Medical Trauma IFAK

Hey everybody. I am looking around at different Trauma IFAKs that are reasonable priced, have good equipment, and can attach to a plate carrier or cummerbund. I found the kit below after looking at numerous sites and was curious if anyone has experience with this company or has a better recommendation.

$129.99



The most complete gunshot & trauma IFAK available. All the supplies you need, none that you don’t. We use genuine name brand products! Here’s the breakdown…THE BAG: The LXPB35 is a premium MOLLE tactical pouch designed for use as a gunshot response kit, survival kit, or IFAK (individual first aid kit). With built-in modular webbing straps it will attach to any bag, vest or pack with a MOLLE platform. The PB35 has a quick access flap that opens 180 degrees to reveal four individual storage flaps that lie completely flat once opened. This allows for easy one handed access to all of your supplies in an emergency situation. Every feature in this pouch is duplicated, including double layer construction, two rows of two layers of elastic loops, dual depth pockets, and double layered laser cut MOLLE platform with loop material for morale patches and tool storage. The front flap has fully adjustable corded loops with drawstring fastener to secure smaller items. Includes a rubber red cross patch with hook and loop material sewn on. Limited lifetime warranty from Lightning X Products. ***THE KIT: NAR Hyfin Vent Chest Seal Twin Pack Compact, NAR C-A-T Tourniquet Gen 7, Black Nitrile Tactical Gloves (2 pairs), Israeli Military Pressure Bandage 4″, Compressed Krinkle Gauze, 4″ x 4″ Burn Dressing, 5″ x 9″ ABD Pad, Nasal Airway 28FR, QC Comb Gauze Z-Folded LE 3″ x 4yd, 7.5″ Emergency Trauma Shears, Emergency Survival Foil Blanket, 2″ Woven Elastic Bandage w/ Clips, 2″ Tactical Black Self-Adherent Gauze, 2″ Conforming Stretch Roll Gauze, 3″ Conforming Stretch Roll Gauze, 4″ Conforming Stretch Roll Gauze. Pouch Dimensions CLOSED: 9″ (L) x 7″ (W) x 4.5″ (H) – [excluding the pull handle]

• FULL KIT CONTENTS LISTED IN DESCRIPTION BELOW
• Quick access design disassembles completely flat
• Laser cut MOLLE with loop material on front flap
• Elastic drawstring loops run entire length of inside flap
• Double loops, double pockets & double layer construction

The contents seem like good quality, but that seems bulky to put on a plate carrier (9" x 7" x 4.5"). Most kits for plate carriers are minimal; 1-2 tourniquets in separate holders for fast access, a pressure bandage, hemostatic gauze, 2 chest seals, gloves, shears, and maybe an NPA.

That kit has a space blanket, 5x9 pad, and 5 rolls of various gauze not counting the good hemostatic Quik Clot gauze. How much space do you have to carry med items with other things like mag pouches? How much do you expect to need and for how many people? It's a careful balance between having nothing vs. a backpack full of med items.

This is an example of a more minimal trauma kit: Small of Back IFAK AR500 - Kit
Add a second CAT in something like this holder placed strategically on the carrier: Condor Universal Tourniquet Pouch
I'm not a med professional and not recommending you go buy those specific items, it's just something to consider.
You could look at the premade trauma kits and note what is included in some but not others vs. the basics they all seem to cover: Trauma Kits | Emergency Medical Supplies | Medical Gear Outfitters

Do you have the training to use all the items in it?

mecoastie said:

Do you have the training to use all the items in it?

Click to expand...

I am planning on taking the Red Cross courses.

THey dont cover using stuff like using tourniquets, chests seals or npas. You need a tactical trauma course.

1911user said:

The contents seem like good quality, but that seems bulky to put on a plate carrier (9" x 7" x 4.5"). Most kits for plate carriers are minimal; 1-2 tourniquets in separate holders for fast access, a pressure bandage, hemostatic gauze, 2 chest seals, gloves, shears, and maybe an NPA.

That kit has a space blanket, 5x9 pad, and 5 rolls of various gauze not counting the good hemostatic Quik Clot gauze. How much space do you have to carry med items with other things like mag pouches? How much do you expect to need and for how many people? It's a careful balance between having nothing vs. a backpack full of med items.

