10 Reasons That Will Make You Love Camping

On a recent backcountry trip, I emerged from the wilds scarred, bruised, limping and probably losing more blood than a normal human should. Yet, although I had the appearance of someone dragged through hell, while lashed to a pack of wild horses, I was all smiles; Grinning ear to ear like it was my birthday.

It might seem hard to imagine, but I love camping. Yes, it gets dirty; yes, my sleeping bag isn’t a Tempurpedic, but for me, comfort is a distant consideration to the experience.   It’s not glamorous, and it can be rugged, but the adventure is second to none. Anything can happen while camping, and no two trips are ever the same.

Before you ask what I could possibly love about camping, I’m going to beat you to the punch and give you my top 10 reasons to love camping too:

10 Reasons to Love Camping

1. Cozying up to a blazing fire on a chilly night roasting hotdogs or marshmallows: – In the backcountry, the opportunity for a fire doesn’t come around too often. But when it does, I guarantee you I’m taking full advantage of it. On a chilly night, very few things are more comforting and tranquil than sitting around the warmth of a campfire roasting up a dog, or watching your marshmallows caramelize over an open flame.

2. Encountering wildlife – Beautifully rare and incredibly thrilling, encountering the elusive inhabitants of the wild is both awesome and mesmerizing. There is a hidden kingdom beyond our own, and if ever given the chance to peek behind the veil to see a family of grizzlies or even a herd of Deer, capture it because you’ll be talking about it for years to come
   

3. Drinking hot coco and watching the sunrise – usually getting up before dawn is met with derision and a caffeine crazed stupor; that’s because it’s usually followed by 9 hours behind a desk.   Watching the world shake off it’s slumber in the wilderness, while sipping on hot chocolate, is an unrushed calming experience, and of course a world apart from the cubies.
   


4. Dozing off in a hammock – who doesn’t love hammocks? Now add in the rhythmic cadence of a running stream, melodic harmony of the neighborhood birds, a gentle breeze, and you have yourself paradise.


5. Discovering beautiful vistas and natural beauty – there are places unreachable by anything other than old-fashioned walking.   Places so far off the beaten path, that the journey itself is as rewarding as the destination.   There is a pride in discovery, and a sense of accomplishment knowing you climbed, crawled and fought your way to a view few have seen firsthand.
   


6. The peace and solitude – Every now and then, we all need a break from real world. Whether it’s our smartphones or checking email, we spend a huge portion of our lives tethered to one thing or another. The solitude camping affords, allows us to reconnect, recharge and find our Zen.

7. The camaraderie with fellow backpackers – Even though I travel to the backcountry and endeavor to find my Zen, it’s always a pleasure to see friendly faces on the road. It’s one of the few places where strangers become friends, and where an unspoken bond of support for each other exists.
   

8. The sea of stars – You’ve never seen the sky, until you’ve seen it in the wild. The night literally comes alive with millions of stars dusted lavishly across the entire horizon. You never realize how immense and wondrous our world really is, or how small you really are, until you’ve stared into the starry sky. If you’re lucky, some nights you can even see the clouds of the Milky Way. It will be the closest many of us will ever get to the far reaches of our universe.
   

9. The smell of the wilderness – This one is hard to describe. But for anyone who has spent any time out in the wild knows that distinct smell of the outdoors. There is a crisp unpolluted freshness to the wild, making each gulp of air a newfound pleasure.
   


10. Eating - Food has never tasted soooo good. Where in the city, we take each meal for granted, with camping you savor each feast until the last bite. The days are generally planned around meal times, not for lack of things to do, but for the simple realization that we live to eat!
    

Those are my top 10 reasons to love camping!  The best thing about camping is that the adventure is unique for everyone.

 

What are your reasons?

10 Reasons That Will Make You Love Camping

Travel Hack Friday: DIY Travel Size Containers

I love DIY travel hacks because, 1) they are usually clever as hell, 2) they often repurpose otherwise disposable items, and 3) they save money!

So imagine my surprise when I discovered you could make your own travel size containers using nothing more than straws! Great for ointment, toiletries, spices, and even Tabasco. The first thing you’re probably thinking is, “very cool, but what’s the point? Wouldn’t it be easier to just carry the whole bottle, or better yet, just buy travel sizes of everything?” Sure, but personally, I rarely use up an entire bottle, and ultimately end up toting around the same tube of Neosporin for months. Travel size is also an option, but that costs money, and more importantly you wouldn’t be able to put your awesome MacGyver skills to the test.

