What’s everyone’s observation? Is it less expensive just to buy the pieces of the kit that you want individually or is is less expensive to buy the contents in a Kit by DARK, Chinook, Tactical Medical Solutions?
I’m not a medic. I am interested in a real IFAK and not a boo-boo kit and I know that I have to spend some real money and get some real training. Just finished watching Doc Spears Combat Lifesaver and looking to take a class in the near future.
Thanks for your thoughts.
I spec’d it out a few months ago. It was cheaper to buy a complete kit than to do it yourself. Unless you literally have a pouch, tourniquet and quick clot hanging around. Those are you major expenses. Every now and again Dark Angel Medical does a sale, like 5% off or something. Not much but it defers the shipping.
This isn’t a “use the search button” post, but there are a number of excellent threads on IFAK/BOK options. Along with some discussion of various packing lists. You can spend as much or as little as you want, and there are several manufacturers and good options for each component piece.
The easy button, and my standing recommendation for a basic start: https://www.tacmedsolutions.com/product/downed-operator-kit_standard-kit/
I know exactly what I want for supplies in my kit and have no questions about content. My basic question was is it less expensive to buy the kit all put together or buy it as a complete kit. The problem that I am having is finding a kit with exactly what I want in it.
Pouch: One of the pull out cartridge types appeals to me. Two CAT tourniquets, Combat Gauze, Pressure dressing: Izzy or Olaes, Halo occlusive chest seal, NPA, Gloves, wide Tape, Shears are the major things to add. A couple of safety pins, sharpie, q-tips, ointment, antiseptic wipes are just minor things to add that I could put in any ready made kit.
I’ve been reading many of the posts on kits and suppliers. The spread sheet is made and I’m totaling up amounts of buying individually vs buying a nice kit. Thanks for your thoughts.
Get the DARK and add your second tourniquet. You can get those little things you want to add on on you’re own. I thought about doing my own but found that it was about $10-20 cheaper to get it prepackaged (without the discount available at the time I ordered).
Today IFAKs are ‘relatively’ inexpensive, and most are competitively priced with other, similar products. That said, I think it is cheaper to build than buy (complete) IF yu are in the industry, especially if you have the actual pouch or kit. If you can’t get products at cost, then just spend the extra $10 for a fully-stocked kit. That said, I find several kits on the market today are outrageously marked up (I am not going to disparage their names here).
That seems pretty reasonable cost and my kit is of the boo boo variety but lacks what would be needed for something more serious per linked. I’m going to add that to my kit.
Thanks for the thoughts and links everyone. The information and your ideas are much appreciated. I’ll have more questions in this forum as I go; I know that I have a lot to learn.
I’m an ER doc, and I can’t really imagine needing anything more than trauma shears, SAM splint and a CAT tourniquet. Your job in the field is to stop bleeding and GTFO. Anything beyond that (airway techniques like jaw thrusts, etc) would require at least a first responder class. That’s really what everyone needs to do instead of buying a Hellhound tactical or whatever high speed IFAK, go to a first responder course.
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No offense ER Doc, but how do you treat an abdominal wound with a TQ and Sam splint. The TQ is for extremities only- as I’m sure you are aware of. The SAM splint is for the most part used to treat sprains -how Is that life Threatning?
I don’t know what ER you work in, but your advice is wrong ( the TQ was spot on) You need something to pack the wound with. TQ’ s are great to have, but they are not the end all, be all
The only treatment for penetrating abdominal trauma is to get to an OR. What good is packing going to do? How is a bandage going to stop abdominal aorta bleeding. Even SF medics are trying abdominal tourniquets because other measures fail. I was involved in the initial research for these. Splints keep mangled limbs from severing arteries and nerves. You’re going to want to move your hand if you break your arm in the field and have a long evac. Bone shards flapping around are great at cutting things.
So by this you think hemostatic agents are not useful?
Aortic wounds are one thing- the average person will not have a junctional TQ or spend the money on one. Think GSW to gut that can be packed Most people on here are talking about gunshot treatment. IED’s are a viable threat CONUS nowadays as well as mangled limbs from auto accidents. A good TQ, hemostatic agent, and trauma dressing will serve most people well for an IFAK load out
With training, very useful. OP just mentioned he wasn’t a medic and didn’t have any training. Id hate to see someone stuffing hemcon into a venous bleed (seen that happen). Our EMS guys have the stuff I recommended, but don’t carry hemostatic agents. I have them in the trauma bay. I think there’s a big differences between an Afghanistan IFAK and a “I’m going shooting with some buddies” trauma kit. If the OP is going to "the Mog"then I missed the spirit of the thread and apologize for the bad advice.
Ok. Why is it bad on a venous bleed?
Is hemcon even around? For hemostatic agents, go with a TCCC recommended variant- QC or Celox. Aside from needles for a tension pneumothorax , they should be kitted very similar. Some people shoot/ hunt in remote areas where they will need to address wound before transporting to a hospital.
They all stop with pressure and elevation
My point is that without basic first aid, a complicated IFAK is like trying to figure out which Schmidt & Bender scope to put on a bushmaster
I have no affilation with Dark Angel Medical, but they have a 15% off sale going on now for Father’s Day. Its posted on their Facebook page. It ends Sunday, June 21st. Enter code DAD15.
Hopefully it will help someone out.
I have used Best Glide Aviation Survival Equipment to put some of my own kits together. Specifically, I have used their First Aid Kit Medical Refill Pack, Mini Med Pack, and/or Mini Wound Pack. Pardon me for being too lazy to check the prices on the recommendations that others have made, but the Best Glide components seem reasonable enough to me. They also come in convenient doses and sizes.
Ok, I re-read the OP and now realize that you aren’t looking for a boo-boo kit, but you may find some of the other items useful as well as some of the boo-boo items.