This is an example of a more minimal trauma kit: Small of Back IFAK AR500 - Kit
Add a second CAT in something like this holder placed strategically on the carrier: Condor Universal Tourniquet Pouch
I'm not a med professional and not recommending you go buy those specific items, it's just something to consider.
You could look at the premade trauma kits and note what is included in some but not others vs. the basics they all seem to cover: Trauma Kits | Emergency Medical Supplies | Medical Gear Outfitters

Click to expand...

Funny you mentioned the AR500. I was looking at their QD IFAK which runs $110 and will fit on the offhand side of the cummerbund and can quickly be detached or opened.

mecoastie said:

THey dont cover using stuff like using tourniquets, chests seals or npas. You need a tactical trauma course.

Click to expand...

They have a course named First Aid for Severe Trauma (FAST) which is supposed to cover bleeding, tourniquets, etc. Are you familiar with this course?

No. It must be new. That is great to know. I took a course at a local gun shop. I will look into this course for my wife.

Skinny Medic on youtube has many good videos on trauma type med items and use.
Some of the better ones are a few years old, but still very relevant.

SkinnyMedic

---------------------------------------

Another good source on youtube is PrepMedic

PrepMedic

Full Stop the Bleed course video (RT 17min) -

----------------------------------------

Edit: Background - Both are experienced paramedics and self-reliant, practical gun-owners.

@ComCamGuy seems to be a good resource on these topics.

Cabal said:

They have a course named First Aid for Severe Trauma (FAST) which is supposed to cover bleeding, tourniquets, etc. Are you familiar with this course?

Click to expand...

It looks like similar training as the Stop the Bleed classes, but neither class discusses chest seals or NPAs.

Here is a downloadable layman’s tactical combat casualty care course designed for all service members based on the latest TCCC guidance complete with videos and references. Trust this over some random YouTube


TCCC for all combatants

the Deployedmedicine.com website is the US Military home of Tactical Combat Casualty Care training. Free to access, plenty of data above most peoples skill levels when you start digging deeper (RABOA-Aortic TQ from the inside,deep in the chest, esherotomies, and so forth) but the core stuff you want is right there in the open, accessed rapidly off the front page

Depending on what level of medical treatment you are wanting to carry, and what area on the plate carrier you can use, my choice would be North American Rescue Combat Casualty Response Bag NAR 4 Chest Pouch . it can be found for as little as $30 on ebay if you don't mind ACU. Ebay can also be a good source for First Aid supplies if you know what you are looking at.
An example- North American Rescue GEN 7 Red Tip CAT Combat Tourniquet w/ Multicam Pouch $35-


Its a great single row molle pouch I normally put a package of combat gauze and the tq in. When you pull the tab, they whole thing opens up for fast access.

or 7x Israeli Bandages Exp. 2022 IFAK First Aid - $30



The biggest problem is keeping an eye on expiration dates. Some things I'm not as picky on expiration dates, like TQs and wraps. The Expiration date is mainly for the integrity of the package for sterility. Things like IV fluid, I get more of a stickler

As always buyer beware, Many of the kits from different companies , they make their money by bundling cheap stuff together and selling convenience not product. I'm a big fan of the concept of finding the best particular item for each purpose and making my own kit. In the long run i end up with a better kit for usually the same or not much more money.

That being said, that's kind of my job so I have a slightly different viewpoint in this

Cabal said:

I am planning on taking the Red Cross courses.

Click to expand...

I hate to say this but the Red Cross training is about babysitter level. Check with your local scout unit and see if they have a training on Wilderness First Aid or something with the content something like the link below describes. I am not an investor but was looking for what I was trying to say. LOL

.

Millwright said:

@ComCamGuy seems to be a good resource on these topics.

Click to expand...

@Repairman-Jack is another good resource on emergency med topics.

As far as how to carry and integrate your med and gear load, here's a chunk from one of my stories where I talk about the MARCH Belt and a link to the page where there are pictures of some loadout ideas.