I’m not going to lie, there are times where you may need 42 fluid ounces of SPF 100, but baring those eventualities, travel size ointments, or even condiments should be sufficient. And, if you do end up bringing full bottles of everything, your pack weight will be unbearable!

This hack is perfect for the lightweight backpacker and the budget conscious. It’s just one more tool at your disposal, and one more strategy to lighten that load!

DIY Travel Size Containers:

Materials/Equipment

1. Straws (any size works. Use a larger straw for more volume)


2. Needle nose Pliers


3. Scissors


4. Lighter

I’m not familiar with all the straw sizes available, but I could imagine there are some novelty sizes that could hold significantly more volume. Basically, anything of a polypropylene plastic that melts and cools quickly can be used.   Straws are a good choice only because they’re inexpensive and available just about anywhere you go. Getting too fancy might shoot up the cost and defeat the overall purpose of the hack. Your choice.

1. Cut the straw to the desired size

2. Take the pliers and squeeze near the end of the straw. Leave part of the end exposed

3. Take the lighter, and run the flame a few times across the exposed end

4. Hold the straw, loosen the pliers and squeeze the section you just ran the flame over. Hold for about 10 seconds

5. If you ran the lighter flame over the straw end enough times, it should have melted enough for it to stick together

6. Fill the straw only about ¾ of the way with whatever ointment, spice or liquid you want, to avoid spillage.

7. Squeeze the open end with the pliers as before, leaving part of the end exposed

8. Take the lighter again, and run the flame a few times across the exposed end

9. Hold the straw, loosen the pliers and squeeze the section you just ran the flame over. Hold for about 10 seconds.

 

Congratulations! You just made your own travel size containers.

 

If you ever need to reseal, just take a lighter and run it over the open edges again and clamp shut by sandwiching between two keys, or anything that can act like pliers.

Want more awesome travel hacks?

June 19, 2015

Travel Hack Friday: DIY Travel Size Containers

June 12, 2015

Travel Hack Friday: How to get a Refund on Airline Tickets

June 5, 2015

Travel Hack Friday: How to Hide money when Traveling

June 1, 2015

How to Find Cheap Airfare Tickets

May 29, 2015

Travel Hack Friday: Avoid Baggage Fees

May 22, 2015

Travel Hack Friday: 27 Things to do With Paracord

May 15, 2015

Travel Hack Friday: How to Make a Paracord Bracelet

May 8, 2015

Travel Hack Friday: How to Make a Paracord Belt

Travel Hack Friday: DIY Travel Size Containers

Adventure Series: The Global Couple

Meet Petra and Shaun of The Global Couple, creators of the ultimate bucket list, and experts at living a lifetime in only a weekend (check out their 36 hours series!). I had the pleasure of getting to know this amazing couple who has been putting miles on their shoes when most of us where still learning our ABC’s! Their inspirational articles are fun, easy to navigate, and provide incredibly practical and actionable tips for anyone interested in following their footsteps. They know how to dig down, and get into the heart of any destination all while keeping their relationship strong. Word of warning though, following their blog might give you an incurable case of the wanderlust!

 

Tell us a little about the Global Couple.  Who are you guys, what are you all about, and your first introduction to traveling?

We’re Petra and Shaun, two mid-twenties New Zealanders. If we had to put ourselves in a travel category, we would say that we love budget adventure travel with a dash of luxury now and then. We love backpacking through Asia as much as we love wandering around the streets of New York City. We both had an introduction to travelling internationally with our families in our teens, and had both travelled within New Zealand before we met. Our first overseas trip together was to Bali, Indonesia at the tender young age of 19!

Being able to live a life of travel is a luxury for most, how do you guys balance your work with your passion for travel?

Before taking a year off work to travel to the US, Mexico, and Canada in 2014, we balanced working in New Zealand with yearly trips overseas. We took advantage of Petra’s university holidays and our paid holiday leave from work. We’ve also done a heap of New Zealand-based travel which is a lot easier to manage as you don’t have to travel as far – we manage to squeeze a lot into long weekends!

Traveling can certainly get expensive.  How do you guys afford all your awesome adventures?

