diy paracord bracelet patterns

24 DIY Paracord Bracelet Patterns & Visuals [Ultimate Guide]

by

In this article, I will cover 24 DIY paracord bracelet patterns with visuals.

A piece of prepping gear may not be part of your daily wear, but it should be. And it doesn’t have to look like a gear. Paracord bracelets are a neat way to hold 3.5+ meters of rope on your person.

Plus, almost infinite style and color variations mean that you can customize it to your taste. This isn’t a friendship ring, Mad Max wore one, and he’s a survivalist in an apocalyptic dystopia. Jokes aside, why is paracord great to have on hand?

Using military spec #550, the cord offers versatile cordage, and the inner braided nylon strands make it very sturdy. The usage of the paracord bracelet is varied.

You could unravel the bracelet and use the cord to fasten the shelter, create rudimentary traps, make general repairs, bind yourself to another human, hang a string, and so on.

If you want to learn how to do some fun projects with paracord, instead of just bracelets, check out 28 useful and fun paracord projects. 

If you need more length (without toughness), stripping the paracord to expose the inner strands will provide six to eight times more string. In addition, you can transform the paracord bracelet into a multi-tool by using a whistle and/or Ferro rod fasteners (a flint spark lighter). Don’t have paracord?

Buy some here.

Choosing Paracord Bracelet Patterns

I’ve included some of my top choices for paracord bracelet patterns below (with visuals), as well as videos on how to make them. Just because

I like these patterns of paracord. It doesn’t mean you’re going to. Keep these things in mind when choosing a bracelet pattern:

  • Wrist Size: If you’ve got tiny wrists, stick to smaller, lighter paracord patterns.
  • Cordage Amount: Some paracord weaves carry a lot more cordage. If you always find yourself using cordage, then pick one that uses more cordage.
  • Style: Who says the survivors can’t be trendy, too?
  • Buckle Size: If you’re wearing wide buckles, you’re going to need a wider weave. Small buckles mean narrower weave. I certainly prefer narrower weaves when I use a loop as a closure.

Amazon has many buckles available to purchase. Here are a few well-reviewed ones:

Amount of Paracord

As a rule of thumb, use 12 inches of rope per inch of paracord. However, the amount of paracord per inch can vary a lot, depending on factors such as:

  • The pattern used
  • The width cordage (if you want a thinner bracelet, consider using smaller cordage – even if it’s not as strong)
  • How firmly you make the knots
  • How much paracord you need to tie your final knots (beginners like to have extra length to make those knots!)

Though I don’t like wasting paracord (there’s not much you can do with the remaining strands of paracord), I tend to move on the side of caution. It’s better to start with more paracord than you really need than to end up without enough.

Measuring Your Wrist

Before you make your bracelet, tie a piece of paracord around your hand. Label the scale, then weigh it. Remember, it’s going to be dense. This thickness takes up some of the bracelet’s circumferences, so you’ll have to make the bracelet length a little longer than the actual width of your wrist.

You can try soaking it in water if you accidentally make it too large. It’s supposed to shrink a little as it drys. Don’t forget to determine the buckle for your measurements!

So, if your wrist is 8 inches in size and you use a 1-inch buckle, your paracord bracelet should only be 7 inches in length. Now, without further ado, here are 24 ways to customize your very own paracord survival bracelet.

If you don’t feel too inventive and just want one designed for you, you can buy a Paracord Survival Bracelet right here.

DIY Paracord Bracelet Patterns With Visuals

1. Cobra

This is the most common paracord bracelet pattern and probably what you’re going to see sold in shops. This can be used for most bracelet designs. 

It’s straightforward to create, it can be created with a simple buckle or a lanyard knot, and it’s not too thick or too heavy. It’s great for beginners.

2. King Cobra

The Fishtail bracelet is among the most common bracelet styles, not only because of its distinctive look that can be used in one or two colors but also because it is so simple to create. Next to the Cobra, the Fishtail is one of the main designs used in several other bracelet designs.

3. Quick-Deploy Cobra

The entire reason for wearing a paracord bracelet is to have it in an emergency. But what good is it going to be in a real emergency if you have to spend 5+ minutes unraveling the bracelet? This issue is fixed by a quick-deploy pattern. This bracelet is rather loose and, as the name implies, far easier to unravel.

4. Quick-Deploy Millipede

Here’s another one for quick-deployment. This one is better if you want more rope in your bracelet and a thicker weave. It’s thicker, it’s got more paracord, it’s pretty easy to make, and it looks great in two colors.

5. Quick Deploy Trilobite

You may have seen the standard versions of the paracord trilobite bracelet pattern (also called the ladder pattern). This one is a little tougher to make (and harder than a quick-deployed fishtail pattern), but it has some benefits, including keeping more cordage.

You need to use a shackle or a loop to make it a quick-deploy. This is a rather large bracelet with a lot more paracord than other bracelets. This is recommended for larger wrists.

6. Quick Deploy Fishtail

When you dive into the art of making paracord bracelets, it’s easy to overlook that they’re there to carry your emergency cordage. This bracelet design is based on the classic Fishtail design and allows you to undo the bracelet in a matter of seconds when needed.

