As the old edict goes, the piece of survival gear you need the most is whatever you’re carrying at the time.

That same philosophy can also apply to self-defense tools as well.

Retired bounty hunter Fugi Escobido and David Bloch from Outdoor Edge developed a versatile piece of gear that anyone — whether serious survivalist, martial artist, or average Joe — should and could wear at all times.

It’s called the Para-Claw, and it’s a paracord bracelet with a twist.

The paracord bracelet is nothing new. Ken Onion even created his own paracord bracelet for CRKT. So how do you make something so prevalent even better? Add a quick release hawkbill blade.

Here’s how it works.

The bracelet is hand-tied with 550 paracord (14.4 ft for the medium size), but hidden inside the buckle is a 1.5-inch hawkbill blade made from BlackStone finished 8Cr13MoV stainless steel. According to Outdoor Edge, the blade is integrally molded to the glass/nylon guard that attaches to the bracelet.

There is a patent-pending sheath system that allows for immediate deployment in a pinch. The cool part about the blade is that the bracelet itself forms the handle, so you can have a secure grip when wielding the knife.

Paracord bracelets are a great item for survivalists since cordage is a highly useful item to carry. The knife adds a bonus, since most survival experts agree that having a blade in dire situations can help.

But the Para-Claw is seen as more than just a survival tool. It was originally conceived of as a self-defense tool.

According to an interview with Knife News, Escobido made the original at home for EDC defense. The bracelet was even credited with saving Escobido’s life. When a fugitive tried to grab his firearm, Escobido pulled out the Para-Claw to slice the fugitive’s hand, giving him the opportunity to take control of the situation.

Here is the always trustworthy Michael Janich talking about the self-defense capabilities of the Para-Claw:

Now, some may caution against putting a sharp blade next to your wrist, but with a lot of practice deployments, you won’t have anything to worry about.

The Para-Claw comes in three different sizes:

Small: Fits wrist circumference – 5.75-6.5” / Total paracord length – 9.8′
Medium: Fits wrist circumference 6.25-7.0” / Total paracord length – 14.4′
Large: Fits wrist circumference 7” / Total paracord length – 17.1′

It also comes in different patterns, but I’m partial to the all-black version.

With the Para-Claw around your wrist, you’ll be ready for anything the world can throw at you.