We work hard and we save hard for our travels. We also set a strict budget for our trips, and do our research before going to a place in terms of expected costs (accommodation, food, etc.). We usually set a daily budget for food (it varies depending on the destination) and try to save money on accommodation and transport by staying in Airbnb rentals or cheap hotels and catching public transport.

Your 36 hours series has to be some of my favorite articles, tell me more about that and the inspiration behind it?

We’ve always loved the New York Times’ 36 hours series – over the years it has given us a lot of inspiration on where to go and what to do, albeit at a slightly more luxurious level than we travel at! So we wanted to create our own 36 hours series for the more budget-conscious traveller who travels like we do. It’s fun sharing our favourite things to do, see, and eat in a place we have visited. We always get asked for tips so we can now just direct people to those articles!

Traveling to new destinations is more than just stepping off a plane and taking photos.  How do you guys really dig into the culture and customs of a destination?

To get to know a new destination, we visit markets and eat local food. Markets are where locals congregate and we love looking through all the different things on display, and they also provide great photo opportunities! We’ve had some hits and misses with trying local food – from awful squid ink pasta in Venice to amazing papaya salad in Thailand. We love trying new things though!

What are three steadfast rules that you abide by in order to stay on budget while backpacking?

1. Eat the free hotel breakfast if it’s on offer and steal food from breakfast – rolls, bananas and so on are always good for lunch!

2. Use a budget tracking app like Trail Wallet to record daily expenditure and see if you’re tracking above or below budget.

3. Eat takeout rather than in a restaurant – and we don’t mean McDonalds! In the US we loved places like Chipotle or Whole Foods, and in Asia it’s easy to get takeaway Pad Thai and the like (although it’s so cheap there that we usually eat in anyway!). In New Zealand (and similar places like Canada and Australia) you can get takeout sandwiches or sushi and save a lot of money that way.

You guys were recently married – Congratulations!   Do you have any advice for couples planning on hitting the road together?

Thank you! Our number one rule is to be patient with each other. Being on the road as a couple can be a stressful experience if you haven’t done it before, and something is bound to go wrong. Don’t stress about the small stuff and just enjoy travelling with the person who you love!

What is one of the craziest situations you guys got yourselves caught up in and how did you get yourself out of it?

We were pulled over by police Bali while driving a rental car and they tried to scam us because we were apparently driving the wrong way down a one-way road (which we weren’t). They were about to take Shaun’s passport and make him appear in court, but we offered them some cash (about $50) and managed to get away safely. It was pretty scary and has put us off renting a car in Bali again!

If you could offer only one survival/safety tip, what would it be?

Don’t be flashy with your stuff. If you’re in a dodgy part of town, sleeping in an airport, or on an overnight bus, put your camera away, don’t wear your expensive watch or your diamond ring, and just be vigilant.

How have you both evolved as travelers from when you first started to how you are now?

Absolutely! When we started travelling we would plan every day down to the half hour (almost!) with a massive list of things to achieve and places to visit, including restaurants and shops, and have every night booked well in advance. Crazy! Now, we still like to do research on a place but we are much more relaxed with what we get done in a day – we just want to embrace a destination and enjoy it rather than running around like headless chickens!

Ok, this is for all the gear lovers out there.  What is the one essential piece of travel gear you must have on your adventurers?

We always carry a Swiss Army knife. It can help you out in all manner of sticky situations – screwing furniture back together, fixing door handles that won’t lock, cutting up your lunch, and of course the all-important bottle opener for when you really need a beer or wine.

You guys have one hell of a Bucket List!  How’s that coming along, and what will you be crossing off this year?

We love setting goals, and our bucket list is one way that we can keep track of what we want to do in our lives, travel-wise. This year we’re planning to be at home in New Zealand, so those exotic overseas goals will have to wait. But we are starting a Spanish class soon, so we can work towards our ‘learn a foreign language’ goal!

Do you have any final advice for those who wish to live a life of travel?

Set goals for saving and you’ll get there! Be brave and take the leap – you won’t regret it.

 

About the Global Couple

We’re Petra and Shaun, two twenty-something New Zealanders who love travel at home and across the globe. We love road trips, street food, and wandering with no destination in mind!

Our aim is to embrace and understand different cultures, foods, customs, histories, and landscapes. We love learning as much as we can about a place before we go and whilst we’re there. The more we know the more we can appreciate it!