"The MARCH belt is a set up designed to carry the immediate supplies needed to treat life threats medically. The example Garen showed was designed for combat and combat wounds. Dedicated pouches were set up to carry tourniquets and hemostatic dressings to stop bleeding. Another pouch had a variety of supplies for treating airway related problems with tools such as chest seals, nasopharyngeal airways, needle decompression needles, cricothyrotomy kits and such. Another one had bandaging and wrapping stuff like ACE bandages and battle dressings. A separate pouch was for IV access kits and drugs.

With all of this on a broad, strong belt around the waist, the medic can just spin or slide the belt around their torso to move the needed pouch to the front, enabling them to work directly out of it for the needed intervention. This also meant in combat, they could treat life threats without pulling an aid bag off of their back every time they needed to treat a casualty. He could hear Garen’s voice as he repeated over and over ‘when and where you open the main medical bag designates to the non-medics where you are setting up shop and they will bring the casualties there, whether you wanted them to or not’.

Doug saw how this also applied to backcountry and rescue environments. It isn’t always the most conducive to pulling out the medical gear on a slippery mud and leaf covered hillside in the dark, or on a cliff, or a swollen stream. This germinated in the back of his head for quite a bit. He started figuring how he could adapt it "


And some pictures on this page- Story - Market Day

Kathy in FL said:

I hate to say this but the Red Cross training is about babysitter level. Check with your local scout unit and see if they have a training on Wilderness First Aid or something with the content something like the link below describes. I am not an investor but was looking for what I was trying to say. LOL

Emergency Medical Training For Civilians - Active Threat Solutions : Courses

Active Threat Solutions - Active Threat Trauma Care (ATTC) empowers organizations and individuals to respond to crisis medical situations that occur as a result of an active killer, violent attack, explosion, or other threats to human life. ATTC training focuses on responding to the most...

active-threat-solutions.com

.

Click to expand...

Agree wholeheartedly. There are better Aid courses, like the one above. Not that any training isn't better than none, but if you have to pay for your course, choose wisely and get the most bang for the buck.

I personally made up my own trauma kit--more cost effective that way, too--with only items that I know how to use, or am learning how to use.

LA Police Gear has good prices on trauma supplies. CAT TQ - $25. Much out of stock like everyplace else.

There's plenty on EBay, see my posts above

I'm leery of Ebay for things like TQs. I know there were counterfeit CATS awhile back. Pouches OK. I bought a Streamlight weapon light a few months back on Ebay, turned out to be counterfeit, Streamlight wanted it and replaced it.

I found this to be a useful combo especially building a trauma kit: North American Rescue CORE kit.
The sealed kit sells for $65 and shipping is included with any order over $50.
You might find it discounted, but it's in stock from NAR now and saves a little over individual prices.
It contains a gen 7 CAT TQ, full size (3"x12') package of quik clot combat gauze, and a basic 4" pressure dressing.
Compact Officer Response Emergency (CORE) Kit

I add a pair of chest seals to get it close to a compact kit. Something like these compact Hyfin vented seals.
If shipping is already covered, why not?
HyFin Vent Compact Chest Seal Twin Pack

1911user said:

I found this to be a useful combo especially building a trauma kit: North American Rescue CORE kit.
The sealed kit sells for $65 and shipping is included with any order over $50.
You might find it discounted, but it's in stock from NAR now and saves a little over individual prices.
It contains a gen 7 CAT TQ, full size (3"x12') package of quik clot combat gauze, and a basic 4" pressure dressing.
Compact Officer Response Emergency (CORE) Kit

I add a pair of chest seals to get it close to a compact kit. Something like these compact Hyfin vented seals.
If shipping is already covered, why not?
HyFin Vent Compact Chest Seal Twin Pack

Click to expand...

The thing about the hyFin compact is the way they make it compact is to make it smaller in size. Think 4x4 instead of 8x8

as far as counterfeit, that goes back to what I was saying about knowingwhat you are looking at and vetting the source

Kathy in FL said:

I hate to say this but the Red Cross training is about babysitter level. Check with your local scout unit and see if they have a training on Wilderness First Aid or something with the content something like the link below describes. I am not an investor but was looking for what I was trying to say. LOL

Emergency Medical Training For Civilians - Active Threat Solutions : Courses

Active Threat Solutions - Active Threat Trauma Care (ATTC) empowers organizations and individuals to respond to crisis medical situations that occur as a result of an active killer, violent attack, explosion, or other threats to human life. ATTC training focuses on responding to the most...

active-threat-solutions.com

.

