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Archive for the ‘Medical’ Category

BackJack Tactical

Wednesday, September 14th, 2011

One of the coolest things that happened at Outdoor Retailer was an out of the blue meeting with Steve Jensen of Cropper Medical. They are the manufacturer of BioSkin Bracing and have come up with a lumbar support system called the BackJack Tactical that is designed specifically for military use.

Cropper Medical has been making human performance gear for nearly 20 years and they tout 37 professional sports teams wearing their supports including the last 5 Super Bowl winners. They took this know how and applied it to offload some of the weight of body armor from the discs of the spine.

BackJack is Cropper Medical’s first entrant into Tactical Military products and was developed in conjunction with a retired Special Forces 18D to help alleviate the epidemic back pain in the military. In 2009 Ft Polk’s JRTC, conducted testing on it and found that 89% of the Soldiers that wore the device said it relieved their pain and they would use it if it were issued. Next, a unit deployed to Iraq wore the kit and rated a 45% reduction in low back pain with the kit on. 100% of the Soldiers surveyed said they’d wear the kit if it were issued. Although exposure has been limited, Soldier acceptance has been high, to say the least.

The device works by pulling bilateral hand pieces engaging a cinching mechanism which pushes the lumbar panel into the area of pain, the low back. This direct pressure on the low back is what makes this kit so effective at not only relieving pain but preventing pain. Wear it under the Armor, Ruck, or just around the office to get some relief. I tried it and it is comfortable.

Available in UCP an OCP (MultiCam). Visit www.backjacktactical.com or contact sjensen@bioskin.com directly.

Kinesiology Tape

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

Kinesiology Tape is an elastic athletic tape used by many professional athletes. Unlike regular athletic tape, its elastic structure allows a degree of movement and doesn’t cut off blood flow. This is said to speed the healing of muscles. Naturally, based on its success, several companies have entered the market, each enhancing the concept in slight ways.

Kinesio
First gained notoriety during the Beijing Olympics but was actually first developed by Japanese Chiropractor Dr. Kenzo Kase in the 1970s. Since they were first to market, other offerings are referred to as Kinesiology Tape, despite being made by other manufacturers. It is offered in rolls and is very much an institutional rather than consumer product.

KT Tape
Offered by Utah-based Lumos, Inc, KT Tape. They have taken the technology mainstream and offered it in big box stores. Intended for use at the consumer level, they offer instructions with each roll and also offer how-to videos on their website. They claim a 14% elasticity which replicates that of human skin, allowing the KT Tape to move with you yet still provide support.

SpiderTech
SpiderTech takes the concept to the next level and provides pre-cut strips for different applications. They offer several different shapes and can provide training on how to best use them. SpiderTech is hypo-allergenic with no latex and can be applied for up to 5 days which may make it desirable for military applications.

Slider from TMS ADS

Friday, August 26th, 2011

The Slider is an innovative load carrying solution from Tactical Medical Solutions. While TMS specializes in medical gear, their personnel were 18D SF Medics. Consequently, they are no strangers to wearing body armor and the challenges of effectively using the available load carrying real estate on a vest.

The Slider attaches to the side of an armor vest and offers what is essentially a PALS panel that “slides” along a webbing track from rear to front. You store your extra kit in the rear and pull it forward when needed. It’s important to note that it will sit in front of your pouches so it isn’t necessarily something you are going to want to leave there depending on the mission. It was actually originally envisioned for 40mm grenades but works just as well for anything. Medical gear, extra magazines, etc.

Look for an updated video of the latest version of the Slider later this week.

The Slider as well as all TMS products are available for agency purchase from www.adsinc.com/tactical-medical-solutions.

Private Bloggins

Wednesday, August 24th, 2011

Canadian tactical medicine experts CTOMS has just launched an excellent blog. It’s quite refreshing to see a company blog that actually accomplishes something. While the CTOMS website does a great job os showing you their products, the new Private Bloggins site shows you HOW to use their products. Think of it as a TTP site for how to employ CTOMS gear. There’s only a few articles up so far but check back often as they continue to populate it.

Those of you unfamiliar with the term “Pte Bloggins”, it’s kind of the Canadian equivalent of the generic “Joe” serving in the American forces.

privatebloggins.ca

Combat Ready Clamp ADS

Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011

Approximately 25% of potentially survivable deaths are due to uncontrolled bleeding at the joints, most of which is attributed to pelvic hemorrhage. The Combat Ready Clamp (CRoC) is a slip-proof expandable aluminum clamp tourniquet that works like a vise to maintain pressure on difficult bleeds when hemorrhage control in tactical environments is not possible with traditional methods and standard tourniquets.

The CRoC already has 510k clearance by the US FDA, and received a recommendation by the Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (CoTCCC).

The full line of Combat Medical Systems gear is available for agency purchase from ADS.

www.combatmedicalsystems.com

Sawyer Squeeze Filter

Friday, August 19th, 2011

Originally posted on Tactical Fanboy.

The Sawyer Squeeze Filter consists of a filter with a push/pull cap that attaches to one of three different sized reusable pouches, 12, 16, or 32oz, or most threaded plastic bottles. The system is lightweight, weighing only 3oz., and is very portable. Despite its small size it removes upwards of 99.99999% of all water-found containments. The filter can even stand up to high-pressure backwashing due to Sawyer’s robust hollow-fiber membranes, although because of the filter’s large surface area this isn’t a frequently required task.

You can buy here.

Stuff We Didn’t Write About

Saturday, August 13th, 2011

This Saturday sees the return of the long demented “Stuff we didn’t write about.” Quite frankly, it was a long week and we’ve barely recovered from OR.

So here are the topics:

Scots student makes breakthrough in ‘invisibility cloak’ theory

Company’s dummies help surgeons hone skills

Hacked toy truck saves soldiers’ lives (This is so 2003)

THE NORTH FACE – PONCHO Camouflage (This is so 1980s)

Crosscore, Inc. Announces Practical Training Tactical Action DVD Release Featuring Rotational Bodyweight Trainingâ„¢ and Kettlebell Training Led by Mark Toomey, Senior RKC Instructor

Haptic Vibrating Belts Guide U.S. Soldiers Through the Darkness

Project Run-a-Way: The Craziest Combat Outfits

HooToo Introduces Two Fashion Designed Cell Phone Signal Jammers

OR – Nosilife by Craghoppers

Saturday, August 6th, 2011

British-based Craghoppers is once again at OR. You may well know them as the outfitters for Bear Grylls, and they are world renown for their hard wearing adventure clothing. Now, they have introduced a new line of clothing manufactured with permanent insect repellancy. The technology is integrated at the fiber level. Called Nosilife, it is a full range of men’s and women’s adventure styles. Here is an excellent example. This long sleeve shirt is packed with features including slotted buttons, full ventilation, roll back facility on the sleeves, hidden security pocket, and a sun protective collar.

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www.craghoppers.com