Uploaded June 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
In this video I look at what ranger beads are, how they work, and why they generate such strong opinions amongst navigators.
We'll cover:
• What ranger beads are and how to use them.
• How they are used for dead reckoning.
• Pace counting and calculating distance travelled.
• Why many navigators find them useful.
• Why others believe there are simpler and more accurate ways to navigate.
• Attack points and why they often remove the need for long-distance pace counting.
This video is aimed at civilian hillwalkers and outdoor navigators.
Military personnel often use ranger beads in very different ways, which are outside the scope of this video.
As always, there's no "right" answer. Ranger beads are simply another navigation tool, and like any tool they're useful in some situations and unnecessary in others.
I'd be interested to hear your experiences. Do you carry ranger beads? Have you tried them and abandoned them? Or have you never felt the need for them? Let me know in the comments.
___________________________
I’m NOT sponsored (by anyone) but I do get asked for these details quite often.
Thumbnail.
Self made Ranger Beads
550 Paracord - breaking strength of 550 pounds (approx. 250 kg)
4mm - nominal diameter (unstressed)
Type III - US military spec
Gear
Gillet - Rohan
Shirt - Rohan
Trousers - Fjallraven
Footwear - Merrell
In this video I look at what ranger beads are, how they work, and why they generate such strong opinions amongst navigators.
We'll cover:
• What ranger beads are and how to use them.
• How they are used for dead reckoning.
• Pace counting and calculating distance travelled.
• Why many navigators find them useful.
• Why others believe there are simpler and more accurate ways to navigate.
• Attack points and why they often remove the need for long-distance pace counting.
This video is aimed at civilian hillwalkers and outdoor navigators.
Military personnel often use ranger beads in very different ways, which are outside the scope of this video.
As always, there's no "right" answer. Ranger beads are simply another navigation tool, and like any tool they're useful in some situations and unnecessary in others.
I'd be interested to hear your experiences. Do you carry ranger beads? Have you tried them and abandoned them? Or have you never felt the need for them? Let me know in the comments.
___________________________
I’m NOT sponsored (by anyone) but I do get asked for these details quite often.
Thumbnail.
Self made Ranger Beads
550 Paracord - breaking strength of 550 pounds (approx. 250 kg)
4mm - nominal diameter (unstressed)
Type III - US military spec
Gear
Gillet - Rohan
Shirt - Rohan
Trousers - Fjallraven
Footwear - Merrell