It is, however, constructed in such a way that it is difficult to be unraveled by accident.

7. Fishtail

The Fishtail paracord bracelet pattern is one of the most popular designs in bracelet-making not only because of its unique design that can utilize one or two colors but also because it is so easy to make. 

Alongside the Cobra, the Fishtail is among one of the key designs used in many other bracelet designs.

8. Simple Laced

This design builds on the traditional design of Cobra and makes it look infinitely more complex by weaving a thinner form one paracord not only to add extra meters of cord but also to add extra eye-catching detail to the design.

9. Easy Slip-On

By attaching a piece of flexible wire, you can make a paracord bracelet in any style in such a way that you don’t need to add a buckle or a lanyard knot to hold it on your wrist. The wire makes the bracelet rigid and bendable, making it easy to slip on and off the wrist.

10. Easy Adjustable

While not so much style, this tutorial covers several different ways to build an adjustable paracord bracelet for aspiring weavers. It addresses the different options of the clasp but also displays simple, customizable paracord knotting options.

11. Easy Braided

Like the Twisted Bracelet, the nature of this bracelet is to provide a fundamental way to store your paracord on your wrist. Using two colors brings a little more excitement to the bracelet, but one solid color will look just as fine.

12. Twisted

As one of the lighter designs, the Twisted design uses a basic twist in one or two colors that are knotted at the end with a simple Matthew Walker knot and a cord thimble as a clasp. As the designs of the paracord bracelet go, this is as easy as it comes.

13. Backbone Bar

This bracelet uses a single colored cord that produces a spine-like pattern that is surrounded by a series of framed spit knots. Since it’s wider and includes a set of complicated knots, this is one style that can pack a good amount of rope around your wrist.

14. Bane's Cuff

Extra-wide by using six strands of cord, it’s one of the widest bracelets, and it’s right to call it a cuff rather than a bracelet. This will be time-consuming, but you will get a super thick bracelet with a special sharp ridge, but not as big as Bane’s cuff.

15. Cross Knot

Like the Braided pattern, the Cross Knot features another basic paracord bracelet made of a simple weaving pattern. Using a single solid color, this style offers a cleaner look than a braided bracelet but still remains one of the thinner choices out there.

16. Wide Side Step

The Wide Side Step bracelet resembles two bracelets woven together, but in actuality, two-tone strands are woven together in one method to produce one of the larger designs out there.

Because of its girth, if desired, the wearers would have two three-and-a-half meter strands of paracord at their disposal.

17. 3-Color Mate Snake

This is one of the largest paracord bracelet patterns, too. The Mated Snake is a common design for the way its two colors interlock, but when you add a third color, you get a beautifully large design that’s great for your three favorite colors.

Unfortunately, this design requires a reasonable amount of time as well as practice.

18. Herringbone

Herringbone is a little complicated, if only because of the inclusion of a dowel rod. The Herringbone is a pattern that looks more complicated than it really is. Using two colors of type one cordage, you can create a beautiful but lightweight pattern that looks like it uses more cord than it does.

19. Caterpillar's Feet

This bracelet design isn’t seen as much, so it’s perfect if you want something new. It also benefits from being less cumbersome than the Cobra. Notice that the video tells you to use two 6 inches strands of 450 paracords.

However, in my own experience (and others), I’ve found various per-inch measurements.

20. Katana Wrap

This is a newer pattern that was influenced by a main character in the series, The Walking Dead. It looks very good, and it’s pretty easy to produce. You’re just making a fishtail paracord bracelet and then tie a contrasting color around it to make a katana-style sword wrap.

It contains a lot of rope, it’s perfect for straps and handles, and it’s not that hard to make.

21. Cyclone Wrap

The Cyclone Wrap features a beautiful two-tone original design that features an eye-catching division of color down to the center and looks like it’s wrapped around another pattern. However, it’s a full weave that looks very complicated, even though it’s simple to do.

22. Corkscrew

The Corkscrew pattern uses two separate colors of paracord glued together, which are then twisted together to create a design that actually looks identical to the Katana Wrap. Although round rather than flat like many paracord designs, the corkscrew provides an especially attractive look.

23. Sonic Boom

Weaving two different cords together, the Sonic Boom weaver produces a pattern that features a series of unique little loops on either side of the bracelet. By using a pen or other small tube during weaving, the loops are kept small and uniform. The loops are also a perfect place to clip on decorative charms.

24. Mad Max

Made famous after being watched in Mad Max’s movie: Fury Road, Mad Max’s style is actually just a simple Cobra bracelet. What makes it so special is the simplicity of the closure that also enables the bracelet to be tightened and loosened to your preference.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it – 24 amazing paracord bracelets patterns to keep you busy for weeks.

If you liked this article, you may like 26 Survival Knots To Know Now (Most Essential Knots).

I enjoyed making this article, and I hope you liked it too. Hopefully, you found a paracord bracelet patterns you liked. If you liked this article, consider following us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Also, consider sharing this content and subscribing to get 255 free ebooks.

Have a wonderful day, and keep prepping!

Leave a Comment