How Survival Shoelaces Could Save Your Life
There are some pre-made tools that are necessary to keep readily available. Among these is a rope, since producing one independently can be arduous and consume a lot of time.
To use ropes to support your own body weight, it is crucial to have knowledge about your tool. Familiarize yourself with the material, tensile strength, and weight limit of the rope before putting it into use for any purpose.
Survival situations provide countless opportunities to utilize shoelaces. These shoelaces are succinct lengths of rope that can be readily available.
By changing your perspective on shoestrings, you can discover countless ways to utilize them for your survival needs. Explore a few instances listed here.
Uses for Shoelaces for Building Shelter
In case of an emergency situation where you are stranded, the first priority should be constructing a shelter prior to addressing other necessities.
Death can occur from exposure, particularly when the weather is less than ideal.
A cool breeze can transform into a deadly chill, and too long in the hot sun can lead to severe dehydration.
Setting up a home base should come before finding food and purifying water. Survival shoelaces are an easy way to facilitate the process of establishing a campsite in the wild.
Securing an Emergency Shelter
The type of shelter you should construct depends on the materials at your disposal and your particular situation as there are numerous options available.
For further knowledge, take a look at our handbook showcasing 11 essential kinds of survival shelters.
Securing the structure may be necessary based on the kind of shelter you decide to construct. Provided you have access to sturdy and pliable vines, you may not require supplementary tools.
One of the many reasons to have survival shoelaces is because you may not always have good luck finding things to forage.
Determine the bushcraft knot that can complete the task with minimal string usage. The forthcoming obstacles will necessitate the utilization of your remaining survival shoelace.
Fire Starting
Knowing how to make and sustain a fire is undeniably crucial for survival.
Keeping a lighter or waterproof matches in your pocket at all times is the best practice. However, if these tools are unavailable, it is important to have a grasp of the fundamentals of starting a fire.
Survival shoelaces can be advantageous in two significant ways when beginning a fire. One of the advantages is utilizing them to create a bow and drill fire starter. The following are the steps:
Step 1: Start the Bow
Collect a pair of twigs and fasten a section of a survival shoelace to the pointed end of one of them.
Step 2: Add the Drill
Wrap the string once around the other stick before securing the loose end to the opposite end of the first stick.
At this point, you should have a rough bow shape intersected by a line.
Step 3: Make an Ember Notch
Create a suitable area for starting a fire by carving a notch that is approximately one inch deep into a dry piece of firewood.
Step 4: Get into Position
Insert the twig with the drill bit tied to the string into the notch and place a handful of tinder. Keep the bow flat and the drill upright, then exert pressure downwards on the drill.
Step 5: Add Friction
Move the bow in a back-and-forth direction like a saw to quickly rotate the drill and keep the pressure downwards.
If you persistently work hard, you will receive a small spark which can be nurtured to become a blazing flame.
Soggy situations can be overcome with the use of cotton survival shoelaces. Starting a fire can be challenging due to the presence of moisture, which makes it difficult to find dry tinder.
You can snip a short piece of your shoe lace and then rough up the edges with a knife or stone, making sure to fray it as much as possible. This material is highly flammable and will continue burning for a sufficient amount of time to set your kindling ablaze.
Trip-Wire Sentry Alarms
You may wish to install perimeter alarms based on your circumstances. Creating trip-wires is a simple process and can notify you of any threats that may be heading towards your camp.
To maximize the effectiveness of Sentry alarms, it is recommended to restrict access to your shelter. This can be achieved by barricading alternative entry points and setting up survival shoelaces across any vulnerable areas.
Securely attach one end of the survival shoe lace to a stake that is around knee-height. Then, stretch the lace tightly across the entryway and fasten it securely to another stake.
The string can be adorned with bones or sticks to create a jingling sound upon disturbance. However, even without this modification, a trip-wire is capable of slowing down potential dangers present during nighttime.
Uses for Shoelaces for Finding Sustenance
Your main goal for immediate survival should be locating water that is suitable for boiling and consumption. In the event that you anticipate being rescued, it is advisable to remain close to your shelter and maintain a strong fire to alert potential rescuers.
If faced with certain emergency scenarios, it may be necessary to sustain oneself without assistance for a period exceeding a few days. In order to endure such conditions, obtaining enough sustenance to maintain one’s energy levels is crucial.
Using a pair of survival shoelaces can be helpful when searching for food. Experiment with different methods of using a shoestring to catch small game or fish.
Fishing
Using a shoelace for fishing is a common and practical survival technique. It may not yield a bountiful harvest, but it beats attempting to become proficient at spearfishing overnight.
Attach the survival shoelace to a sturdy tree or young tree that is close to the water. Locate a pointed twig or thorn and fasten it to the end of the shoelace.
Collect insects for bait by digging below the decaying leaf litter and lifting stones and logs. Pierce one of the insects onto your makeshift fishing hook, cast it into the water, and patiently anticipate a bite.
