It may not look like it when you walk into my home office. It looks messy, but I know where everything is. I like to be organized, and with the Blackhawk Products new S.T.O.M.P. II Medical Pack, it makes it easy to find all the medical supplies one might need in an emergency. We’re taking a close look at the SEAL team Medic-inspired medical backpack today.
Ambulance Boxes Back In the Day
Back in the day, and we’re talking way back in the day when I worked on an ambulance, we had all of our medical gear stored inside of hard plastic boxes, similar to what an angler might have when they are out fishing. These boxes had lots of compartments, and it was easy to get to everything. However, a couple drawbacks were encountered, one being that hard plastic boxes would often break if dropped. Also, if dropped, a lot of your medical gear got out of place. Still, this setup was better than nothing, at that time.
Our Combat Medic Daughter Used Blackhawk Medic Bag
When our oldest daughter joined the US Army about six or seven years back, she became a combat medic. She liked it, too. However, when assigned to her first unit, the combat medics didn’t have anything to carry their medical gear in, other than cardboard boxes. This was totally unacceptable. We obtained a Blackhawk Products medic bag for her, and in short order some of the other combat medics purchased the same or similar medical bags from Blackhawk Products for their own use. For the life of me, I didn’t understand, and still don’t, how the US Army wasn’t supplying our medical personnel with anything other than cardboard boxes to haul their gear and supplies in. Our daughter used that older version, which is still in production, for her four-year enlistment. When she returned home, she gifted that medical backpack to me, fully stocked for our medical prepper supplies. It has served me well, and it still can.
New Blackhawk Products S.T.O.M.P. II Medical Backpack
When I received the new Blackhawk Products S.T.O.M.P. II medical backpack, I was more than a bit overwhelmed with the larger size of it, as compared to the bag I was using. With all the room it had inside for all your medical supplies and needs, it is about one-third bigger than the original medic backpack. This newer version was designed to US Navy SEAL team medic specifications. So, I knew it was going to be of the highest quality.
Specs
A few specs are worth noting. This backpack is equipped with adjustable shoulder straps, a sternum strap, and even a web belt, all provided for comfortable carry, even under a full load. With it, you can carry just about everything you’ll need on a combat mission in this backpack. From the Blackhawk website, here are some more specs:
- Constructed of 1000 denier nylon with reinforced stitching,
- Breathable closed cell foam padding,
- Accommodates two 100-oz hydration reservoirs – sold separately,
- High-quality YKK zippers with easy grip pull tabs,
- Webbing on the underside for accessory packs or medic/sleeping rolls,
- Two robust grab handles,
- Adjustable external compression straps accommodate various loadouts
- Metal grommet at bottom of pack for drainage
- Internal elastic stays and keepers
- External hook and loop strip
- Multiple small and medium pockets
- Drop pouches with rigging for jumps
- Several flat netted zipper pockets
- Includes S.T.O.M.P. Medical accessory pouches with red handles and S.T.O.M.P. Medical pack accessory pouch with blue handle for storing medical supplies.
- Dimensions 20”L x 13” wide x 6”D = 2470 cu in. However, the pack expands and can carry a lot more than you think it does.
My Pack
One thing I really love about this medical bag is that, it can lay flat, and that makes it much easier to get to the supplies you need in a trauma situation. This is time saving. As stated, this is a heavy duty medical backpack, and it weighs about 9 lbs empty, so when you are packing it with your medical supplies, you’ll want to take this empty weight into consideration. My pack is slightly more than 35 lbs when fully loaded.
Spent Days to Get It Packed With Supplies Where I Wanted
At the onset, I said I like to be organized, and this is especially true when it comes to medical supplies. It took me two days to get everything packed inside this bag just where I wanted everything to go. Yep, you read that right; it took two days to get it packed. I packed, unpacked, moved supplies around, and repacked it a number of times. And, I’m still not entirely happy with where some of the supplies are packed. Then, I did a little more unpacking. Now, repacking is in order one of these days.
Don’t Want Medical Gear Getting Wet
Just about everything in my pack is stored in ***Ziploc waterproof plastic bags***amazon.com/Becko-Plastic-necklet-accessories-Waterproof/dp/B07144WQWQ. You sure don’t want your medical gear and supplies getting wet. If that happens, it’s of no use to you or to the person you are trying to help.
Bartering My Medical Training
To be sure, I don’t go out playing doctor. This medical backpack is for survival purposes when the SHTF, and I plan on bartering my medical training for whatever we might need. Still, I wouldn’t turn an injured person away if they didn’t have anything to barter with.
