Jul 11th 2024
Everything You Need to Know About BFG® Trauma Kits
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT BFG® TRAUMA KITS
Trauma Kit NOW!® Pouches
Always Better® | July 11th, 2024
Blue Force Gear offers multiple medical emergency kits all in the “Trauma Kit NOW!” line of pouches. Anyone who’s familiar with the way that Blue Force Gear (“BFG”) designs knows that details matter. That’s why they created various sized pouches with trauma essentials ranging from basic to advanced. The medical experts at BFG understand that trauma kits MUST vary depending on the mission and the skill level of the individual.
Why carry a trauma kit? Glad you asked. Even if you don’t carry a gun, it’s still a good idea to have life-saving gear close by and know how to use it. There are training classes offered every day, get trained and invest in a quality kit that could save your life or the life of someone you love. Whether you’re a prepared civilian or a professional end-user, we hope this article will help you determine which kit may suit your needs.
Read This First >> When sorting through which kit is right for you, it may get confusing. Here are the similarities of Blue Force Gear’s Trauma Kit NOW! series of medical pouches:
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First, each pouch is Berry Compliant and made in the USA out of BFG’s proprietary material ULTRAcomp high-performance fabric facing laminate. This industrial grade material is strong yet thin, and laser cut for perfection. It’s highly abrasion resistant and will stand up to years of daily carry.
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Second, a BFG proprietary design feature called “BLIP” (“Ball Loaded Index Point”) can be found on every Trauma Kit NOW! pouch. The BLIP was born in the freezing rain on a Blackwater range. It was there a BFG designer realized that when you can’t feel your fingers, it’s very difficult to get a grasp on a flat piece of webbing and distinguish a pull tab. Blue Force Gear now incorporates a small ball between the ULTRAcomp layers as a distinguishable pull tab. The ball doesn’t rely on friction; the bones in your fingers positively engage it. BLIP’s form is both easy to pull and impossible to miss.
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Third, each pouch can be deployed with a single hand pull. The kits all have a removable shingle that carries the medical components. There are no zippers or buckles to fumble with. When you need your med gear, you need it “NOW!” which is why the kits are designed with a simple deployment.
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Fourth, the outer facing front of every pouch features a registered BFG Cross Trademark. It comes with a blue insert to create contrast for the kits. The insert can be removed for a low profile, color match. Additional colored and glow in the dark inserts can be purchased here.
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Fifth, the Trauma Kit NOW! pouches are sold empty or with varying levels of medical supplies. For all five pouches, these levels are called The Essentials Kit, The PRO Kit, and The Advanced Kit. All of the kits have trauma gloves, a version of Quikclot hemostatic gauze, and either a pressure device, compression dressing, or a trauma dressing. The kits expand from there. You will need to research which level is right for you.
None of the Blue Force Gear trauma kits come with a tourniquet (TQ) by design. The tourniquet is an immediate need emergency item. It should never be carried inside the medical kit. It should be carried on its own in a location available to either hand. Generally, on the front of the body and near the mid line for simple access. BFG offers multiple ways to carry TQs and highly recommends that every person has at least one.
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The kits are arranged below from smallest to largest because size matters. It’s irrelevant if you have a great kit but don’t carry it. A mobile field hospital back at the car doesn't matter when you are a block away and someone is bleeding. Select the kit you will carry and go from there. The contents of each pouch depend on the user’s needs and capabilities.
Micro Trauma Kit NOW!™ – NANO (02)
The MTKN! – Nano 02 is slightly larger than the original Nano but with the same capacity of the Micro Trauma Kit NOW! It features rapid single-hand access by simply pulling the BLIP pull tab to remove the insert and access the medical supplies. With the ability to mount vertically or horizontally on a belt or MOLLE platform, it’s comfortably small with full trauma kit capabilities.
Micro Trauma Kit NOW!™
The Micro Trauma Kit NOW! (MTKN!) was designed as an everyday carry trauma kit for law enforcement professionals, prepared citizens, or hunters. Only slightly larger than the NANO, the MTKN! emergency kit offers wider capabilities. It consists of two main components – a removable insert and an outer MOLLE or Belt mounted pouch.
The insert keeps the medical supplies neatly organized and immediately visible when deployed. The medical supply contents are offered in three different kits – see the chart below. These critical first aid supplies can be easily accessed with one hand from either the left or right side by pulling the BLIP featured pull tabs.
The outer shell is available with two attachment / wear methods. The "Belt Pouch" version features two adjustable hook and loop tabs that can fit on almost any belt - from everyday pants belts to 2" duty belts. The MOLLE attachment model utilizes Blue Force Gear’s patented Helium Whisper attachment system, the strongest and lightest on the market.
