MiFit Strap Replacement

So my MiFit strap was broken yesterday, after six months used. This is a very cheap wristband in the market now. It only records steps and sleep time, but I still love its simplicity and functions. I know when I slept less, then I needed extra rest.

I had bought paracord in bulk when I started my EDC Survival Pendant and Nunchaku - Skipping Rope projects. Although I just needed some for those projects, but I just couldn't stand the candy colors of the cords. I will work more on paracord for some time ^_^ and this is one of them.

What happen when the Cobra met his King in my Land Yard? Ups.. so it is something about Cobra weave, King Cobra weave, and Lanyard knot which are well known by the paracord lovers ^_^ with combination of my strange weave which is not be named yet :P

I used around 20 feet of paracord in total for my 7-inch wrist.

Cut 2 pieces of paracord at 10 feet each. Pick one bright color and one dark color, well.. any color you like, you can browse the net with the term "paracord wristband" and find the combination color you love.

Fold the cords into two parts each. The short parts are about the length of your wrist (mine 7 inches). Make a running loop at the bend points. Put the short parts running so that we can adjust them if you feel a little too long or too short.

I twisted the cords before tightening to blend the colors.

Put the cords in position (we got four), the short ones at the middle (I will call them core cords) and the long ones on the left and right. Decide which color do you want for the center and the sides or do you want to mix them. Well, just follow the pictures above. The cord that goes in front of the core cords will be the center color and the cord that goes to the back of the core cords will be the side color. When you finish, simply flip the wristband to get the inverted colors.

Cobra weave is the most well known for wristband. It is not as complicated as it looks.

• The right cord make a curve to the left.
• The left cord make a curve to the right.
• One cord is passing in front of the core cords while the other is passing the back of the core cords (depends on the color you want).
• The front cord will go backward through the back's curve.
• The back cord will go forward through the front's curve.
• Pull both ends.

Repeat those steps until you reach certain length. What length? How long? Well put the MiFit capsule on cener top of your wrist. The length is measured from center bottom of your wrist until one end of the MiFit capsule. Then make simple stop knots at both left and right using the core cords and the side cords as in the last photo on this step.

Leave a space for the MiFit capsule, then replicate the previous stop knots, that is circling the shorts cords on the long ones. After that move on with the cobra weave. You might want to hold at the stop knots with your fingers to tighten the cobra weave. After several weaves, you can then tighten the stop knots to the weaves.

After you reach the same length with the first cobra weave, make a stop knot with both short and long cords at once. Cut the short cords and join them with a lighter. We are finish with the cobras.

Now we are making the stopper end knot which is known as Lanyard Knot. This is a little bit more confusing but if you follow the pattern slowly step by step, you will make it ;)

Consider the two cords as one. They will go side by side all way long. You don't need such a long cords, but the longer you have, the easier you run the pattern. I am too lazy to draw some arrow on my images, but I try to serve the best and clearest images as possible ^_^

At photo #5 I grouped the cords so that it is easier to follow. From photo #4 grouped 6 cords on the left, 6 cords in the middle and 2 cords on the right.

The ends of cords go through the back of the left cords. The other end (that is our cobra weaves) goes through the bottom of middle cords. Both ends come out at the same point. Then slowly tighten the cords one at a time into a ball shape.

Slip the ends below the lanyard knot and cut them short, then stick them with a lighter.

Now we get the strap lock ready. Running loop at one end (which is not running no more, but a hole) and lanyard knot at the other. Test fit the MiFit at its container. There I have two cords at the sides and two at the bottom. Too bad that the position of the cords made me had to pick the center black color instead of the orange for the strap. But don't worry.. life goes on...

We need another weave to hold the capsule on its position. A cobra weave over a cobra weave is called King Cobra. At your previous cobra weave you might have around 4 feet left for each (the bright and the dark). You can use that, or you can pick any new color as you wish.

So I get 4 feet black and 4 feet yellow. Join them with lighter and get it through the space below the lanyard knot. Just figure out that you can go on without cutting them off on previous step if you consider to use the same colors.

Okay, just start the cobra weave over the cobra. At this point you must be able to weave faster than before. Go on until you reach the capsule.

This is my experimental strap. At first attempt I wanted to expose the capsule and hold only by its sides, but when I wore it the side slipped off leaving two cords holding it and that was too risky to lose it. But it also revealed that the capsule will be easy to slip off the strap when one of its sides has been released from the weaves.

So I moved back few steps and continue the cobra weaves over the capsule. But one thing to notice is : the cord that runs at the back of the capsule is woven over and under the two cords holding the capsule's back. This trick is used to prevent the back cords moving to the sides of the capsule and also make a better mat for the capsule to lay.

Okay, then move on weaving until the end of the strap. Cut the excessive cords and join them at the back side with a lighter.

Enjoy the beauty of your new strap. The capsule can be slide off from the side for charging. If I am in good mood, then I will make some more with different colors to match my clothing ;)

Not only the MiFit capsule can be carried on it, but this kind of strap can carry other small things we wanted. So I can call it Carrier Weave ^_^