TacMed BLAST Combat Wound Bandage
A 20″ × 20″ treatment area in the footprint of a 4″ combat bandage — built for amputations, large pattern wounds, and burns.
What is the TacMed BLAST Bandage? A combat wound bandage (SKU MEDTAC0421) delivering a 20″ × 20″ treatment area — large enough to cover the entire back or chest of most casualties — in a package the size of a 4″ combat bandage. Designed for traumatic amputations, large pattern wounds, burns, and abdominal injuries, it features a large non-adherent wound pad, a removable 19″ × 19″ occlusive layer for abdominal and burn coverage, and integrated control-strip brakes that prevent accidental unrolling during high-stress application. NSN 6510-01-586-4314.
Key Specifications
| Manufacturer | Tactical Medical Solutions (TacMed) |
| SKU | MEDTAC0421 |
| NSN | 6510-01-586-4314 |
| Treatment Area (deployed) | 20″ × 20″ (50.8 × 50.8 cm) |
| Occlusive Layer | 19″ × 19″ (48.3 × 48.3 cm) — removable |
| Packaged Dimensions | 4″ H × 7″ W × 2.5″ D |
| Weight (packaged) | 3.8 oz (108 g) |
| Wound Pad | Large non-adherent sterile wound pad |
| Primary Indications | Traumatic amputation, large pattern wounds, burns, abdominal injury coverage |
What It Is
Traumatic amputations and large-pattern blast wounds present a wound-management problem conventional 4″ combat bandages cannot address: the wound surface area is simply too large for effective pressure dressing with a single standard bandage, and multiple improvised dressings waste time and supplies. TacMed engineered a non-adherent wound pad with enough surface area (20″ × 20″) to cover the entire back or chest of most casualties, yet compact enough to pack to a 4″ H × 7″ W footprint — identical to a standard combat bandage. This ratio of deployed coverage to packed size is unmatched in the category.
The large non-adherent pad wraps around amputated limbs and secures with the integrated elastic wrap without sticking to exposed tissue — a property that prevents dressing adherence to granulating wound surfaces and reduces pain and re-bleeding during dressing changes or evacuation. The removable occlusive layer (19″ × 19″) offers a secondary function: placed over abdominal evisceration wounds it retains heat and moisture to limit tissue desiccation, or it can be applied as a burn dressing to minimize transdermal fluid loss. This dual-use capability makes the BLAST a correct primary bandage for IED and blast-trauma kits where the wound profile is unpredictable.
Control-strip brake system: wrapping an irregular, bleeding stump requires the bandage to hold position across surfaces with no consistent circumference. Standard elastic bandages slip and unroll under these conditions. The BLAST’s brake strips create multiple adhesion points along the elastic wrap, preventing slippage and enabling single-provider application.
Operating Notes
- Traumatic amputation / large limb wound: wrap the non-adherent pad around the residual limb covering completely, then wrap the elastic bandage distal to proximal, locking each layer with the brake strips over the wound site; secure with the end tab.
- Large pattern wounds (torso, back, chest): deploy the full 20″ × 20″ pad over the wound, then wrap the elastic bandage to secure and apply pressure; combine with a second dressing if the wound exceeds coverage.
- Abdominal evisceration: detach the occlusive layer and apply over exposed contents (do not replace viscera); wrap gently to secure, avoiding pressure on the evisceration, and maintain patient warmth.
- Burns: apply the occlusive layer as a moisture-retaining burn dressing and secure with the elastic wrap at light pressure only.
The BLAST pairs naturally with the OLAES Modular Bandage for comprehensive wound management across injury types, and with hemostatic agents for high-volume hemorrhagic wounds. See the full bandages & dressings collection and massive hemorrhage control kits.
