The MFAK – magazine first aid kit – is a minimalist trauma kit with a small selectio of first air gear compressed and carried in a magazine-like housing and packed in a spare mag pouch. The people behind the MFAK have launched an Indiegogo campaign to get their company off the ground and sent us a couple of prototypes to check out.
The MFAK has a small selection of first-aid basics that have been vacuum-packed and slipped in magazine-shaped carrier. Yes, it’s kinda GLOCK compatible (I tried it, but I don’t know why you’d ever want to do that).
The small, convenient packaging lets you carry one in the included mag pouch IWB if you want.
There are lots of other obvious options. The MFAK in its clipped case is small enough to stow just about anywhere.
It’s easy to slip into your backpack’s water bottle pocket, clip to MOLLE webbing, or just carry in a pocket or the center console of your car. The magazine-shaped housing will also slip into a taco pouch for easy carry at the range.
Break the vacuum seal on that pouch and you’ll find that the MFAK includes . . .
- 2 3×3 gauze pads
- 2 Celox clotting agent pouches
- 1 package of 3 Steri-Strip bandages
- 3 Band-Aids
- 1 safety blade insert
- 1 pair nitrile gloves
- 1 instruction sheet for dealing with first aid situations
This is obviously far from a full IFAK or blow-out kit. And the MFAK clearly isn’t big enough to include a tourniquet. I’ve carried a CAT tourniquet in my backpack for years, but no other first aid gear. This makes it easy to do that.
The green magazine-shaped carrier has a slot in the base where you can insert the included two-sided safety blade and use it to cut away clothing or slice through a seatbelt.
The current version on the Indiegogo site shows a blade incorporated into the base of the carrier, but that’s not the version I got.
Finally, the MFAK also includes some basic instructions for what to do in the event of serious bleeding, a sucking chest would, a severed digit, or other less serious injuries.
Would it be a good idea if we all carried a fully kitted out IFAK with us every day when we leave the house? You betcha. Do very many of us actually do that? Hell no.
An MFAK (along with a CAT tourniquet…it’s a really good idea to have that, too) is an easy way to have some of the basics with you to handle a decent range of the kinds of common injuries you’re likely to run across. One now lives in my EDC backpack and I’m glad its there (I won’t be carrying it on a plane, though).
If you want one, the MFAK Indiegogo campaign page is here.
Gimmick BS. ANYTHING that includes bandaids is a booboo kit. At get a tourniquet with no plastic in critical parts.
It looks like.a gimmick to me too. It contains band-aids and no tourniquet. The tourniquet is the most critical piece of first aid gear.
I’m … uncomfortable (if that’s the right word?) on having a first-aid kit in my mag pouch that closely resembles a magazine. What if … ?
“What if … ?”
I suppose in a best-case scenario, you’ll find yourself needing the contents of that kit.
(Provided you’re able to dig that kit out of the magwell of your new club, that until moments before, was a fine self-defense firearm, now incapable of firing.)
I also find the choice of packaging profile more than a bit odd, unless they got a screaming deal on mag pouches somewhere in China… 🙁
It’s no ER however it beats nothing which is what most have. When venturing outside civilization I recommend a tupperware container filled with stuff for the what-ifs?
Decades as medic and er nurse. Taking a red cross or mountain rescue first aid course would serve most people better. When I taught cpr or first aid courses the same question always is asked; wont I panic? My answer is panic comes from not knowing what to do. I encourage all my students to tell me how they did when needed. Always hear the same feedback, they do as they learned and never panic. Often they are amazed.
A little knowledge can go a *long* way when needed…
excellent advice
Ima, excellent comment. Training is the antithesis of panic. Train, train, train…correctly. No matter the situation, and the level of stress, if you can keep your do-do in a tight little pile, and push everything else away, you’ll usually be okay. The chicken littles are the ones that fuck shit up.
Interesting but I wouldn’t buy it. Looks more like a door prize.
A solution looking for a problem. I’d rather have hemostatic gauze to pack a wound than granules. The mag-like case makes no sense since it needs to go inside another pouch anyway. Either make that pouch smaller, or put more in it. If you aren”t carrying, like an airport or courthouse, the case could be problematic. There’s lots of mini kits that can fit into a pocket or ankle, and they’ll have hemostatic gauze, chest seals, and some include an excuse for a tourniquet (RATT or SWATT).
I expected better content and editing.
Yeah, this is a joke….right?
Follow the link. What you find is that the MFAK is a prototype project seeking crowdfunding to start production. To get one of these prototypes, they want $42 plus shipping. Dan…this is a product that doesn’t suck?
I’m partially wrong, sorry. For $42 you can order an MFAK, but they won’t start shopping until September. It looks like they need to meet their crowdfunding goals before that would happen. Maybe TTAG was shipped a prototype and asked or paid to advertise it?
They sent the MFAK for us to check out. We were not paid to review it. All sponsored posts are identified as such and are never paid to review products.
Okay. Now I get it. $42.00. First number I saw was $719.00, and I damn near fell off my chair! And I think it does suck.
That might be the point. Put on TTAG for a show-of-interest.
Probably. I guess my preference, which I know is the only valid one (sarc tag), is that the gear presented under the “things that don’t suck” series would actually be proven and worthwhile gear. Not…this.
The concept of carrying a compact 1st Aid Kit as part of your EDC definitely does. not. suck.
I never render first aid, eventually they die no matter what you hope for.
I’m die’ing, your die’ing, were all die’ing, some just not soon enough.
Let’s Go Brandon.
THANKS INFOR ALWAYS . LIKE IT .
