Here’s a question that I’ve wondered about: What’s actually a safe load to put on paracord in case of it slipping and dynamic loading? Paracord should be a shock cord since it was originally for parachutes, but it’s always rated by a static load weight.
Here’s the best I’ve gathered (internet, please correct me if any of this is wrong):
An approximate equation for shock load is: shock load = weight * ((fall distance / elongation) + 1)
Properly rated paracord should elongate at minimum 30% (more is better so let’s use 30% as a worst case).
If are you dropping something with the cord, the fall distance is the cord length or 100%. The equation reduces to weight * (1/0.3 + 1) or weight * (13/3). A weight being dropped on paracord can generate a shock force of about 4.333 times it’s weight.
So going in reverse, if we take the static load of paracord as it’s net breaking strength, do not load it with more than the inverse of that factor in weight, 3/13 or 23% of it’s rated strength.
Albert C Gea 