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Hey folks! Over the past several years I've been really dissatisfied with the options available on the market for EDC trauma kits. The ankle kits are annoying, bulky, itchy, and can't be worn with shorts; the LTC Pocket Trauma kit is too thick for back pocket carry, and freakin expensive; and belt carry isn't really my thing. So eventually I got fed up and decided to create my own.
I started with one of those blue mini gun rugs that the KelTec P3AT comes with, but it wasn't durable enough for my purposes and didn't have internal pockets. After a few other strike-outs with commercially available products I finally bit the bullet and contracted with a custom sewing company out of Maryland to create a prototype of what I was envisioning.
Long story short, after a year of fine tuning and 4 different prototype models, the end product is finally done (see attached pics). I call it the Trauma Wallet - it is slightly larger than a standard wallet (~5.25" x 4"), but compresses down nicely. Running a minimalist setup (just SWAT-T tourniquet, gloves, and a sharpie) it measures only 1" thick. I've been back-pocket carrying my final prototype for the past 2 months loaded with SWAT-T, QuikClot, SteriStrips, bandaids, antibiotic ointment, alcohol wipes, gloves, and a sharpie; even with all that I barely notice I have it on me.
Another issue I wanted to address was that once you bust out a medical kit to use it, you're stuck juggling a bunch of stuff. Putting on gloves is a 2-handed process, as is opening packaging on gauze or bandages. With most kits your options are limited to shoving it under an arm or putting it on the ground in order to free up your hands. The former limits your mobility and is easy to drop kit contents accidentally, while the latter introduces potential for contaminants (mud, dirt, blood, water, etc.) to find their way into your kit.
To solve this problem I built an elastic strip onto the back of the wallet. This functions as an armband, letting you go hands free when you need to while still being able to access the kit's contents. You can also use it to attach the Trauma Wallet to your long gun by sliding it over the stock. In this application, I have found that using rubber bands helps to increase retention and keep the kit seated on the stock.
My first shipment of 100 units arrives this week, so I'll be creating a vendor account and offering them for sale here on NWFA; members will receive free shipping on all orders. I've also created a website (www.traumawallet.com) where it can be ordered directly. Right now the only color I will have is black, but another run is being made in safety red that should be available in December.
I will be selling these in 4 different configurations and price points:
- The Standard kit ($59.99) includes a SWAT-T tourniquet, a pack of 3"x24" z-fold QuikClot, a pouch of SteriStrip wound closure strips, 2 bandaids, 2 alcohol wipes, a pouch of antibiotic ointment, blue nitrile XL gloves, and a mini sharpie. This is very similar to the contents of the LTC Pocket Trauma kit, but costs $25 less and is ~1/4" thinner.
- The Light kit ($49.99) is identical to the Standard kit, but replaces the Quikot with 3 pouches of 3" 12-ply gauze.
- The Ultralight kit ($39.99) is the minimalist version. It comes with just the basics - a SWAT-T, gloves, and a mini sharpie. This model is ideal for back pocket carry.
- Just the Wallet ($29.99) is an empty wallet so you can set it up however you want.
If this product is of interest to you, please feel free to reach out. I would love to hear feedback and recommendations on design improvements, color preferences, contents that should be added, etc. Thanks, and let me know if you have any questions!
I started with one of those blue mini gun rugs that the KelTec P3AT comes with, but it wasn't durable enough for my purposes and didn't have internal pockets. After a few other strike-outs with commercially available products I finally bit the bullet and contracted with a custom sewing company out of Maryland to create a prototype of what I was envisioning.
Long story short, after a year of fine tuning and 4 different prototype models, the end product is finally done (see attached pics). I call it the Trauma Wallet - it is slightly larger than a standard wallet (~5.25" x 4"), but compresses down nicely. Running a minimalist setup (just SWAT-T tourniquet, gloves, and a sharpie) it measures only 1" thick. I've been back-pocket carrying my final prototype for the past 2 months loaded with SWAT-T, QuikClot, SteriStrips, bandaids, antibiotic ointment, alcohol wipes, gloves, and a sharpie; even with all that I barely notice I have it on me.
Another issue I wanted to address was that once you bust out a medical kit to use it, you're stuck juggling a bunch of stuff. Putting on gloves is a 2-handed process, as is opening packaging on gauze or bandages. With most kits your options are limited to shoving it under an arm or putting it on the ground in order to free up your hands. The former limits your mobility and is easy to drop kit contents accidentally, while the latter introduces potential for contaminants (mud, dirt, blood, water, etc.) to find their way into your kit.
To solve this problem I built an elastic strip onto the back of the wallet. This functions as an armband, letting you go hands free when you need to while still being able to access the kit's contents. You can also use it to attach the Trauma Wallet to your long gun by sliding it over the stock. In this application, I have found that using rubber bands helps to increase retention and keep the kit seated on the stock.
My first shipment of 100 units arrives this week, so I'll be creating a vendor account and offering them for sale here on NWFA; members will receive free shipping on all orders. I've also created a website (www.traumawallet.com) where it can be ordered directly. Right now the only color I will have is black, but another run is being made in safety red that should be available in December.
I will be selling these in 4 different configurations and price points:
- The Standard kit ($59.99) includes a SWAT-T tourniquet, a pack of 3"x24" z-fold QuikClot, a pouch of SteriStrip wound closure strips, 2 bandaids, 2 alcohol wipes, a pouch of antibiotic ointment, blue nitrile XL gloves, and a mini sharpie. This is very similar to the contents of the LTC Pocket Trauma kit, but costs $25 less and is ~1/4" thinner.
- The Light kit ($49.99) is identical to the Standard kit, but replaces the Quikot with 3 pouches of 3" 12-ply gauze.
- The Ultralight kit ($39.99) is the minimalist version. It comes with just the basics - a SWAT-T, gloves, and a mini sharpie. This model is ideal for back pocket carry.
- Just the Wallet ($29.99) is an empty wallet so you can set it up however you want.
If this product is of interest to you, please feel free to reach out. I would love to hear feedback and recommendations on design improvements, color preferences, contents that should be added, etc. Thanks, and let me know if you have any questions!
