Having the best bleeding control kit on hand can be a lifesaver when a critical medical emergency occurs. Whether you're an outdoor enthusiast, a first responder, or simply want to be prepared for unexpected incidents, selecting the right kit is crucial.
Many factors go into deciding which is the most suitable bleeding kit for you. Consider the kit contents, price, and brand reputation when narrowing down your options. The following brands are an excellent place to start.
True Rescue
True Rescue offers an excellent combination of quality, comprehensiveness, and price, with three different variations of their bleeding control kit: Standard, Intermediate, and Premium (with either NuStat or QuikClot hemostatic gauze). Customers can also choose between several tourniquet options for all three kits. This gives the customer flexibility to select a product that fits their requirements and price point.
True Rescue's bleeding control kits have been expertly designed by the brand’s founder, Brian Graddon. Brian is a former Firefighter Paramedic and SWAT medic and his lived experience of treating life-threatening injuries in high-pressure situations has led to the development of these top-quality kits.
True Rescue's Bleeding Control Kit Options
Customers can choose between the Standard, Intermediate, and Premium options:
Standard Kit
The standard kit offers the essentials to stop bleeding in different contexts and includes:
- A tourniquet
- Wound-packing gauze
- Emergency Trauma Dressing (ETD)
- Nitrile gloves
- Trauma shears
- Rescue blanket
- Permanent marker
- Instruction card
Intermediate Kit
The intermediate kit builds on the standard kit, including the standard tools and adding two HyFin® Vent Compact Chest Seals. These are vital for treating penetrating chest wounds.
Premium Kit
The premium option includes all the equipment from the standard and intermediate kits along with a NuStat 4x4 Hemostatic Dressing or a QuikClot Bleeding Control Dressing. Hemostatic gauze accelerates blood clotting, leading to faster bleeding control than standard gauze.
True Rescue also offers you a choice of tourniquet in all their kits. Customers can choose between the SWAT-T, Combat Application Tourniquet - Gen 7, and SAM XT Tourniquet.
Specs
Dimensions: 7" H x 5" W x 2" D
Weight: 2 lbs
Verdict
Consumers who purchase from True Rescue know they are in good hands. As a trusted bleeding control supply retailer, the company offers top-quality products with a range of high-quality, comprehensive trauma kits at accessible prices.
Rescue Essentials
Rescue Essentials stands out in the fact that it offers both a single and a double bleeding control kit. The double version could appeal to couples who travel, work, or hike together or anywhere else where having more equipment on hand could be an advantage. The obvious downside of the double kit is its size as it's less portable than more compact versions.
A single Bleeding Control Public Access Kit includes:
- A windlass tourniquet with the option of CAT, SOFTT-W, or SAM XT
- 2 compressed gauzes
- A 4" emergency pressure dressing
- A marker for recording tourniquet application time
- Emergency shears
- 2 pairs of nitrile gloves
- A Sharpie pen
- Basic instruction card
Specs
Dimensions: 4.5" H x 8" W x 3" D
Weight: 15 oz
Verdict
Rescue Essentials is a highly reputable trauma kit vendor with in-depth knowledge and experience in critical situations. Offering both a single and double pack is a definite plus. Consumers will also benefit from being able to choose their preferred tourniquet. However, it’s important to note that this Rescue Essentials kit lacks the options of chest seals and hemostatic gauze.
North American Rescue
North American Rescue offers a small, compact, and easy-to-use bleeding control kit with instructions on the vacuum-sealed pouch to ensure you don't lose them. Their kit contains the C-A-T tourniquet, which comes recommended by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma.
North American Rescue Bleeding Control Kit Contents:
North American Rescue's bleeding control kit contains high-quality materials that are customizable if you go for an advanced model. Their standard kit contains:
- 1 x C-A-T® tourniquet - orange
- 1 x 6 in. NAR® Responder ETD (Emergency Trauma Dressing)
- 2 x NAR® wound packing gauze
- 2 x pairs of responder nitrile gloves, large
- 1 x responder trauma shears, 7.25 in.
- 1 x NAR® emergency survival blanket - 56 in. x 96 in.
- 1 x permanent marker, small
- 1 x Just-in-Time instruction card
- 1 x PVC bleeding control patch
- 1 x red nylon bag
Specs
Dimensions: 7” H x 5” W x 2.5” D
Weight: 15 oz
Verdict
The great strength of North American Rescue’s kits is the range of options. However, these options come in at a slightly higher price point than some of its competitors. NAR is a high-quality vendor with years of experience in civilian, military, and law enforcement environments.
SAM Medical
SAM Medical's bleeding control kit offers equipment to stabilize a casualty while waiting for medical assistance after sustaining life-threatening injuries in emergencies like road accidents, natural disasters, or other unforeseen events. Their bleeding control kit comes in two configurations: vacuum-sealed and non-vacuum.
Their compact kit includes:
- SAM XT Extremity Tourniquet: This is one of the tourniquets recommended by the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care.
- Medical gloves and shears
- Compressed gauze
- Permanent marker
- 6" wide emergency bandage
Specs
Dimensions: 7” H, 3.2” W, 9.7” L
Weight: 10.9 oz
Verdict
This is a high-quality kit that provides enough tools to face most bleeding emergencies. However, it’s not as comprehensive as some of its competitors and only offers one, standard kit.
FAQs
Can You Customize Bleeding Control Kits?
Many vendors allow you to choose which tourniquet and hemostatic dressing you would like in your kit. Aside from that, most pre-bought bleeding control kits aren't customizable as they're designed to be as compact as possible.
That said, many bleeding control kit suppliers sell pouches that can be used to store extra supplies like additional gauze or dressings to apply direct pressure to a wound. Supplementing your kit with other supplies you might need is the ideal solution for homes, cars, and workplaces.
How Do I Know My Bleeding Control Kit Is Top Quality?
Finding a top-quality kit from a reputable retailer is easy if you know what to look for. For example, only consider brands that meet compliance regulations in the states with a regulatory framework. Alternatively, check if they're an approved STOP THE BLEED® retailer. STOP THE BLEED® kits are licensed by the Department of Defense and follow guidelines established by the American College of Surgeons.
Check Your Vendor’s Credentials
Bleeding control kits offer so much more than a regular first aid kit and can save a life in the event of life-threatening bleeding. Trauma is the leading cause of death in Americans under 45 years of age, according to the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. A high-quality and well-designed bleeding control kit is essential for lowering the number of lives lost due to bleeding injuries.
Purchasing your products from reputable vendors that sell the best equipment is a must when investing in potentially life-saving tools. Look for a vendor with a good balance between price and quality to be prepared for bleeding emergencies at home, on the road, at work, and outdoors.