BEATS ME CARRING AROUND ROLL OF DUCK EVERY WHERE .
HEY WHO’S A ~ RED NECK GUY .
~ WHAT RED GREEN …
O NEVER MIND …
Duct tape.
That fcking Noah had to much of it, had the boat sunk we wouldn’t be bothered with the humans problem today.
gimmick.
“1 instruction sheet for dealing with first aid situations”
the instructions should say:
“Call 911 and discard rest of kit unless its a scratch. Do not attempt to kiss victim boo boo to make it better.”
As the developers of the MFAK, we’ve had lots of the same conversations that are here in the comments.
Of course the MFAK is not an IFAK. It should be paired with a good tourniquet.
Think of it this way… A tourniquet + MFAK is like peanut butter and chocolate.
On the one hand, an MFAK won’t be effective in the case of arterial bleeding where a tourniquet is needed. Wounds on extremeties happen, because they are a sizeable chunk of your cross sectional area.
On the other hand, a tourniquet won’t be effective in the case of a sucking chest wound where the MFAK contains supplies for two improvised sucking chest wound bandages. The torso is, after all, where people aim. The steri-strips are the adhesives for one improvised sucking chest wound bandage, and the band aids are the adhesives for the second.
On the mag housing, it makes for a great handle for a safety blade, and there’s already a whole ecosystem of pouches/housings out there to reuse for the MFAK. We’ve built in tactile features so that you don’t confuse your MFAK with your pistol mag. Also, like someone said above, train, train, train… put it in a different slot in your kit than your pistol mag and train. Lastly, you are much more likely to need first aid equipment than you will that extra mag.
Thanks for the constructive feedback guys, keep it coming.
Improvising is something you do out of necessity due to lack of options…not something you intentionally plan to do. Choosing to carry a means to improvise a chest seal…rather actually carrying a real chest seal, is beyond moronic.
This thing reminds me of the cheap overpriced gimmicky crap they advertised to kids via the last few pagesf comic books back in the day.
I find the fact this garbage is featured on this particular website…disappointing.
Them xray sunglasses was a big dissapointment.
It’s good to see a manufacturer reading comments on a gun forum to gauge the usefulness of their product.
I’m convinced that during the highly-stressful reality of a gunfight, that it could be too easy to confuse the kit for a magazine. I’d recommend carrying the kit on the opposite side from your weapon.
That said — why not make a purpose-built kit that’s a little bit larger, to contain a tourniquet and additional medical items that others have suggested? It seems it might be easier to manufacture a plain nylon case that attaches to your gun belt, that stays closed with Velcro (no need for the separate plastic kit inside the pouch). It could also be made “flatter” to more easily fit inside the waistband and, even though slightly larger, more comfortable than a mag pouch poking your gut.
Full disclosure — I’m speaking of a rig strictly for concealed carriers, not an item to put in a pack or bag. I do not have any experience carrying a medical pouch; I don’t carry one. (Maybe I should?)
We have waffled back and forth about the design of the housing for just the reasons you guys are talking about. For the current version of the MFAK, we are going for a protective housing, because whatever is on your belt is going to eventually be accidentally smashed against a counter or wall or workbench or something.
We are also going really small with the MFAK so people will actually carry it and not leave it on the nightstand because it is just too bulky. The philosophy here us maximum function in a minimalist size. Your fully equipped (bulky) med kit back in the car doesn’t do you much good when you need it here and now, now, now.
Back to the housing, we went for something that fits in a mag pouch. Makes it kinda mag-like in the end. Some folks are cool with that, some aren’t. The comments here have been instructive.
Gauze pads and blood stop are always a good idea. Would like to see some type of functional tourniquet included with the kit. One of the reasons I keep a length of surgical rubber tubing in the EDC kit. The band-aides are usable to improvise a bandage for a pneumo-thoracic or sucking chest wound. Myself, I have a fairly comprehensive medics kit in each vehicle and carry a small belt pouch with a basic trauma kit. For most folks, a few basics are all they will ever need. Call 911 and try to stem blood loss. Keep the victim/patient alive long enough for the professionals to arrive.
I usually try and drag the wounded off into the ditch and hope the coyotes dont find it. If you stuff a big wad of grass in their mouths it keeps the moanining down. Coyotes got good hearing.
Yo — coyotes gotta eat, too.
Pretty easy to duplicate and/or improve on this with a brief trip to CVS and any old accessory pouch you have lying around. I have done essentially that so many times I can’t recall. I have one for my backpack, one in my truck, one in my Jeep, one in my wife’s car, one in my range bag, etc. The only thing I haven’t duplicated, and I don’t know why I would, is the 3D printed magazine shaped object.
I think the whole point of this is you’ll be more likely to include a 1st aid kit as part of your EDC if it is compact and already fits inside something you already have on your person (a mag pouch in this case). Think about it, your EDC “loadout” has your firearm, spare mag, a flashlight and a knife. Why does it not a basic 1st aid kit? Admit it, it’s probably a 1000% more likely to be needed than say, the firearm and especially the spare mag. Well, now there’s no excuse. Sure, you can go to Walgreens and make your own, but to vacuum seal it down to the size and shape that would fit in your mag pouch isn’t going to be easy. I’m sure once in production the cost will be closer to $25. Cheap insurance if you ask me…
Gimmicky things always have a market among the mental midget crowd. I’m sure these will have just as big of a following as concealed carry badges.
I just ordered a pair.
But given the “high capacity” magazine bans here in the People’s Republic of New Jersey, I’m wondering if I’ll get stopped by the New Jersey Gestapo and arrested on suspicion of having a high-capacity assault first aid kit!
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