I just bought three different SAM-type splints on Amazon and they seem comparable:
(a) SAM brand, $13.49, Made in USA
(b) Everready 4.25 X 36 Inch Padded Aluminum Splint, $6.16, Made in China
(c) Dixie 4.25 X 36 Inch Padded Aluminum Splint, $5.87, Made in China
As far as stiffness goes, they are all about as stiff and to me, the SAM seems to be the limpest of them all.
They weigh different amounts, could be foam weight, could be aluminum weight, could be both. In same order as above, weights are:
(a) 123g
(b) 149g
(c) 140g
The only big difference I see, besides instructions printed on the splint, is smell.
(a) No smell
(b) Slight petrochem smell
(c) Slight petrochem smell.
B and c come folded. I smoothed them out and rolled them just like the SAM brand. The fact that they were folded did not seem to affect my ability to roll them or form splints into desired shapes.
i decided to try these after after running out of SAM splints that cost 3x the price of these. well these are just as good when formed and wrapped with an ace/elastic wrap, and if someone doesn't return it, you lose $5 instead of $15-20. a great alternative to the name brand. try these before buying another SAM
Emergency Preparedness item. I don't want to be caught unprepared. Little did I think I would have my husband use it on me. Last Wednesday evening, I fell and I could hear and feel my bone in my leg crack. I was on the floor and we were trying to figure out how to splint the bone before moving me. I remembered having these splints. My husband cut a piece for the top and bottom of my lower leg and secured it with curlex. I was then lifted to bed and we had a wheel chair for when my mom was sick, so I was then wheeled to our car and taken to ER. After x-rays I had broken my fibula in two places and chipped my tibia. If I had not splinted the leg I was told the fracture would have not been stable and I would have ended up needing surgery. I saved myself a huge operation, pins and plates all because I had this splint. I ordered a bunch more as soon as I felt well enough.
What you expect. A thin slab of aluminum covered in thin orange foam. These are really more of a one time use item. If you deploy them and they contact med tape the foam peels apart and if they get bloody or dirty forget it and replace it. They are not super stiff for a walking leg splint or thrasher's arm but enough for a bit of bracing during normal transport.
These are really good, and work quite well. Most of the time you really don't want to use a splint as the first thing EMS will do is remove it. Splinting is like sheet rock mudding - don't try it at home!
But if you put this on an ATV, or a truck that will be going out into remote locations, it's fantastic.
Really make sure you combine this with Israeli bandages in your kit because you need something to wrap around this and the injured limb.
Feature Product
- Rolled
- 36 inch
- Reusable
Description
The Ever Ready First Aid aluminum splint is suitable for splinting all extremities. Made of lightweight and malleable foam padded aluminum, it is soft and adaptable. The splint becomes rigid and supportive for fractured or injured limbs by shaping it into a simple C, W or T- shaped curve. Can be cut with ordinary household scissors to fit any size.
We use them in our school health room for suspected fractures. This is easy to cut and mold around limbs. A lot more expensive than cardboard, but it offers form fitted comfortable support until the students get to the doctor.
I carry this with me when I am mountain biking. I have only had to use it once when I went over my handle bars 15mi from home. I hurt my wrist pretty badly and between this and some self adherent wrap I was fine getting home. I couldn't ride the trail with it, but after I got back to the road it worked well enough to ride. and was comfortable enough to sleep in before I went to urgent care the next day. After this experience I always make sure I have it when I leave home.
My one complaint about it was that with only one good hand it was very difficult to get the plastic wrap off of it to use it, so you may want to open it as soon as you get it.
This is a solid aluminum splint for the money.
Note that this not a SAM brand splint - it's the same basic concept however, and works well for the same situations. It feels a bit thinner than a SAM, but I'm not worried about performance, and you can always double it over or form a reinforced shape with it.
The only other thing to be aware of is that (mine at least) did not come with directions of any kind. Again, don't let that discourage you: a quick Google/YouTube search will get you the information you need, and a video is probably more helpful than an illustration. Just take the time to learn to use the splint BEFORE you need it. Having the equipment is halfway prepared, knowing how to use it is the other half. Thanks for reading!
These are well-made and a real value. Since we live in a rural area on a farm, we made these a part of our first aid kits. The uses are many in addition to the obvious splint uses.
leave it rolled, or unroll and tri or quad fold to fit thin and tall. Economical enough to leave with the unfortunate soul who needed it. Had the dubious honor of doing so for the first time 6 months ago.
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