 

Website: www.theglobalcouple.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/theglobalcouple1

Twitter: twitter.com/theglobalcouple

Adventure Series: The Global Couple

10 Fun Things To Do On A Road Trip

I hate flying. I know, for a dedicated traveler this is borderline blasphemous. But before you leave and blast the twitter sphere calling me out, let me explain; first, I’ve yet to meet anyone that enjoys the whole ordeal of arriving 2 hours early, stripping down for security, being irradiated by a vertical MRI machine, and sardined into economy only to finally be stuck in a canister for hours on end; second, flying is boring!! The best part about flying is landing. If it weren’t absolutely necessary, you’ll probably never catch me on a plane.

Traveling overland is my method of choice! I take every chance I can to travel by bus, boats, trains, and automobiles. For anyone who has seen the Motorcycle Diaries, you’ve probably dreamed of your own epic road trip. Granted Che had his La Poderosa, but the idea’s still the same; the exploration of idyllic towns, pristine landscapes and unsullied coastlines all while uncovering adventure at every mile.

If getting off the beaten path is your goal, then road tripping is your only option. But lets be honest, road trips can sometimes be overly romanticized. Five hours into your twenty hour train ride, and that silent montage repeating itself outside your window can drive you a bit mad and you’ll be wishing for some fun things to do on your road trip.

So here are some fun things to do on a road trip to keep your mind sharp, your enthusiasm overflowing and make your adventure an awesome one. Remember, it’s the journey not the destination:

Fun Things To Do On a Road Trip

1. Talk to neighbors:
   Those around you are a great source of info and stories. Don’t wake them up to engage in a long drawn out conversation, but chances are, they won’t mind a break from the doldrums.


2. Games:
   If you’ve ever been in a car, you’re probably familiar with at least one road trip game. Some suggestions: The Alphabet game (choose a topic and run down the alphabet starting with A. Take turns listing anything starting with that letter until you hit Z. Add a time limit to really turn up the heat), and the license plate game (look for states, numbers, or even letters in the license plates of other vehicles).


3. Read a book:
   You might be thinking, “Duh, this ones a no brainer,” but seriously, you would be surprised how many travelers tote a book with them but forget to crack into it. Don’t carry the weight for nothing, get past the first chapter, and you’ll be surprised how many hours a good read will eat up.


4. Read up on your destination:
   
   Besides your guidebook, hopefully you took the time to print out some tidbits from Wikipedia or something like that. Brushing up on your local knowledge during a long overland trip is a great way to hit the ground running.


5. Catch phrase:
   This should probably be in the games section, but being that it’s one of my favorite games I gave it an honorary section all its own. You’ll need to customize it for the road, but the idea is thusly: think of a word/phrase and shoot out some clues without saying your chosen word/phrase, and have your road mates guess it.


6. Cats cradle:
   A blast from the past! You’ve read my list of paracord uses right? One of the often overlooked uses for paracord is the ability to play cats cradle. If you’re not familiar with the game, check it out here: http://www.momsminivan.com/how-to-do-cats-cradle.html


7. Choose your route wisely:
   Some roads are purely utilitarian. The sole objective is to get you from point A to point B. Try choosing a path that, although might be a bit longer, has better scenery where you can plan stops along the way. Break up the monotony with some side adventures.


8. Write in your journal:
   
   This is a good habit to get into regardless. Take advantage of the down time and catch up on documenting your trip. You’ll be glad you did.


9. Learn the language:
   
   Sometimes guidebooks will include a rudimentary dictionary or common phrases, but even better, purchase a book or download a language-learning app.


10. Watch a movie, or listen to music:
    If you have a great data plan, then you’re set; you can watch movies, email, chat or search for cat vids. If you’re traveling internationally, load up your devices with movies, music, and books-on-tape for hours and hours of entertainment.

10 Fun Things To Do On A Road Trip

Travel Hack Friday: How to get a Refund on Airline Tickets

Above image courtesy of Kevin Dooley

Know what’s better than finding cheap airfare? It’s getting a refund on airline tickets when the price drops! If you didn’t know this, don’t feel bad; fine prints not really my strong suit either.  Most flyers have the wrong assumption that only premium refundable airline tickets have special privileges, and by clicking the purchase button you’re locked in to that price.   Believe it or not, that’s not entirely true; all U.S Airlines, and even some foreign Airlines, have a Guaranteed Airfare Policy that protects consumers when airfare drops or if you happen to find the same flight cheaper elsewhere.

