Tutorial: Survival Flip Flops

As avid outdoor adventurers, my hubby and I love the paracord “survival bracelet” trend. So when Heather suggested flip flop week and I was wandering around the craft store looking for inspiration, I spotted the rack of paracord and knew I had a winning idea! Unlike most flip flop alterations, which are more for cosmetic purposes, this makeover actually serves a practical purpose. When you’re wearing these flip flops, you have an amazing eight feet of lightweight rope on each foot! Imagine how handy 16 feet of rope would be in an emergency situation!

Project estimate:

  • Flip flops, on hand or $1
  • Paracord, about $2 and up
  • Lighter, on hand

Total: about $2 and up

Tutorial: Survival Flip Flops

The amount of paracord you will be able to use depends on the size of the sandals. The ones I made are men’s size 11 so they were large enough to use a whole 16-foot package of paracord; smaller sizes will have smaller straps and therefore you might need a little less cord. Before you start tying the cord to the flip flops, cut it in half so you will have the same amount to add to each foot. Use a lighter to melt the cut ends and keep them from unraveling.

Tutorial: Survival Flip Flops

Find the center point of one of your pieces of paracord. With the toe of the sandal pointing toward you, tie the cord to the toe thong at the center point.

Tutorial: Survival Flip Flops

Pass the cord over the strap to form a loop. Make sure your loop is to the outside of the sandal, and that as you work you continue knotting in the same direction.

Tutorial: Survival Flip Flops

Wrap the paracord around the strap and pull it back through the loop. Tighten the knot and repeat.

Tutorial: Survival Flip Flops

As you add knots, it will look like this. When you finish working down one side, start on the other. Make sure you keep your loops to the outside of the sandal so that both sides will look alike. One should be a mirror image of the other. You may have to twist the finished straps back into their proper shape; my hubby tried them on and once they were on his feet the straps were fine, so you should be alright.

Tutorial: Survival Flip Flops

When you reach the end of your paracord or the end of the strap (whichever comes first), trim the excess cord. Melt the ends to seal them and keep the knotting from coming undone. Make sure the ends are melted to the point where they meet the rest of the knot so that it is as secure as possible. In case of emergency, just snip the melted ends to free them and unravel!