Trapping
Survival shoelaces may come in handy when conserving energy during an emergency, while traps can effectively hunt down game animals of small to medium size in a passive manner.
To create a spring snare using survival shoelaces and construct a trap in the form of a tree noose, simply follow the provided instructions.
Step 1: Find a Tree Spring
Begin by finding a pliant young tree that can bend without snapping when brought in contact with the ground.
In case you are unable to come across a sapling that fits your requirements, you have the option of using a robust branch that possesses identical characteristics.
Step 2: Attach a Survival Shoelace
Make sure to attach one end of a survival shoelace to the section of the tree that is situated on the ground using a secure fastening.
Step 3: Create a Snare
Create a noose or slip knot with the remaining shoelace for survival purposes.
Step 4: Craft a Trigger
Multiple methods exist for creating the mechanism that sets off a tree spring noose trap.
A simple technique requires two strong sticks that are each one foot in length and some carving.
The type of notches you will be carving will be recognizable to those who are familiar with Lincoln Logs. In order to carve out a square-inch chunk of wood from each stick, a knife or sharp rock may be used.
Before putting together your snare trigger, check that the sticks fit tightly and become taut when pressure is added.
Step 5: Set the Stake
Insert one of the stakes firmly into the ground and verify that it can endure the tree spring’s force without becoming loose.
Step 6: Equip the Trigger Snare
Take the other notched wood—the trigger stick—and attach your snare to the bottom. Tie the bitter end of the slipknot to the notched end of the trigger stick.
Step 7: Attach the Tree Spring
Make sure to firmly attach the shoelace meant for tree-spring survival onto the trigger stick’s upper part.
Step 8: Set the Trap
Link the two notched sticks together with caution to properly set the trigger. Place the noose around the trigger stick and evenly spread it out.
The slipknot trap is likely to capture any creature that approaches close enough to trigger it.
In case of an emergency where your life is at risk, you can substitute the noose with a makeshift fishing line to fish. However, it’s important to note that this technique is prohibited in many regions.
Frequently inspect traps as they do not cause instant death and animals caught in unattended snares experience avoidable suffering. Additionally, spoilage and scavengers may result in the loss of meat.
More Survival Uses For Shoelaces
1) Use Them As A Rope
Form a long rope by tying all the shoelaces together and attach it to a tree for hauling yourself up. Additionally, when you no longer need your bag, use the same rope to tie things together.
2) Build A Makeshift Shelter
Shelter is crucial when spending time outside as it provides protection from natural elements such as windy conditions, dust storms, and rain. You can create a shelter by digging into the ground and gathering sturdy branches or sticks nearby. Use shoelaces to fasten a tarpaulin onto the structure.
3) Tie Your Shoes With A Fire Starter
When stranded in the wilderness, fire is crucial for cooking and protection from wildlife. While it can be challenging to ignite a fire using regular shoelaces without proper knowledge, specially designed paracord shoelaces with built-in flint rods are an excellent alternative, allowing for quick and effortless fire starting.
4) Hang Food For Cooking
By setting a fire beneath a lengthy and drooping tree limb, you can suspend your food for gradual cooking until it is fit to eat. Wrap the branch with shoelaces before cautiously depositing the food on top of them, making sure it stays put and is positioned just above the flames.
5) Use As a Belt
This belt is versatile and can be utilized to tighten baggy trousers or secure sleeves and other loose attire that may hinder work. Although it may not be the most exceptional survival belt, it is adequate for a homemade option.
6) Provide Support
If a joint becomes fractured or dislocated, shoelaces can serve as a means of supporting the affected area. For instance, tying the shoelaces around the shoulder and under the arm can assist in supporting a broken arm.
7) Hunting Purposes
Create a miniature circle and set it down on the earth, then conceal it using foliage.
Put the fruit inside.
In case a little creature attempts to consume the fruit, raise the string to ensnare its foot.
In addition, it has the ability to function as a fishing line. Simply fasten a hook, or if one is unavailable, remove the aglet (the plastic or metal tip of a shoelace), unravel the edges of the lace, and lower it into the water.
A worn-out edge will create the illusion of a worm.
8) Slow Down Blood Flow
If bitten or attacked by a venomous animal, fasten the shoelace firmly around the region above the bite to decrease blood flow and prevent the spread of poison to other areas of the body.
Having enough time to receive the required medical attention is ensured.
9) Keep Track of Your partner
It is important for both you and your partner to stick together if you become lost in the woods.
It is never advisable to split up in order to find a way out.
By tying one end of your shoelace string to either your waist or wrist and the other end to your partner, you can ensure that you remain together. Note that you may require several shoelaces for this endeavor.
10) For Identification Purposes
Getting lost in a large and unfamiliar area is a common occurrence. Therefore, it is recommended that you tie a shoelace of a distinct color to a tree while walking through it. This way, if you become lost, you can easily locate your path by spotting the unique shoelace.
