3/24/07 - Back at the '06 SHOT Show in Vegas, when Stephen at ATS Tactical showed me the prototype of this pouch, I thought it was a really good idea. Since then, he's refined the design and the final versions shown here are very well executed. There are two sizes offered, a Small and Large Blow-out pouch. What makes them different from a regular IFAK pouch is that they're quick-releasable/detachable from their platforms. With a standard pouch, access to the contents can be severely limited, depending on where it's located on the casualty. The pouch may be trapped under the casualty and his injuries might be exacerbated by rolling him over to gain access. Even when the pouch is accessible on the casualty, it's still not as easy as having a detached pouch right in front of you to find the needed items. For some injuries, every second can count, and might be the difference between life and death. The ATS Tactical Blow-out pouches put the kit in your hands, ASAP.

Medical Pouch - Small - The Small medical pouch is just the right size for mounting on belt kit, or on the side of a vest or rig. Seam-to-seam dimensions of the pouch are 6" tall x 4.5" wide x 3" deep. Add about an inch to all dimensions when it's full/stuffed out. The pouch is attached to a MOLLE compatible backing platform. The platform uses ATS's L-strap fastening system.

Small Blow-out pouch, front

Back

MOLLE Compatible Backing Platform - The platform measures approximately 6" x 4.5", and is stiffened with a plastic insert. It takes up 3 columns of PALS on a belt or rig. The front of the platform is covered in loop velcro material. At top of the platform is sewn the top securing flap/strap, which is 5.5" long and 3" wide. This has an ITW flush-mount female buckle installed on it. At the bottom is a 1"-wide adjustable strap with male buckle. The pouch has hook velcro sewn to its back, which interfaces with the platform. The top and bottom straps wrap over the pouch and keep it secured until needed. To detach the pouch, the buckle is disengaged, the straps open, and you tug on the pouch's red carry handle and rip it off the platform.
This particular top strap has a 3" x 2" patch of loop velcro sewn to it. Stephen was hesitant to put one there, as he felt that the red strap on the pouch would identify it as a FAK, and there was no need for the tacti-cool blood type patches as you'd be typed and crossmatched before given a transfusion. However, he gave in and put one on there to try it out. So, I've put a small red cross ID patch on there since that's a universal symbol, and a NKDA patch. The user can always leave it bare. The good thing is that the info on the platform stays with the person it's attached to, not the pouch.

Pouch Details - The pouch has a red grab handle that was designed to designate the pouch contents as life-saving equipment. It is used to rip the pouch away from the platform and can also be stowed under the top platform strap if you don't want it to show (if you've already got some other feature identifying it as a medical pouch). Normally, it's arranged so that it shows out from the sides of the top strap . The pouch has a full length two-way zipper which allows the pouch to be opened out flat. There's a cord loop sewn into the top as a dummy cord anchor, and the bottom has a drainage grommet. The back panel has a single horizontal elastic loop. Inside the front panel is a slot pocket for small items, and double vertical elastic loops.

Medical Pouch - Large - The Large medical pouch measures approximately 8" tall x 7" wide x 2.5" deep at the seams (almost exactly the same size as a 200 round SAW pouch). Stuffed out, it's about 4" deep in the middle. It's large enough to accomodate a more comprehensive trauma management kit.

Large Blow-out pouch, front

Back

Molle Platform - The large platform measures 8" x 6.25", and utilizes four columns of PALS webbing. Like the small platform, it's covered in loop velcro in the front and has an internal stiffener. Instead of the wider top securing strap, the large platform has 1" straps on the top and bottom, which meet in the middle. The extra width of the pouch does away with the need for a wider strap for stabilization.

Large Pouch details - The large pouch has the same type of red webbing grab/carry handle as the small pouch, but sewn wider apart at the base. It can be stowed behind the pouch if needed, or with a bit of it showing. There are two 2"-wide strips of hook velcro on the back of the pouch that attach it to the backing platform.
The pouch is designed as a quad-fold pouch, with overlapping flaps. The top and bottom flaps open out vertically, with the top flap overlapping the bottom one when closed, and secured with velcro. There's about 2" of adjustability in the overlap, so the flaps can be tightened or loosened depending on how full the pouch is. On the inside of the bottom flap are two flat pockets. The front one has a clear plastic window for 6" x 4" cards or notes. The velcro-closed pocket behind it measures 6" x 3.5" with a pull tab for easy opening.
The side flaps each measure 8" tall x 5" wide, and the right flaps overlaps the left, and secures with velcro. 1" double webbing elastic loops are sewn horizontally to the inside of the flaps. Large elastic loops are sewn into the back of the main compartment for organizing the trauma supplies. I've illustrated it below with the contents of a trauma management kit for both blood and air. When all the flaps are open, the entire contents of the kit can be accessed easily.
While larger than the small pouch, the Large pouch still isn't too bulky to fit to a vest, if needed, since it's the same size as a 200 round SAW ammo pouch. It'll also attach nicely to a pack.

