Saturday 19 September 2009

Wrist Loop

Wrist loops can sometimes be a handy thing. If you’ve ever made your way down a trail in the dark, somehow lost grip on your flashlight, and watched as it tumbled down the hill into some underbrush, you’ll understand. But a permanently attached wrist loop is a danger. It catches on things - door handles, cabinet knobs, branches, you name it.

So I made this....
...utilizing a piece of paracord, some beads and a McGizmo Clip.
When the skull bead is at the top, there is nothing much to catch on things. But sliding....

...it down to the bottom forms a loop.
Skulls are cool and all, but the main reason I used the skull bead is because it’s fairly tactile – it gives my fingertips something to grasp.
And these little beads help act as stoppers at the bottom.
When using the terrific Fenix L1D flashlight...

...I can clip the McGizmo Clip to the fob....
...and feel secure knowing I can let go of it if I need my hands for something else, or for whatever reason I lose my grip on it, and it will still remain close at hand.
Simple and elegant solution. I can use it for keys, knife, camera, multi-tool, compass, any number of things really. As long as it has a lanyard hole, or a fob, I can attach it. I can’t recall the number of times I’ve had my camera out over a big drop or a body of water. Perfect place for it. I’ve been in a canoe, reaching forward to saw at an obstruction blocking our path. Perfect place for it. And yet when I don’t need it, it doesn’t form a big loop that will catch on everything I pass by. I can either leave it on the item and slide the skull bead back up to the top, leave it on my wrist as a bracelet, or I can remove it and clip it back onto my key ring, or on a D-ring on my pack.

And when I have keys on it, it also makes a pretty good flail to serve as a self defense tool.

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