I may be giving way out of date info here but the OD paracord isn't "550", it actually, or at least did in 1984 when I went to Jumpmaster School at Benning, has a tested breaking strength of 375 lb. The white stuff from a reserve parachute actually is (or was) 550. FYI, Zing-It brand spectra cord is FAR superior to paracord for most applications, as it has almost no stretch.