I should also mention that I worked for my family doctor for a full year as his assistant– a physician’s assistant, if you will– long before there was such a thing or title. I got a full medical school education working for this man, and I replaced three nurses he was using. They couldn’t keep up with him. On average he would put in a 20-hour day and quite often longer days than that. He was a workaholic. After a year, I decided I couldn’t keep up with him either.
I owned my own medical clinic and had several doctors working for me there. So I had lots of hands-on experience in various medical emergencies.
More on the S.T.O.M.P. II Medical Backpack
The S.T.O.M.P. II medical backpack has several compression straps, for pulling everything high and tight when you close it up, as well as the various zippers. One thing it doesn’t have are MOLLE straps on the outside, like my older medic backpack. At first, I was a little disappointed, but I wasn’t about to second guess any Navy SEAL team who had a hand in designing this new pack. I don’t need any MOLLE straps on the outside of the bag. There is plenty of room on the inside for everything I might need.
Overwhelming To See All of the Storage Space Inside
It is a bit overwhelming, when you first open up this pack and see all the various storage space you have inside of it. We are talking elastic straps, lot of ‘em, and lots of pockets of various sizes. This is an ER in a bag. I’ve visited lots of ERs in my life, professionally and as a patient, and I’m here to tell you that when properly supplied this pack is better equipped than many small hospital ERs.
Jump Proof Padded Pouches
The two S.T.O.M.P. medical pack accessory pouches are great for storing injectable medications. They are padded, making them jump proof. One word of advice is that you should take your medical backpack out at least once a month and go through it. If you don’t, you’ll forget when you packed some medical supplies.
Second Medic Backpack
So, what did I do with my old medic backpack that my youngest daughter gave to me? I’m in the process of restocking it with medical supplies. We’ll have a second medic backpack for another trained first responder or even a doctor to use.
Have Medical Training
If you are a prepper, I certainly hope and pray that you have some kind of medical training. A basic Red Cross first aid course is a good start, and then obtain other training. At the very least, you can get EMT certified. No matter how well planned you are, sooner or later someone in your group or family will need some type of medical care. You need the training and to have the right equipment and gear to tend to injured people in your group. Just look at recent hurricanes we’ve had the past couple of years. Hospitals were without medical supplies or had limited access to medical supplies. That’s not a good thing to happen. Some hospitals simply closed their doors because they didn’t have the means to treat injured people. You want to at least be able to render medical help to those in your group, if need be. The Blackhawk S.T.O.M.P. II Medical bag is a great way to store all your medical gear and equipment.
Retail Purchase
The full retail purchase price on this bag from Blackhawk is $349.99. Yep, that’s a lot of money, but this is the best medic bag on the market, if you ask me, and you can supply it with whatever you think you’ll need. Check out the Blackhawk website. You’ll see this bag comes in three different colors, too.
What exactly does STOMP stand for?
After you’re repacked it the next time, how about posting a follow-up article showing an inventory of your pack
There are many lists out there, but with your experience and “intended use”, that list would be very helpful
Back in the olden days we had our M3 and M5 bags. M5 held the medications, peroxide, IV stuff, suture equipment and extra dressings. M3 was the tri-fold shoulder bag that went with the medic to the wounded.
Before I left the army I picked up an EMT certificate and got a job as same with an ambulance outfit in my home town. I sort of liberated an old M3 bag that was lying around the hospital I worked in when I left. I kept it in my van along with most of the tools I owned. To make a long story short the van was broken into and the tools and bag stolen. I was insured by the good hands folks.
They denied covering the bag as they considered it tools of the trade and were going to give me reduced value on the tools as they were “used”. I looked at the agent and said the ambulance has it’s own equipment. That bag was what I carried in case I came upon you bleeding out on the side of the road. Then I told them every tool was by Craftsman (owned at the time by the same outfit that owned the good hands people), and that Dad always told me that Craftsman tools never lose their value cause if they break you take it back and they give you a brand new one. They paid full value.
Glad to see that the opened up combat medic to the ladies. Back in the day they could only work in hospitals. Tell your daughter thanks for her service from me.
Combat Medic Ladies (not much older than I was at 20) saved my life in Nam, back in
’61.
What did you do in Vietnam?
Yes let’s see your list of medical tool and medication, etc?
I would rather see great list the bags contents
You need to over lap for many situations.
Thanks
Mike
Pat I do realize you did give a short list but since you have extensive experience
how about you giving a list of recommendations? be a good artical.
Thanks
Mike
Pat a list would be helpful- I have been medic since 1977 wow used many tackle boxes (747 if I remember) in KY and Ohio the squad I worked on in Ohio still uses the boxes and they break several…also used several dynamed boxes too. I was in a reserve unit for 24 yrs and bought several bags myself so I’d have several options 1-IV, 1-trauma, 1-airway, 1-drugs and yes usually had to carry several bags and may have the wrong one they were color coded so anyone could bring them to me. when I trained in ky they required approx 3,000 hrs where Ohio only required 100 but DOT changed that. KY had state boards but not ohio and now everyone has them..