6/1/06 - The single-use TAC-PACK from Traumapacks.com was designed by a leading trauma surgeon in NYC for a government agency as a trauma management kit small enough to be worn with a suit yet still capable of providing what is needed for treating ballistic trauma. It's meant to be used to minimize blood loss until the victim can be taken to the nearest trauma center, not keep someone alive out in the field for an extended period. Out of the many blowout kits available, this one is actually small enough to be an everyday carry item, as the contents are vacuum packed for the smallest possible package.

The Standard TAC-PACK contains (refer to the photo on the far right):

1. Protective gloves
2. 5" x 9" ABD (abdominal) Pad
3. 2-3/8" x 2-3/4" Tegaderm transparent dressing.
4. Kimberly Clark N95 respirator mask (more info here)
5. 4" x 3" gauze/cover sponge
6. 4" x 4.1 yds stretch bandage (roll)
7. 1" and 2" tape (12" each)
   Note that the "Advanced" TAC-PACK contains the above items plus an angiocatheter and tourniquet

The steps to using the TAC-PACK are as follows:
Step 1: Open Tac-Pack by Tearing along Tear Notches
Step 2: Pull out contents
Step 3: Apply Protectective Gloves
Step 4: Break open sterile Gauze/cover sponge and apply to wound
Step 5: Apply Large dressing (ABD pad) on top of Gauze
Step 6: Open sterile Roll bandage to secure dressings or use 1 or 2 inch supplied tape
Step 7: Apply transparent dressing to gunshot or stab wound.
Step 8: Apply N95 Respirator mask in smoky conditions or if particulate matter is floating in the air

As mentioned above, to make the package as small as possible, the entire contents are vacuum sealed in the package, which reduces the bulk to about one-third of the uncompressed size. It's a great idea. Unopened, the package measures about 5.5" x 3.5" and only .75" at the widest point (less than the thickness of my thumb). Since it tapers towards the edges, the package is flat and light enough that it will slip almost unnoticed in just about any pocket, until it's needed.

8/26/06 - Another unique offering from Triple Aught Design (TAD Gear), is the Life Capsule, Tactical. It's meant to be worn on your person as a last-ditch, bomb-proof container for a few survival essentials when you've run out of everything else.
The LCT consists of three main components - a body and two end caps. Overall length when assembled is 4.25" with a diameter of 0.88". It's machined out of 6061T6 aluminum and Type III hard anodized in a AR-type matte grey.

The body is knurled on the outside for a secure grip. The inside of the body is divided into two compartments. The primary compartment is 2.6" deep with an inside diameter of about .575". Endcap 1 has a lanyard hole and adds no additional volume to the compartment. The lanyard hole is sized for 550 cord.

A liquid-filled Brunton button compass is included and sits in the mini-compass compartment at the other end. Endcap 2 adds about .3" of additional depth to the compartment and has a threaded hole on the outside for future attachments.

Both end caps have scallops machined into their tapered ends to aid in installation and removal. The endcaps are interchangeable and will fit on either end. The "Fast Thread" design refers to the fact that the threads have 3 starting points instead of one, so you'll catch the threads within only a 3rd of a revolution than 'finding' the one starting point when you install the endcaps. This makes the endcaps quicker to put on. Solvent-resistant O-rings on the body compress when the end caps are installed for a water-tight seal.

So what do you carry in the Life Capsule? It comes with a couple of basic essentials, like self-strike matches and a mini-candle, but it can also accomodate some of the mini fire starters like the Spark-Lite. Other items like a scalpel blade or fish hook can be carried as well. Obviously, it's not meant to be a comprehensive survival kit, but to carry the last essentials that might make a difference. Emergency medicine and pills can also be carried inside.
It's light enough to be carried on your person at all times - either in a pocket or on a 550 cord lanyard around the neck. Or, on a lanyard around the neck but placed in a chest pocket, if it feels uncomfortable under gear or armour. A machined aluminum capsule may seem like overkill when a cheap little plastic container would probably work (until it cracks). It's the same argument when people wonder whether an overbuilt $475 Strider folder gives you that much more than a knife half the price. What it boils down to is the situation/job that you're in and how much your life depends on your equipment to work when you need it.

Note: A couple of people have suggested that the Life Capsule might be used as a kubotan or yawara stick (pressure point/impact weapon). It's a tad short to be used as a kubotan (based on standard length kubotans), but at 4.25" it's viable as a yawara stick. It's up to the user to determine whether it'll work for them. I definitely wouldn't want the end of it pressed hard against any part of my body or whacked in the skull with it.

