Dig it: I've used climbing accessory cord for everything over the last 25 years… shoelaces, zipper pulls, lanyards, tent guy lines, rolled-blanket ropes, fishing stuff, camping stuff… I've used it endlessly, and every 5 or ten years I grab 50ft and use it until it's gone. The stuff is incredibly useful, well-made and lasts forever, so at pennies a foot it was a bargain. How often do you get to spend $10 on something lasts forever? Well, it's gone and I need to buy more, so I need some advice and guidance.
When I lived in Denver Colorado, it was easy: I'd go to REI where they had a few roles of 2mm or 3mm cord to choose from and buy it by the foot. Eeeezy-peezy. I had a choice of colours, and most importantly, texture. Some of it is stiffer or softer, and I always tended to get the softer stuff. I simply found it more manageable to knot and it was more comfortable on my hands. I had a length of purple 3mm cord that I loved so much that I brought my remaining three meters to England! Actually, I never leave home without a few yards and have used it for a laundry line in Greece and repaired a busted bag with it too. There's even a couple of yards in my school-bag. I love the stuff.
But it seems that no shops have a choice of cord anymore, certainly not like REI did. The shops and websites simply have one, take it or leave it, and since I've become a bit of a cord-snob over the years, I'm simply not happy with my choices. I keep this stuff for a long time, and really need to like it.
So I have a few questions, and it's critical to note that I do not drive, so all my shopping must be done online or over the phone.….
Was I lucky, and bought cord during the Grand Old Days of Rope Renaissance, when there were choices, but it's now so disposable that no one cares it their cord is too stiff or smooth or a stupid colour, and simply buys what's available?
I read a lot about paracord, and even have a bit of it, but it seems very redneck. Has the accessory-cord crowd switched to this crap?
Are there any phrases or brands I should I should look for if I'm searching for softer cord? What should I ask for when calling these shops?
The websites seem like to treat it like a generic product. Do they care anymore, or simply get whatever they can find and sell it cheap, or is there a particularly high-performance type that I should spend the time hunting for. I'll hunt for it; trust me on that one.
Are there any questions that I didn't ask? What questions would an astute cord buyer ask of a supplier?