WHO USES THE BLAST BANDAGE — AND FOR WHAT INJURIES
- Military combat medics and 18D SOF Medical Sergeants — primary dressing for traumatic amputations and large-pattern blast wounds from IEDs and explosive projectiles, where 4″ combat bandages are physically too small to cover the wound surface
- TCCC and TECC-trained law enforcement and fire/rescue responders — mass casualty or ballistic incidents with wide-pattern shotgun wounds, fragmentary injuries, or large torso penetrations requiring greater-than-standard wound pad coverage
- Abdominal trauma management — the removable 19″×19″ occlusive layer is applied over evisceration wounds to retain heat and moisture during evacuation, preventing tissue desiccation and slowing hypothermia onset without requiring the provider to replace displaced viscera
- Burn wound management — the occlusive layer applied as a burn dressing minimizes transdermal fluid loss from large burned surfaces (>10% BSA) when dedicated burn dressings are unavailable
- IFAK and blast trauma kit integration — at 4″H × 7″W × 2.5″D and 3.8 oz, the BLAST packs identically to a 4″ combat bandage, allowing it to be carried in any standard IFAK pouch without additional space requirements
BLAST BANDAGE VS. STANDARD COMBAT BANDAGES FOR LARGE WOUNDS
When the BLAST outperforms a 4″ or 6″ OLAES or Israeli bandage:
- Wound surface area: The OLAES 4″ provides approximately a 4″×4″ wound pad; the OLAES 6″ provides a 6″×6″ pad. The BLAST provides a 20″×20″ (50.8×50.8 cm) wound pad — large enough to cover the entire back or chest of most casualties. For traumatic above-knee amputations or large blast pattern injuries, the OLAES and Israeli bandage pads cannot achieve adequate coverage from a single dressing.
- Amputated limb wrapping: The BLAST's control-strip brakes prevent slippage on irregular stump geometry — a failure mode common with standard elastic wrap on blood-contaminated amputation sites. Single-provider application on a bleeding stump is achievable without a second person to hold tension.
- Dual-function occlusive layer: Neither the OLAES nor the Israeli bandage include a removable occlusive layer. The BLAST's 19″×19″ occlusive layer provides abdominal evisceration coverage or burn dressing capability that would otherwise require a separate dedicated dressing to be carried.
NSN 6510-01-586-4314. The BLAST pairs naturally with the OLAES Modular Bandage for comprehensive wound management across injury types.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What is the difference between the BLAST Bandage and the OLAES Modular Bandage?
A: The OLAES Modular Bandage is the correct choice for discrete penetrating wounds, wound packing, and moderate-area pressure dressings — it includes a built-in pressure plate and occlusive component. The BLAST Bandage fills the gap for large-format coverage: its 20 inch by 20 inch wound pad addresses traumatic amputations, IED blast wounds with wide fragment dispersal, large open abdominal injuries, and severe burns covering significant body surface area — wound profiles that exceed the coverage area of even the 6-inch OLAES.
Q: Does the BLAST Bandage require the occlusive layer to be used with every application?
A: No. The 19 inch by 19 inch occlusive layer is removable and stored separately within the BLAST packaging. It is used selectively for abdominal evisceration wounds (applied without replacing displaced viscera) and large burn wounds. For traumatic amputations and standard blast wound wrapping, the occlusive layer is typically not applied, and the non-adherent wound pad with elastic wrap handles the dressing task.
Q: How does the BLAST Bandage control-strip brake system improve single-provider application?
A: Wrapping an amputated limb stump requires the bandage to hold position across an irregular, blood-contaminated surface with no consistent circumference — a task standard elastic bandages consistently fail under stress because they slip and unroll. The BLAST's brake strips, built into the elastic wrap at intervals, create multiple adhesion points that prevent slippage and enable single-provider application without requiring a second responder to hold the dressing in position.
Related searches: BLAST bandage, large trauma dressing, amputation bandage, abdominal evisceration dressing, burn wound bandage.
All products sourced from the actual brand manufacturer or authorized master distributors. CoTCCC recommendation status verified where applicable. Ships from MED-TAC International, Pembroke Pines, FL — clinician-founded, veteran-led, SDVOSB-certified.
Specifications coming soon. Contact us for detailed product information.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