8/17/06 - The EOD Robotics Pocket Grappling Hook offered by County Comm was designed for military EOD as a compact, lightweight grappling hook to snag trip wires or command detonation wires on IEDs.

The PGH is machined out of T6061 and is Mil-spec Type II anodized in a black finish. Overall length with cap is 5.5" and the tube diameter is about .85". The cap diameter is 1". It weighs 5 oz.
The PGH body is hollow, and stores the three 303 stainless steel spikes. It's open at one end, and solid at the other. A foam spacer at the bottom of the tube helps prevent the spikes from rattling inside. The compartment dimensions are about 3.5" deep and .625" in diameter, and will accomodate any small emergency items without the spikes. The cap has an o-ring to keep the compartment water resistant.
Near the rounded end of the tube are three holes into which the spikes are threaded. The spikes protrude at a 45° angle to the body and are spaced equally at 120° apart. The spikes themselves are 3" long not including the .35" of threading. Two knurled bands around the spike body aid in hand tightening and looseing the spikes from the PGH body.
The solid aluminum cap has a .25" diameter hole for attachment of the line. 550 cord can be passed through the hole twice.

The EOD Robotics logo and a warning are laser engraved on the body. The warning states that it's 'NOT A LIFE SAFETY DEVICE'. County Comm has informally strength tested the PGH to 350 lbs (I'm not sure how it was supported), but I'd agree with the warning and NOT try using this to support body weight. Unless the spikes are hooked over something right where they attach to the body, they'll be put under too much stress and bend at the transition between the shoulder and threaded portion with someone's weight.

The PGH can be used with or without the spikes. Without the spikes, it can function as a throw weight to throw lightweight line like 550 cord to someone else in an emergency (hence I put it in the 'Emergency Kit' section). A heavier rope can be tied to the end of the 550. The empty body can be filled with water or sand to add weight. With the spikes, the PGH can be thrown from cover to snag lines or wires, as mentioned above, or also to retrieve equipment or gear beyond one's immediate reach. Visit the County Comm web page for more applications. How far and where it goes is entirely dependant on the user, of course. I'm lucky if I don't bean myself in the head with it. Actually, the PGH can be flung pretty far, either being thrown conventionally or swung from the cord in a circle (take care if the spikes are installed). I attached 550 cord to the cap with a knute hitch so it's easily attached and detached without having to mess with a knot. I was able to throw the PGH and snag a pack after a couple of tries from about 15 yards away without much effort. Take note when using it without the spikes installed - it's advisable to cover the spike holes over with tape or whatever's available, as a small rock or stone lodged inside the threaded hole could prove difficult to remove.

As shown below, the PGH is small and easily carried. I've shown it in one compartment of my 6o4 pouch. It'll fit most single pistol mag pouches. I can see the Pocket Grappling Hook being quite useful for a variety of applications.

6/23/07 - The Improved Mine Probe Pouch offered by County Comm was designed for military EOD teams as a means of carrying their mine probes, however it can be used to carry other items as well. The black nylon case measures 8" tall x 4" wide and about 2" thick when fully stuffed. There's a zipper around the edge of the case, and when unzipped the case only opens up about 30° instead of all the way. This is to prevent small items inside the case from falling out if it were to open too wide.

The rear of the case has two MOLLE-compatible straps. On the front is a 3.75" x 2" patch of loop velcro. Inside the case are two slot pockets on each side about 5" deep - one is 1.5" wide and the other 2" wide. Six elastic loops on the outside of one of the pockets holds small items.

3/9/07 - Poor personal hygiene in the field, whether it be backpacker or soldier, can lead to illness or even disease. Purell now packages its instant hand sanitizer in a refillable, foliage green bottle that's perfect for BDU pockets. It's even got grips molded into the sides of the squeeze bottle for easy one-handed dispensing. Used without water, it kills 99.99% of germs that might cause illness, in as little as 15 seconds. The 'emergency' use for it, which is why I put it in this category is that it can also be used as an expedient fire starter/fuel. The ethanol in the gel will ignite with a small blue flame that can help start a fire on wood that might not burn otherwise. I tested it in a piece of wood bark and ignited it with a match. It burned with a blue flame until the ethanol had been used up - long enough to add a few more pieces or kindling. Available from County Comm.

ITW Military Products has packaged anti-microbial hand sanitizing wipes in a more military-coloured package, much like Purell did with their hand sanitizer bottle. Keep a few in your first aid kit for use before and after treating wounds. Convenient and used without water, contact sales@itwmilitaryproducts.com for details.