Reddit reviews North American Rescue 2 Pack Genuine NAR CAT Tourniquet Gen 7 Black
We found 3 Reddit comments about North American Rescue 2 Pack Genuine NAR CAT Tourniquet Gen 7 Black. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
The CAT Tourniquet utilizes a durable windlass system with a patented free-moving internal band providing true circumferential pressure to the extremity. Once adequately tightened, bleeding will cease and the windlass is locked into place. A hook and loop windlass retention strap is then applied, securing the windlass to maintain pressure during casualty evacuation. The tourniquets unique dual securing system avoids the use of screws and clips which can become difficult to operate under surviva
I would disagree with other users here, building your own kit will save a decent amount of money
What are you looking to put into these IFAKs? Here are some links that a 'basic' would have
4 pack of chest seals $29.19 (one in each kit)
20 count 5x9 combine pads $7.99 (two or so in each kit)
Isreali Bandage (non-amazon link as there have been many issues with amazon selling Isreali bandages and people getting knock-offs, youll want the 4in 'new manufacture' which come in a grey outer pouch, open the outer pouch and put them in the IFAK like that (they are double sealed/this will leave them sealed in a see through rip away plastic which can be used as an occlusive dressing) one in each kit.
2 Hemostatic Gauze $19.97 (open outer pack, put one 'inner' pack in each kit)
12 pack of 2in roller gauze $4.80 (one, maybe two in each kit, can be replaced with a triangular bandage instead)
12 Triangular Bandages (Cravats) $6.80 - these are multi-use, bleeding control, securing a dressing, TQ use etc. most opt not to have them but theyre a great 'multi-use' item I carry in every IFAK (one in each kit)
2 pack trauma shears $9.99 (one in each kit)
2 pack CAT tourniquets $53.98, one reason to go with amazon is the easy returns, which is a double edged sword, a lot of people will buy fake CATs for cheap, purchase real ones for $$ then 'return' the real ones with the cheap fake ones, look up lot codes when you get them if it doesnt look the part return it. Stay away from the thin elastic "pocket tourniquets" (one in each kit)
Rip away IFAK MOLLE pouch $14.99 each, depending on color. I prefer these over just a MOLLE pouch, unbuckle and use or throw to someone else without having to lug w.e. equipment the pouch is attached to - or leave off the MOLLE backing and put inside a pack loose
Personally I dont put airway in my IFAKs but do in a larger kit thats nearby - if you want links to NPAs a pretty good general size to go with would be a 26, dont forget lube or really you can just spit on them. Same with a decompression needle, not going to be in my IFAK.
More importantly than any of this stuff is training, you can do a lot more with training than you can with a 'be all end all kit'. Dont be afraid to adapt a kit to your environment, for example if you're going far away from civilization consider you might do wound packing and need more hemostatic gauze, but if you're right down the street from a hospital you probably wont want to pack a wound with a homeostatic agent but that will depend on the situation.
The purpose of an IFAK is to get you to a larger first aid kit/medical help.
(I purchase medical supplies for the EMS company I work for, Amazon prices are generally cheaper than buying from a distributor unless you're looking to build dozens of these kits and even then certain items will still be cheaper especially factoring in shipping) Any questions feel free to ask
Keep in mind that I'm speaking generally and I'm not covering all of the options. I don't have a medical background but I have taken a fucking shitload of classes over the years, easily in the 500+ hour range for survival, medical, first response, and trauma classes. I've also taught them many times but mostly at a lower level than what gunshots would be.
My IFAKs are for big bad things, I keep a small first aid pack for boo boos but normally those are rub dirt on it and duct tape it. My real IFAKs are for "oh god, this dude is going to die like right now" kind of wounds.
That in mind - all of my IFAKs are homemade. I get supplies in semi-bulk and make 10+ IFAKs because I literally have them everywhere and I rotate out old/expired stuff as needed. I shit you not that I have 4 in my shooting supplies, 1 in my kitchen, 2 in the workshop, 2 in the car, etc. It's not cheap but nothing in life is. If you don't want to be that fanatical about it, getting a kit might be cheaper if you're making one or two.
All of mine MUST have:
Other stuff like for burns, heatstroke, hypothermia, etc I have in some of my bags but not most of them.
Cover the basics:
There is some arguments that can be made about this setup that I won't get into, these are what I like and trust though. I also normally add some extra gloves, tape, gauze, and QuickClot to each bag.
The Adventure Medical Kit is cheap and has the core stuff. Nice easy package too, quick to buy a few of them and stash them places if I don't have time to make real bags right then.
Israeli Bandage is the gold standard for a compression bandage. Watch some YT on how to use one, maybe get to so that you can kill one right off the bat to learn how to use it. Remember - once a bandage is opened, it's use it or lose it. Don't need infections because you used a 5 year old bandage that was stored wrong.
Madison shears are solid.
I like CAT style tourniquets and I trust North American Rescue since they're one of the huge massive names in the market. All of mine are NAR CAT tourniquets.
Condor gets a bad name because of Airsoft kids that wear their stuff all the time, but this bag is really nice. It's fairly cheap, for an IFAK bag, it holds a lot, it's sturdy, and the rip away is really nice. I keep these on the outside of my range bag mostly. The rip away is nice since I can just grab the handle and pull.
Final note - remember that an IFAK isn't just for you to use. It's also for other people to use on you. Make sure they're marked as an IFAK. Mine are all either bright red with a medical cross on it or at least have a big red medical cross on it in a place that everyone can see.
On person? Small kit consisting of:
Skill-set wise I'm confident in my ability to not make things worse. I've taken several classes in first-aid and am first(worst?)-responder certified and have taken a couple additional classes.
The things I carry don't take up much space and are within the scope of my training. I am fortunate in that I live in the US and have ready access (most of the time) to advanced medical treatment via BLS/ALS and hospitals and I take that into consideration when thinking about what I carry on my person.
In my vehicle and my bag I carry a couple additional items that could be helpful were I to stumble upon a collision or something like that. My first responsibility is to my family (wife and children) and after that I'm willing to help where I can if necessary. I've also always reasoned that if I'm going to carry tools by which I can punch high-velocity holes in a person from a distance, I should be able to effectively provide aid to deal with those injuries.