"Rolling your own" is likely going to be the most affordable way to approach this need.
However, there's a few CRUCIAL things that anyone building their kit need to sort-out prior to doing so, and also a few considerations made as they are building their kits.
Before you build, you need to determine the purpose of your kit. Is this kit going to handle the basics of bleed and penetrating trauma (i.e. "blow out kit"), or is it going to address more generalized yet less-urgent needs (i.e. cuts-scrapes, sprains, etc. - "boo-boo kit")? Or are you being expected to build a more comprehensive kit with more in-depth requirements like a suture kit or stethoscope (field medic/physician)? Remember here that while some kits may look/sound sexier - such as the "blow out kit," "trauma kit," or "bleed kit" - having even a "boo-boo kit" at-hand to address sunburn, bug-bites, small cuts/scrapes and other skin irritation can make a tremendous difference in not only morale, but also physical performance (just ask anyone who's attended a multi-day handgun/carbine/shotgun class or competition
).
In addition to your "mission," this kit will need to be built to your skill level. My wife is a physician, so she can take advantage of a more comprehensive kit. I went through some schooling, but am not a doctor, so the level of care I can provide with my training, skill and know-how is going to be significantly less - but that doesn't mean that a "blow out kit" is either beyond my means or is something that I shouldn't use (far from it, actually!). Rather, it is to serve as a reminder that just because a kit that you purchased may include something like a chest decompression needle or sutures and a scalpel, that you will want to defer the use of these items only to those who are properly trained to use them.
Now, as you are building your kit, no need to be aware of where/how you are sourcing your materials.
With the current popularity of "stop the bleed"/trauma kits, more and more crucial/critical items are being cloned by less-scrupulous sources. Counterfeit tourniquets are now commonly sold on eBay and Amazon, and while these items can save you a few dollars, their efficacy have not been confirmed (some are literally made to be props for airsoft gaming use), and in many cases even their physical structure and materials/construct are questionable. I would recommend that you only purchase from trusted sources. Here's a series of excellent videos from the popular YouTube Channel "SkinnyMedic" that highlights this problem:
Similarly, the popularity of tourniquets means that there's an ever-increasing mix of designs available. While some may claim to work well - and even work reasonably enough in demonstrations - we need to remember the context-of-use of these devices. For most in the industry, the TCCC recommendations remain the Gold Standard in this area, and for 2019, they expanded their list to include the following:
books.allogy.com
View attachment 240
There remains a reason why the CAT and SOFTT-Wide are the stadard-bearers, and I would recommend that they - and only they - be among your first-line TQs. Avoid counterfits, and try to resist the urge to purchase gimmicky/"innovative" TQs because here, you'll want something proven to work, under austere and dire conditions (i.e. those reflected by TCCC documentation).
In terms of where to buy pre-made kits or components, these are pretty much the only sources that I trust (listed in no particular order) -
Dark Angel Medical -
https://darkangelmedical.com/
BFE Labs/NoOneComing.com -
https://www.noonecoming.com/
ITS Tactical -
https://www.itstactical.com/
Blue Force Gear -
https://www.blueforcegear.com/
Rescue Essentials -
https://www.rescue-essentials.com/
Chinook Medical -
https://www.chinookmed.com/
H&H Medical -
https://buyhandh.com/
North American Rescue -
https://www.narescue.com/
Notes:
Dark Angel's prices are pretty high. but their gear comes with the caveat/guaranty that if you use it in a documented event, they'll literally replace it for you, free. There's a reason why my main range-bag kit - the one that's ostensibly most likely to be used - is theirs.
BFE Labs is currently undergoing some administrative restructuring - i.e. the change to "No One Coming" to better reflect their ethos - but this is a "good guy" company, and their prices are really on-point.
NAR runs their usual "Stop the Bleed Month" sales in May, with excellent discounts throughout on their open-market consumer products. They also offer discounts to documented first-responders.
-----
And as SMSgtRod noted above, you
NEED to know HOW TO USE what you have -
Everything from dedicated high-end training courses - such as those offered by Dark Angel Medical - to
free-of-charge!!!!! "Stop the Bleed" seminars (
https://www.stopthebleed.org/) are available from a variety of institutions and clubs.
mymedic.com
