Paracord vs. Bank Line

averageiowaguy

averageiowaguy

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Mar 22, 2011
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One of the items on the gear list for the Amazon 5000 expedition was bank line. I had no idea what it was so I looked it up at the link provided. It is basically just tarred twine.
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The advantages touted for bank line are that it is supposed to be more resistant to the environment, petroleum products etc than traditional twine. Because I've been using paracord for so long, I elected not to purchase the bank line and instead bring my usual assortment of paracord lengths. With all new things I am very skeptical until I see the evidence myself. I did not want to be using bank line for the first time in the jungle and have it not fit into my system.

As I found out, the expedition uses a TON of bank line and for good reasons. It is used for making traps, for fishing line and in any of the roles in which you would use paracord. The first time I used it was as guy lines for a tarp. We had camped on a sandbar in the Amazon and I rigged up a makeshift tarp/mosquito net shelter.
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I still used my 30' length of paracord for the ridge line. Old habit I guess. As the trip wore on, I found myself really liking bank line. The stuff we were using is the stuff sold by Dave Canterbury at the Pathfinder School Store. I ordered a 500 foot spool this morning.

The main advantages I see of bank line are:
1) The #36 bank line has a breaking strength reported at 340 pounds. This is about 62% the reported breaking strength of paracord.
2) While you sacrifice a little in terms of strength, bank line takes up FAR less space in your pack and weighs less. You would have to decide for yourself whether or not you would utilize more than 340 pounds of breaking strength, but I typically do not unless repelling is involved. In the case where I would need more than 340 pounds of breaking strength, I tend to use real rope.
3) In my limited experience, the knots are less bulky and seem to hold better with bank line. The difference could be in my skill level at knot tying.

Anyway, I thought it might be something to look at and see if it might fit into your system.
 
Neat stuff... I've always thought about finding some smaller cordage for extended trips like that. Another fun one is a spool of 25lb nylon line. It's pretty much the same as the inner strands from paracord (the unbraided inner strands - each strand is actually 2 or 3), but you don't have to unbraid it.
 
on a similar idea, I use both 550, and 2 or 3mm static climbing accessory line. the line has enough strength for most stuff, but is a lot thinner, and as it is static, you don't get the stretch that you get with 550, and I find that knots set up better on it as it doesn't crush down like some 550 does. For tarps, hang bags and stuff like that, its more than enough. The thicker stuff makes great prussics and the like, it all depends on how much safety factor you want. I'm a fan of static line in sizes all the way up to 6mm(but you can get bigger). You do pay a bit for it, but you know that the line is consistent and has good QC, instead of buying cheap line, and finding bad splices and crappy sections.
Besides, more options are better, just test all your favorite knots when you try a new kind of line, it may not act the same as you are used to.
 
gadgetgeek said:
on a similar idea, I use both 550, and 2 or 3mm static climbing accessory line. the line has enough strength for most stuff, but is a lot thinner, and as it is static, you don't get the stretch that you get with 550, and I find that knots set up better on it as it doesn't crush down like some 550 does. For tarps, hang bags and stuff like that, its more than enough. The thicker stuff makes great prussics and the like, it all depends on how much safety factor you want. I'm a fan of static line in sizes all the way up to 6mm(but you can get bigger). You do pay a bit for it, but you know that the line is consistent and has good QC, instead of buying cheap line, and finding bad splices and crappy sections.
Besides, more options are better, just test all your favorite knots when you try a new kind of line, it may not act the same as you are used to.
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Agree 100% with this. Great stuff.
 
I'm really liking the bank line, # 36. I got some from the pathfinder school last summer, I've used for stringing tarps,traps tents etc. couple of weeks ago I tried some for a bow string for a fire bow. I thought it worked great,less slipping on the spindle. All I used to carry was 550, I won't give it up completely but I carry more bank line than the 550' about 100' bank, 25' 550. I also think it holds knots better.
 