Micro Trauma Kit NOW!™ – PLUS
The Micro Trauma Kit NOW! – PLUS is 30% larger than the MTKN! mentioned above. Although they look similar, there is a major difference between this medical pouch and the Micro Trauma Kit NOW!. By making the outer pouch 30% larger while tapering its sides and adding “Angel Wings” to the inner shingle, the MTKN – PLUS can accommodate a 6” pressure dressing and a pair of full-size chest seals. This allows for a full-featured med pouch that can hold medical components from the BFG online store or from your supply room or other medical component distributors.
The MTKN! – PLUS medical pouch is available with a MOLLE med kit mount that adapts to plate carriers, vests, battle belts, or other MOLLE compatible surfaces. The MTKN! – PLUS is not your typical IFAK pouch. It offers the same high-speed access to your medical gear as the other BFG trauma first aid pouches.
Trauma Kit NOW!® – SMALL
The Trauma Kit NOW! - SMALL emergency medical kit was crafted in response to customers who loved the features and design features of the TKN! - MEDIUM (coming up next) but needed a smaller pouch. It was crafted to keep the smallest footprint possible and hold all the lifesaving components of an issue IFAK kit following the MARCH protocol. (Lifesaving MARCH: Massive bleeding, Airway, Respiratory, Circulation, and Hypothermia treatment components.
This MOLLE medical pouch is 30% smaller than the TKN-MEDIUM and only slightly larger than the MTKN! – PLUS . The TKN! - SMALL utilizes the single-motion pull out the top design of the original TKN but in the familiar size and format of a double stacked M4 magazine pouch. It mounts vertically to MOLLE compatible kit, versus the MTKN! – PLUS which mounts horizontally.
The TKN! - SMALL medical pouch has two parts: the SHINGLE, which can be removed instantly by pulling up on the BLIP equipped handle, and the outer POUCH which attaches with the Helium Whisper attachment system. This design allows for high-speed access to the inner contents while ensuring the pouch stays secure on your gear when not being used. Unlike other tactical medical kits on the market, you don’t have to choose between speed of access versus security of your medical gear.
Trauma Kit NOW!® - MEDIUM
The last med kit from Blue Force Gear is actually the first they brought to market: The Trauma Kit NOW! – MEDIUM. The same design features found in the TKN! – SMALL are present in this larger kit. The TKN!-MEDIUM was originally designed to hold the contents of the Army IFAK but can be configured to almost any emergency medical loadout. The BFG TKN!-MEDIUM is in service with all branches of the US Armed Forces and numerous allied foreign militaries.
The TKN! - MEDIUM consists of two main components – the outer MOLLE pouch with Helium Whisper attachment system and a removable inner supply shingle that securely contains the medical components. The outer pouch is slightly tapered to allow for secure retention and easy removal regardless of how fully loaded the inner shingle may be.
At the top of this Trauma Kit – there are MOLLE fields that allow for the attachment of a Tourniquet externally to the medical pouch using the BFG Tourniquet NOW! Strap or Tourniquet NOW! Pouch. The single column of MOLLE slots on the top also provides a location for a Single Pistol Pouch to hold a flashlight, multi-tool, or other device.
Whether you need a pouch for the Army IFAK contents or are looking to design your own list of Trauma Kit items – the TKN!-MEDIUM will hold a wide range of medical supplies. The inner shingle consists of six rows of various sized heavy-duty elastic loops to keep medical components secure but visible. A center VELCRO® Brand loop field can be used to secure pill packs or other smaller items with sticky hook tape (not included) and a large pocket behind the elastic loops can fit a pair of trauma shears, chest seals, or other flat supplies.
But wait, there’s more… for those requiring even more room, the Trauma Kit NOW! – LARGE is available by special order with minimum quantity requirements.
WHICH POUCH IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
Whether you’re law enforcement or a first responder, military, sportsman, or prepared citizen, we hope you have a better understanding of the various offerings of the Trauma Kit NOW! medical pouches. Each offers high-speed access to quality medical supplies with the same goal: to save lives!
BFG is unapologetic about quality, design, and materials chosen. When it comes to your medical equipment, don’t rely on a cheap bottom dollar med pouch that rips apart or a ten-cent zipper that won’t open. Buy the best. Buy BFG.
Shop BFG® Trauma Kits
About Blue Force Gear®
About Blue Force Gear: Blue Force Gear, headquartered in Pooler, Georgia, has been a trusted name in professional-grade gear and accessories for two decades. Their commitment to excellence, innovative designs, and use of premium materials have made them a favorite among military, law enforcement, and recreational shooters worldwide.
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