Survival Bracelet (Patent Pending); the original firesteel toggle button bracelet http://sg.sg/A7La5g. This bracelet uses the more common cobra stitch, which is much slower to untie than the weave I created for the BSB. The BSB allows access to the scraper without untying the entire bracelet AND provides tinder. After use, all can be re-installed easily by the user; the firesteel toggle remains on the bracelet at all times. The ID/scraper tag on mine has been engraved by some to include emergency medical information. Paracordist.com.
francm
You can get various versions at the Waterfront in Cape Town for $10 made by a social SA project
kellory
I would like to see more useful items. Perhaps a wire saw and pull rings, capped fishing hooks,( paracord contains strands that can be used to fish) with a sinker crimped onto each hook. One of the largest emergencies in an extended stay would be infection due to a cut or puncture, I would like to see a broad spectrum antibiotic rolled up inside the parecord. It would take little space, but could save a life.
jonatan
kellory@
serious *broad spectrum antibiotic* why not an Cessna Air plane inside there too when its so much room :P
kellory
jonatan, Are you a complete idiot, or did you fail to complete the course? Did you really just compare the size of a few pills or a small tube like blistex, to carrying around a full size air craft? Do you see the 1 inch eye knife tucked in the paracord on one end? It would take almost nothing to insert a flat strip with a few pills or a small tube in the other end. Those few pills or enough ointment to prevent the infection, can make the difference between life and death by blood poisoning. I think it is more important than the flint and steel. I can make fire without them, if I must. But There is NO second chances with infection, if you are too late, you're dead.
unklmurray
If you all are so worried about taking this or that survival equipment on the airplane you could just wear the para cord in a bracelet-or-belt and the tools in a suppository....LOL