Unrelated to bank line, but is camping on a sandbar along the amazon common practice? Being such a long river, I would think it could downpour halfway across the country, then suddenly raise were you're camped on a sandbar a week later and sweep everything away.
 
The only knot I've had real trouble getting out of static line is a double-blood, after is been loaded on a prussic with my body weight. so it is possible to lock a knot into it. but bowlines and the like are no trouble at all. I'm sure I could load a figure-8 loop enough to get it to lock, but given the strength rating on the rope, if I had to load it that much, I'd be cutting the knots out anyway, just to be sure I didn't have a weak spot. the 3mm is the best for it as it is a kernmantle cord, which keeps it from crushing. the 2mm will crush easier, so it will lock a knot easier.
 
Munky88 said:
Unrelated to bank line, but is camping on a sandbar along the amazon common practice? Being such a long river, I would think it could downpour halfway across the country, then suddenly raise were you're camped on a sandbar a week later and sweep everything away.
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It is an extremely common practice in the dry season. So common, in fact, that it takes a while to find an unoccupied sand bar. You have to be careful about your site selection and mindful of the river. I have an article coming out about this in Self Reliance Illustrated. Not sure when it will go to print but I talk a little bit in there about how to choose the site safely, or at least make it as safe as possible.
 
What I use for similar purposes is nylon mason’s line. I don’t know what it’s breaking strength is.

How does that compare to bank line or static line? Are either of them enough better to warrant the change?

Mason’s line work for me. It has the advantage of being brightly colored. I like that in a guy line.
 
Raymond1000 said:
What I use for similar purposes is nylon mason’s line. I don’t know what it’s breaking strength is.

How does that compare to bank line or static line? Are either of them enough better to warrant the change?

Mason’s line work for me. It has the advantage of being brightly colored. I like that in a guy line.
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I reckon if you have something that works, use it. I'm not sure about the differences in strength. I've used mason line before as well. I favor orange and other brightly colored things in the wilderness for the exact reason you mentioned. I want to be able to see it when it comes time to either take it down or avoid tripping over it.
 
the mammut 2mm I use has a break rating of 110lb, and the 3mm is 390lb. I would recommend doing some testing on your masons line, just to give yourself an idea of what it can take. the masons line is cheap, the 2mm line I buy is about 0.40$ a meter, depends on your vender.
it all depends on what you want to use things for, for guylines, your masons line is probably enough, you'd want the line to fail before the tarp right? Use what works for you, just know its limits.
 
I’ve used 550-para cord for decades. More recently for my bushcrafting stuff, I use and carry a lot more No.12 Bank Line and love it. As mentioned some knots don’t work as well, but most of securing knots that can be tied with a quick-release work perfectly. Tarp guy-lines are an excellent example as are main suspension lines.

For my backpacking, I much prefer the Spectra (1.5mm, 1.8mm) or Dyneema (1.75mm, 2.2mm) for hang lines and hammock rain-fly suspension or guy lines. This stuff is amazing; it’s just much more expensive. The tarred bank line is preferred when I’m doing a lot of projects or primitive shelter construction…still, I pack a good length of it in my HPG Kit Bag as it takes up so little space compared to 550-cord and will do about 90% of the same cordage tasks.

ROCK6
 
Thank you for this thread...had never heard of bank line, but will definitely try it now.
 
hate to sound plebe
but I find nylon twine balls for a dollar fulfills all my camping bushcraft needs
Guy lines for tarps
lashing poles
hanging food bags
there is no real stress or weight involved

that said, bank line or masons twine are both great strings to use
they do not mildew like the old sizel string I used to use
 
Bank line is hard to beat for general cordage that isn't holding heavy weight, and the amount you can fit in a pack compared to paracord is significant.
 
When fishing on the surf, I discovered I was out of leaders. Used #12 bank line to make a double drop leader. Landed the biggest redfish I ever caught. Guess the tar doesn't bother the fish. Great for throw lines also.

OSGB
 
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