Exotac

FIRECORD™

550 FIRECORD is paracord with a built-in tinder strand. Seven load-bearing inner strands plus the outer sheath give full cordage strength for lashing, wraps, and tethers, while a separate red core strand pulls out and lights from a spark to bridge the gap between a spark and a flame. Use it anywhere you would use ordinary paracord. FIRECORD is a trademark of Live Fire Gear, LLC.

PACKAGE INCLUDES:

FIRECORD™ (25 feet)

$9.95

Color

Quantity

550 FIRECORD solves a small problem that comes up constantly: you have a spark source and you have cordage, and in a pinch you wish the cordage could also be tinder. FIRECORD is built so it can. It looks and handles like standard 550 paracord, and it works as standard paracord for lashing a shelter, wrapping a knife handle, replacing a bootlace, or rigging a gear tether. The difference is inside.

Alongside the seven twisted nylon strands that carry the load, FIRECORD adds one extra strand: a red, wax-treated core that is highly flammable and easy to ignite. When you need fire, pull a length of the red strand out of the core, scrape and fluff the end with a knife to expose fibers, and touch it with a spark from a ferrocerium rod or a match. It catches immediately and then burns like a candle wick for roughly a minute, which is long enough to take that first flame into a proper tinder bundle.

Because the tinder strand is separate from the seven load strands, removing it does not reduce the working strength of the cord. The wax treatment also makes the core water resistant, so a soaked length of FIRECORD will still light once you knock the water off and fluff the end.

FIRECORD pairs naturally with Exotac's spark tools: keep a few feet on a nanoSTRIKER XL or a nanoSPARK, or use it as the lanyard on a fireROD, and you always have both cordage and backup tinder in one place. FIRECORD is a trademark of Live Fire Gear, LLC, and is sold by Exotac. For anyone who already carries paracord, swapping in FIRECORD adds a fire capability at no extra weight and almost no extra cost. It is offered by the foot and in fixed lengths, and because it carries no electronics and no fuel, a coil of it never expires sitting in the bottom of a pack.

Type:

550 paracord with built-in tinder core

Load Strands:

7 non-flammable inner strands plus the outer sheath

Tinder Strand:

1 removable red treated strand, ignitable from a spark

Tinder Burn:

Burns like a wick to bridge spark to flame

Uses:

Lashing, zipper pulls, shoelaces, handle wraps, gear tethers

Trademark:

FIRECORD is a trademark of Live Fire Gear, LLC

Does pulling the tinder strand weaken the cord?

The tinder strand is separate from the seven load-bearing strands, so removing it doesn't reduce the working strength.

How do I use the tinder?

Pull the red strand from the core, scrape and fluff the end, and light it from a spark. It burns like a wick.

How long does the tinder burn?

About a minute — long enough to move a spark to a flame.

Can I use it as normal paracord?

Yes — the sheath and seven strands work like any 550 cord for lashing, wraps, and tethers.

Is the tinder waterproof?

It's water resistant — knock off water and fluff the end before lighting.

Who makes FIRECORD?

FIRECORD is a trademark of Live Fire Gear, LLC, sold by Exotac.

Flammable Core
A red treated strand in the core lights easily from a spark. Pull it out and fluff the end with a knife first.

Easy to Light
Catches from a ferro-rod spark — pairs with the nanoSTRIKER XL or nanoSPARK.

Burns Like a Wick
Once lit, the tinder strand burns for roughly a minute — enough to take a spark to a flame.

Water Resistant Core
The treated strand has a wax-like coating. Knock off water and fluff the end before lighting.

Versatile Cordage
Use it anywhere you'd use paracord — shoelaces, handle wraps, gear tethers, and more.