Customer Reviews

SAM Splint 36"

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The SAM Splint is an excellent piece of first aid gear especially for those who are a long distance away from medical care such as hikers, backpackers, campers, hunters, fishermen, mountain bikers, kayakers, etc. The SAM Splint is designed to immobilize fractures of limbs so that the patient can safely be transported to appropriate medical care or until medical care can reach the patient.

The splint is made from a thin layer of aluminum alloy sandwiched between two layers of closed-cell foam for added protection and comfort. The splint is pliable but to get a proper fit it works best, for me, if you mold the splint around the injured limb as opposed to completely pre-forming the splint. You can do a little pre-forming by getting the approximate shape but don't expect a perfect fit. A little practice with the splint before an emergency will give you a good feel for the splint and what works best for you. Use extreme care to minimize any additional pain or further injury the patient may feel when applying the splint. Be ready for some patient discomfort which might get verbalized by the use of a few choice words, mean look or loud grunting. Fractures can be very painful! Proper immobilization of a fracture is important to reduce pain or further injury of the limb especially if you are a long distance away from professional medical care.

It fastens in place with tape, wrap, bandanas or other improvised material. Be careful not to wrap the fracture too tight that it causes decreased blood perfusion or increased pain to the patient. It is waterproof so it will handle even the harshest of environments including extremely hot or cold temperatures. From the desert to the arctic this is an excellent piece of gear to have in your kit. Additionally, the splint can be cleaned and reused. It stores relatively small and is very lightweight for those who count ounces.

The splint is radiolucent so it is almost entirely invisible in x-ray photographs and under fluoroscopy. Depending on the situation this may allow medical professionals to x-ray the limb without first having to remove the splint.

I highly recommend the use of the SAM splint for stabilization of fractures when medical help is a long way off the trail. Yes, you can always improvise and make your own splint but generally they will not be applied as fast or be as comfortable as the SAM splint.