At the time I posted this – 4 “a list would be helpful” posts.
Make this 5.
My suggestion, List, pictures etc. I for one will not argue the why or where you place them. I may have follow questions but the would be asking more behind info behind the why.
This is a product I read about in Nov/Dec 2018 Concealed Carry magazine, page 112. ZipStitch wound closure kits. I ordered 4, and they look like a quality product. I have not tested it. https://zipstitch.us/
I used steri-strips for years, hoping to use this instead of sutures in the field.
Here is a list that was packed in a Blackhawk STOMP, not sure how they got the folding stretcher in, might be they used the molle on the outside of the pack. Not sure where this list came from, could be Survivalblog, I know there are a lot of lists (including my own) posted here. But here is the STOMP one:
Trauma
Celox Plunger
Celox Powder
Quick Clot Sponge
CAT Tourniquet X2
6” Israeli Dressing x2
4” Israeli Dressing
Z-Pak Dressing x5
Kerlix Gauze 4.5” x3
Kerlix Gauze 2.25” x2
H&H Compressed Gauze x4
Airway
Asthma Spray (albuterol HFA)
Pocket BVM
Ambu Rescue Pump
Ambu Rescue Pump Spare tubing
Oral Airway Kit, Various Sizes
Magill Forceps
Decompression Needle x2
Hyfin Chest Seal Twin Pack
Boylin Chest Seal
Occlusive Dressing x2
Nasopharyngeal 34 Fr w/ lube
Nasopharyngeal 30 Fr w/ lube
Triangle Bandages x3
Fractures/Sprains
SAM Splint 36” x2
SAM Splint Finger x2
Cohesive Wrap x2
Elastic Wrap 4” x2
Elastic Wrap 3”
Mentholated Pain Relief x2
Body Warmer Pad x2
Sutures
Steri Strip 1/2″ x 4” x6
Steri Strip 1/4″ x 3” x3
Steri Strip 1/8” x 3” x5
Benzoin Tincture x3
2”x2” Gauze x3
3”x3” Gauze x3
Sterile Sponge
Shaving Razor
Scissors
Forceps x3
Needle Probe
Holder
Scalpel Handel
Scalpel Blades #10
Scalpel Blades #11
Disposable Scalpel Blade #10
Disposable Scalpel Blade #11
3-0 Suture x2
4-0 Suture x2
Suture Removal Kit
Skin Stapler
Skin Stapler Removal Kit
Diagnostic
Thermometer
Protective Gear
Gloves Pair x10
CPR Sheild
N95 Mask
Ear Plugs x2
References
Combat Casualty Card
Casualty Response Card
Maxwell Quick Reference Guide
SAM Splint Guide
Triage Kit
Where there is No Doctor, Book
North American Plant Guide, Book
Extraction
Extraction Strap w/ 2 Carabineers
Disposable Stretcher
Pain Management
Ibuprofen
Aspirin
Acetaminophen
Cough Medicine (Dextromethorphan)
Allergy Medicine (Diphenhydramine)
Blisters/Burns
Mole Skin 9”x12”
Blist-o-Ban x4
Aloe Vera Lotion
Sunscreen
Water-Jel 4”x4
Water-Jel 2”x6”
Water-Jel Bottle
Ointments
Vaseline
Neosporin
Hydrocortisone Cream
Benadryl Itch Relief
Lip Balm
Insect repellent
Anti-Fungal Cream (Clotrimazole)
First Aid
Large Band Aid x5
Medium Band Aid x10
Small Band Aid x10
Finger Band Aid x10
Knuckle Band Aid x10
Tegaderm Film x4
Non-Stick Pads x2
Band Aid Tape
2”X 2” Gauze x5
Disinfectants
Sterile First Aid Wash 7oz
Sterile First Aid Wash 3oz
Bleach Wipes x5
Betadine Bottle
Cotton Tipped Applicator x9
Chloraprep Swabs x3
Betadine Swabs x8
Vionex Antiseptic Towlets x8
Hand Sanitizer x2
Dental/Ear/Vision
Sterile Eye Wash
Tooth Ache Kit w/ Temporary Fillings
Aluminum Eye Shield
Dental Pick
Dental Mirror
Dental Scalar
Tooth Brush x2
Floss
Ear Drops
Benzocaine Tooth Medicine
Allergy Eye Drops
Hypothermia
Emergency Blanket
Hand Warmer x4
Poison/Radiation/Hydration
Vitalyte Electrolyte x2
Ceralyte Electrolyte x2
Oral Rehydration Salts x2
Water Purification Tablets
Multi-Vitamin
Activated Charcoal (poisoning)
Potassium Iodide (radiation)
Hygiene
Nail Clippers
Toe Nail Clippers
Tweezers
Tools
Head Lamp
Chem Light x4
Small Light
190 Lumen Flash Light
Flash Light Red Lenses
Flash Light Diffuser
Pen Light
AA Batteries x4
AAA Batteries x4
Battery Case x2
Lighter
Rite-n-Rain 3”x5” Notepad
Black Pen
Red Pen
Dual Tip Sharpie
Trauma Shears
Leatherman Multi-tool
Folding Knife
P30 Can Opener
Medical Cloth Tape x2
Durapore Tape x2
Transpore Tape x2
Transpore White Tape x2
550 Cord 25’
VS17 Panel
Signal Mirror
Misc
Caffeine Gum
These contents are packed in the Blackhawk S.T.O.M.P
Please thank your daughter, for me, for her service!
