Making and Using Pace Counting (Ranger) Beads

Making and Using Pace Counting (Ranger) Beads

“Ranger Beads”, also called "Pace Counter Beads"… They're used to keep track of how far you've gone while doing land navigation. Great for Scouts, back-packers, hunters, campers, or people who like dangling bits of string with beads on it...

What You Need:

You don't need too much to make Ranger beads. Really, only three things...

550 Cord: I've heard it called "Parachute Cord" too. You can find a 50ft roll of it at any military surplus store for less than ten dollars. You should be able to find it online as well.

Beads: Just about any type will do as long as they fit through the rope 

Matches: A lighter will work too. You can use anything that produces a small, fairly controlled flame. 

Preparation

First, cut off a length of cord. How much depends on how many beads you want on the top part. I used four, and I cut off 22 - 23 inches. You can experiment.

Pull out the core. That's the white strings on the inside. This lets you compress the cord, which will be important when you're putting the beads on.

Make a loop in the middle. First, even up the loose ends. Make a small loop if you're going to put this around a shirt button; make a bigger one if you're going to loop it through your LCE/LBE.

Fuse the ends. Using a match or your lighter, wave the cord ends back and forth through the flame until they start turning black. Then quickly mash each end together (not with each other) so it's closed off.

Adding beads (Top Rung)

I'm not going to lie, this part is a pain. 
There are several ways to do this; here's my method...

First, put the bead through one end of the cord. Pull it an inch or two up the cord.
***(If you can't get it in, use scissors to cut the black melted part until you can. I suggest a slanted cut to make it easer)***

Get the second end stuck inside the bead. Unless you're really really lucky, you won't be able to just push it through. Soooo...

Use the match to push the second end the rest of the way. A tooth pick or needle will work too. Try to have the point hit the black melted part so you can push off it. You may have to cut the second end as well.

How many beads you put on this first part depends on how far you're planning on walking. For our armed services, each of the top beads represents 1000 meters. You may use yards, feet, miles, or any other unit.

Adding beads (Second Rung)

First, tie a knot in the cord. It should be an inch or two below the last bead; enough so you can slide them up and down. 

Next, add NINE beads. This is assuming you're using a system based on ten. When we're doing land nav, we pull one bead down for every 100 meters we walk, until we hit 1000. If you're using this for counting something in base 12, 16, or whatever, you would use a different "count-up-to" number.

Finally, tie another knot in the cord. Leave an inch or two, same as before.

Congratulations! If you've been following along, you've just made your first set of Ranger beads. Now, how do you use them?

Using Ranger Beads

First, find your pace count. For most people it's between 60 and 70 left steps for 100 meters. You can find out what yours is by measuring off the distance, then walk normally and count every time your left foot hits the ground (or right foot. It doesn't matter, just use the same foot each time). 

Now, every time you walk that many steps, pull down one of the lower beads. Each one stands for 100 meters you've walked.

When you've pulled all of those down, pull down one of the top ones AND push all the lower ones back up. This represents 1000 meters. If you walk farther than your beads allow measurement... Say when you get to the point where you would have to pull down the nonexistant 5th upper bead; put a rock or some other object into your pocket.  Repeat the process for however far you're going.  When you want to know the distance traveled, count the rocks in your pocket, and the beads on your counter. 


Conversions:

1 yards = 0.9144 meters

100 yards = 91.44 meters

1760 yards = 1 mile

1 meter = 1.093613298 yards

1000 meters = 1093.613298338 yards

1 mile = 1609.344 meters

1 mile = 1.609344 kilometers

I hope this helps!