Click to expand...

Another course is called Stop the Bleed (I'm an instructor). It's one of the original traumatic bleed control courses. They are usually free. I have recently certified in Wilderness First Responder, an expensive course but well worth it. In some ways tougher than my 120 hr EMT courses as you are operating outside the golden hour of care.

ComCamGuy said:

The thing about the hyFin compact is the way they make it compact is to make it smaller in size. Think 4x4 instead of 8x8

as far as counterfeit, that goes back to what I was saying about knowingwhat you are looking at and vetting the source

Click to expand...

The hyfin compact seals are 4.75"x4.75" compared to 6"x6" for their regular size. Their full size were harder to fit into smaller kits and cost more.

I bought one of the 7-packs of 6" Israeli bandages you listed, thanks. I put it on my ebay watchlist a day ago and was offered 10% off this morning, sold. Direct link to the listing: 7x Israeli Bandages Exp. 2022 IFAK First Aid | eBay

Do you know if the 6" israeli bandage was once listed as OK for tourniquet use? With your background, you might know. I read that somewhere but didn't find confirmation.

Just a note, post 9 contains a link to the full Stop the Bleed class presentation part if you want to review or see what they cover. The other part of the class (not shown) is hands on practice with wound packing and a CAT tourniquet.

EDIT: I decided to get one of the CAT TQ with multi-cam pouch (shown above) for my plate carrier.
link: North American Rescue GEN 7 Red Tip CAT Combat Tourniquet w/ Multicam Pouch | eBay

The Israeli is not a tq , no windlass
The Deployed medicine website I listed has the complete TCCC medical provider and All Combatants courses there as well as other great links including prolonged field care.org and Next Generation Combat Medic both of which can help with that wilderness angle. Safetydude, now since you have your wilderness, next step is your remote. A wilderness medic can keep you alive while they get you out, a remote can keep you alone whether you are evacuated or not

1911user said:

The hyfin compact seals are 4.75"x4.75" compared to 6"x6" for their regular size. Their full size were harder to fit into smaller kits and cost more.

I bought one of the 7-packs of 6" Israeli bandages you listed, thanks. I put it on my ebay watchlist a day ago and was offered 10% off this morning, sold. Direct link to the listing: 7x Israeli Bandages Exp. 2022 IFAK First Aid | eBay

Do you know if the 6" israeli bandage was once listed as OK for tourniquet use? With your background, you might know. I read that somewhere but didn't find confirmation.

Just a note, post 9 contains a link to the full Stop the Bleed class presentation part if you want to review or see what they cover. The other part of the class (not shown) is hands on practice with wound packing and a CAT tourniquet.

EDIT: I decided to get one of the CAT TQ with multi-cam pouch (shown above) for my plate carrier.
link: North American Rescue GEN 7 Red Tip CAT Combat Tourniquet w/ Multicam Pouch | eBay

Click to expand...

take the tq out of the plastic before you put it in the pouch

ComCamGuy said:

take the tq out of the plastic before you put it in the pouch

Click to expand...

Always! Open it up and inspect for damage then stage it.

This video shows how I chose to stage CATs going into pouches. It's a little different but I like the "grab handle" concept.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tfq1HkZnKnE (RT 1 min)

Two other methods for staging a CAT.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSECJQPJmLw (RT 7 min)

The items from ebay (post #25) arrived and all seem genuine compared to known good CATs and Israeli bandages. The seller for the CAT tourniquet with carrier also had pairs of 4" Israeli bandages for $10.

The link in post #12 is good info and mostly videos. It seems to be the same info used in the Stop the Bleed classes except demonstrated by military medics. Recommended for everyone.
Also on that website is the full Combat Lifesaver Course. link to it: Deployed Medicine
Both can be downloaded. One is 3GB and the other 4GB zip files.

If you follow the link for instructors, the full TCCC for medical providers course material is there as well.