Here is another list with pictures: Not sure where it is from, might be from this website:
Medical Ruck Contents:
Ruck Packing List: (Roughly in order of use per TCCC)
Hemorrhage kit:
• Compressed Gauze x4
• Combat Gauze x3 (would prefer Celox Rapid)
• Elastic wraps (Ace wraps) x2
• Pressure Dressing x1 (preferably the Olaes 6″)
Airway and Respiratory:
• Cric Kit x1
• NPA x2
• 4″x4″ gauze x3
• Chest seal x4 packs
• Hydrogel x1
• Decompression Needle x3 (14g x 3.25″)
• Chest Tube kit x1
• Suction
• Bag Value Mask (BVM)
Circulatory:
• Sodium Chloride 0.9% (NS) 500mL
• 6% Hetastarch 500mL
• IV Administration Kit x2
• IO gun and 3 needles
• Basic Blood Transfusion Kit
• Sharps Shuttle
Hypothermia:
• Helos Hypothermia Kit x 2
• Fleece Beanie
Diagnostic:
• Blood Pressure Cuff
• Pulse Ox
• Thermometer
• Stethoscope
• Note book w/Marker
• 4″x4″ gauze (for going pt to pt)
Wound care and Closure:
• Skin Stapler
• Alcohol/Providone Iodine Swabs
• 2″x2″ Gauze
• 4″x4″ Gauze
• Durmabond
• 0.0 silk x2
• Steri-strips
• Assorted Band-aids
• Dental Repair kit
Splinting:
• Elastic wrap 6″ x1
• Sam Splint
• Finger splint x2
Miscellaneous:
• Sunsceen
• Eye cover
• Bio Freeze
• Batteries (AA, AAA, 123)
• Duct Tape
• Trauma Sheers
• Hand Sanitizer
Anaphylaxis Kit:
• Epi-pen x2
• Benadryl (50mg vital x2)
Medications:
• Ibuprofen
• Mobic
• Tramadol
• Prednisone
• Cipro
• Azithromycin
• Cyclobenzaprine
• Cough Drops
• Pepto Bismuth
• Loperimide (Imodium)
• Mucinex
• Ondansetron (Zofran)
• Benadryl
• Antacids
• Caffeine
• Meclizine
• Tylenol Cold and Allergy
• Hydrocortisone (topical)
• Cefazolin
• DiazepamMorphine x2
• Invanz (ertapenem)
• Marcaine
• Promethazine x2
• Diphenhydramine
• Ketorolac x2
• Naloxone (Narcan)
• Ketamine
• Lidocaine
• Midazolam
Extensive Video of ruck setup coming soon as well as permission med-checklist:
Doesn’t look like the pictures came through.
Obviously a medic’s kit, a lot of RX drugs in this kit.
Pat-
I’m not sure where your daughter was stationed or why her unit didn’t have the bags already.
I went through my 91W course in Dec 2004 and was awarded the STOMP bag for being Jomor Grad. When I hit the ground in Iraq a month later the bags were standard issue. I left the Oregon Atmy National Guard in 2009 and the bags were being replaced by STOMP II.
I suspect your daughter had not received the bag because they were already being phased out for London Bridge products and some other competitors.
My only complaint (and caution) about the Blackhawk bags is the zippers will deteriorate and in fact crumble if they are lubed with anything other than beeswax. Blackhawk will not replace the zipper or the bag even though the metal zipper pulls suck.
Still, I have three STOMP and II bags full and ready to (barter).
No doubt 1/3rd larger due to SEALs needing extra room for important items like tanning oil, vanity mirrors, body sculpting makeup, etc. J/k