The couple times I have seen someone apply direct pressure to a wound to stop bleeding, they improvised and used some sort of cloth. A beach towel one time, and I think a blanket the other.

What is the official thing to use? Gauze? I tend to think of gauze as a wound dressing, being absorbent, and maybe a little hard to handle for a big bleeding wound. Are there better options? Or is gauze just the obvious answer?

Thanks!

David