But before you get refund happy, and start blasting the customer service line each time the price drops a few cents, there are restrictions depending on the airlines.

Airlines are able to stipulate their own qualifying limits, with some being more draconian than others. The limit you must hit also serves as their “re-booking” fee to reissue a new ticket (I know, I’m rolling my eyes too) that applies once you hit that limit. So for instance, lets say your original Hawaiian Airlines airfare of $300 is now $150. Hawaiian Airlines has a limit of $100, so you would “pay” the re-booking fee of $100 and they would refund you the difference in the form of a voucher or credit in the amount of $50. I know…$150 sounds a lot better, but hey, I’m surprised we get anything back at all.

Here are the limits that need to be reached before refunds on airline tickets kick in:

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What if I find the flight cheaper elsewhere?

If you’re lucky enough to come across the same flight cheaper on a 3^rd party booking site, most airlines do have a low price guarantee. It’s rare but it does happen. Depending on the airline the process can range from super easy (Alaska Airlines) to what-the-hell (Delta). If you’re willing to jump through the hoops and plead your case, it is possible to get some money back. Go here to see Airfarewatchdog’s nifty chart and how they explain the low price guarantee policies.

So how do we get our refund on Airline tickets?

You need to act fast. The window for refunds closes quickly. Realistically, most of us want to just pay and forget. Constantly tracking daily fluctuations of airfare is no ones idea of a good time and between work and life who has time to hit refresh every 10 minutes until take-off? Best thing to do is to setup refund alerts using Yapta (free) or Tripit Pro ($49 US/Year).

Yapta goes a step further and provides some pretty spot on instructions on how to also negotiate refunds, from who to contact and what to say. Unfortunately, they don’t cover all airlines, and some companies, like Southwest, keep their data pretty close to the chest. For them, you’ll have to go to their website.

Once you discover a price drop, or a lower price elsewhere, get on the phone, submit the online request, take screenshots, and get some money back.

What if I purchased the Flight from Priceline or Orbitz?

If you book through 3^rd party sites like Orbitz or Cheaptickets, Yapta can track the price drop, but won’t automatically alert you to a refund. You’ll have to call the site you purchased from directly to work it out.

 

Hopefully this travel hack helps keep more money in your pocket. It’s not incredibly intuitive and does require a bit of work, but the policies do exist. For the budget conscious, every little bit helps.

Travel Hack Friday: How to get a Refund on Airline Tickets

Hierapolis – a worthy stop

There are very few places in the ancient world, or modern world for that matter, that can claim the same distinctions as Hierapolis. An ancient city sitting high atop the travertine cliffs, overlooking the nearby town of Pamukkale, Hierapolis is a medley of Roman, Byzantine, Christian, Jewish and Pagan influence. Hierapolis is history encapsulated. Built upon a bed of thermal springs that over eons created a doorway of terraced travertine pools, its natural presence is as impressive as the city that once stood there.

For the dedicated explorer of ancient ruins, Hierapolis, A UNESCO World Heritage site, will be a satisfying day of exploration. Although the brilliance of its calcite waterfalls have dulled overtime, and many parts are beginning to display it’s age (about a 1000 years!), the ancient city is a stop you must make on your way to Cappadocia or to Selçuk.

Once an important religious and healing center for the Roman and Byzantine empires, the thermal springs were exploited for it’s healing powers, and it’s religious symbolism. The sick and the infirm came from all over the empire to bathe and even worship at Hierapolis. Rebuilt in 60 AD, the ancient city has gone through a number of changes and ownership over the centuries only to be finally abandoned in 1334 due to an earthquake. For most parts of Hierapolis you’ll need an imagination to discern the ruins, but the structures that do remain are still quite impressive. A huge portion of the city is freely accessible allowing you to explore and get up close. With main streets, corridors, and gates still intact, you’ll get a very good idea of what once went on here.

At the time we visited, cost for both Hierapolis and the Travertine pools was about 20 TL, without in and out privileges. Not a deal breaker by any means as a day is all you really need. If you do get tired, unlike many ruins you’ll come across throughout your travels, you can spend the remainder of the day bathing in their antique pool or wandering through the Archaeological Museum.

What you need to see at Hierapolis:

Roman Theatre

Martyrium of St Philip the Apostle

Agora/Latrine

Roman baths

Image Courtesy of Sarah Murray

Necropolis

Image Courtesy of Frank K.

