Paracord Cable FAQ
Last Updated: June 24th, 2022
What is a paracord cable?
Paracord mouse cables are by far the most popular mod out there for gaming mice. Paracords are custom replacement mouse cables created with flexible wires (usually PVC insulated wiring) and sleeved with 550 type III nylon paracord.
Why should I paracord?
Most gaming mice on the market use stiff and boring cables out of the box. While recently we've seen some companies make the push for lighter & flexible cables, paracords are still the best of the best.
Paracord cables are extremely lightweight and as close to a wireless feel that you can get on a wired mouse. You wont feel these cables dragging around on the mouse pad during your gameplay, and you also avoid all the resistance that standard cables have when moving against cable knots and kinks.
Additionally, you can customize them with different colors of paracord sleeving to better match the rest of your setup. That must do something for your gaming skills, right? ... right?
Why are some paracord color options labeled as "flexible" or "medium"?
There are plenty of places to purchase 550 type III nylon paracord online. Each manufacturer has different tolerances and manufacturing processes which leads to differences in strength and flexibility of the paracord sleeving.
The flexible options will be the lightest and most flexible, while the medium and stiff options will be slightly heavier and less flexible. Most of the paracord we sell is nice and flexible, but we do offer some medium and stiff sleeving options for those who prefer it.
What is a stress relief?
Every mouse cable has a "stress relief" on the cable where it exits the mouse to help prevent damage over time as the cable bends and twists during use.
3D relief paracords have a small 3D printed piece on the cable to act as the cable stress relief. They are 3D modeled after the original cable, and then 3D printed to fit snugly in a specific mouse, exactly where the original relief was previously placed.
Heatshrink paracords use a small piece of heatshrink tubing as stress relief. The heatshrink must be held in place and heated up to be secured onto a cable. They don't slot into any specific place on a mouse or a cable. You must decide yourself where to heat it and secure it, and where to place it inside the mouse.
Why would I want a 3d printed stress relief?
Most people prefer the 3d printed reliefs since they are easier to install and 3d printing is pretty dang cool.
3D printed stress reliefs are easier and cleaner to install compared to heatshrink paracords, as they just need to be dropped into place. However, they don't provide the same amount of stress relief, as they are made of rigid plastic. Heatshrink relief provides better stress relief for cables, at the price of being messier and more intensive to install.
Both options are great and neither option should give you any trouble. We recommend 3D reliefs for the easier installation if they are available for your device, but heatshrink works just great too.
Why does my cable only have 4 wires?
The cables we sell only have 4 wires instead of 5 wires because they don't have a shielding wire. This wire is unnecessary, and removing it allows our cables to be lighter and more flexible. There is no difference in usage or performance with the shielding wire removed.