Hierapolis is one of the main reasons visitors come to Pamukkale. The ancient city does draw a lot of visitors, but being allowed to roam freely and explore at your leisure makes up for the endless crowds. The area that it occupies also does wonders in thinning out the herds.

I know in my previous post I said that Pamukkale is a one-day trip, and that is still true, but if one day were all I had it would be spent exploring Hierapolis.

Hierapolis – a worthy stop

Travel Hack Friday: 27 Things to do With Paracord

Welcome to Another Travel Hacks Friday. As part of a new series, every Friday, we will be introducing new travel hacks for outdoor and urban adventures. We will scour the web for the best and most practical hacks, as well as dig into our reserves and share our own awesome moments of ingenuity!

Paracord is such an amazing and useful piece of gear, that in order to do it justice, I’m going to split this hack into 3 parts.

This is Part 3 of the Paracord series.  If you want to learn more about why paracord is so awesome, and you haven’t yet read part 1:  How to Make a Paracord Belt  and part 2: How to make a Paracord Bracelet

 

If you’re not yet convinced of the overall cool factor of paracord, and still need a bit of a nudge, I’ve put together a list of the many possible things to do with paracord. The list I’ve put together is not finite, as what you can do with it is limited to your imagination. Its versatility is due to its sheer strength and lightweight nature. Conventional ropes could do the trick, but thin gauge ropes just don’t have the strength, and thick gauge ropes are too damn heavy. Best of all, paracord is low profile and can be worn as a belt, a bracelet, and even a bandolier, saving on precious bag real estate while adding another layer of usability.

Related Posts:How to make a paracord belt

Related Posts: How to make a paracord Bracelet

Remember, it’s one of those things you never know you need until you actually need it. So don’t leave home without it!

So without further adieu, we finally get to the fun part.

27 things to do with Paracord:

• Replace as shoelaces – Stronger and more durable than conventional shoelaces. Paracord shoelace is a convenient way to carry and use when and if needed


• Replace a broken zipper pull


• Use to hold up your pants – read this post on how to make a paracord belt


• Use as a stylish enviable wrist decoration –read this post on how to make a paracord Bracelet


• Fishing –separate the internal strands for fishing line.


• Make a Whip – Indian Jones fans rejoice! The inherent strength and elasticity of paracord surprisingly makes a great whip. Some knowledge of braiding is necessary, but it can be done


• Make a bola – tie to stones to each end and you have yourself a bonafide bola. You’ll have to teach yourself how to use it though.


• Make a Lasso


• Tie, strap, hang or suspend


• Clothes line


• Tent lines


• Hammock lines


• Safety line to cross rivers and ravines


• Use as friction saw – This is where paracord shoelaces come in handy. By dragging the cord back and forth you can cut through a number of objects, like zip ties.


• Sew rips and tears in clothing – separate the internal strands into finer threads for spot fixes like sewing and tears


• Sew and repair equipment – The internal strands can also be used to repair equipment


• Towing and pulling - a single strand has 550lbs of tensile strength, doubling you get 1100, tripling 1650 and so on. With enough paracord, you can pull a whole mess of cumbersome things


• Pull someone up


• Lower yourself down or climb up – paracord is not climbing rope, but in emergencies it’ll still do the trick. Remember doubling, tripling and so on, can increase that tensile strength.


• Perimeter trip wire – Tie some pots and pans, or anything that makes a lot of noise, and you got yourself a perimeter security. Lasers not included.


• Leash for animals


• Make a snare to trap animals


• Dental floss –  separate the internal strands to scrap the meat out of them teeth


• Sling – can be used as support if you’re arms broken


• Splint – Tie up to sticks to support broken bones


• Sew up a cut – although not ideal, in survival situations, the internal strands can be used as stitches.


• Make a tourniquet

Surprisingly for all the uses of paracord, you can get paracord for pretty cheap online.

Here’s where I buy paracord

Amazon.com – you can buy pretty much any denomination of paracord, from 10’ to 1000’ spools.
REI – a little more expensive than the options at Amazon, but you know you’re getting the paracord 550

 

Hopefully I’ve persuaded you on the importance of having some paracord in your gear sets.  The list above is nowhere near definitive and what you can do with the stuff is truly limited to your ingenuity.

Do you think you have better ideas for paracord?

Travel Hack Friday: 27 Things to do With Paracord