Hey leemann, I hope I can help you out with your question. I just got back from Iraq two weeks ago, and I promised myself that I would do a whole lot of things once I got back. One of those things was take a more active role in this forum. I’ve learned so much form everyone here and have never contributed anything back. I would like to start.

Well, I’d have to see exactly what you are comparing the Israeli bandage to when you say “blood stopper” but I think I know what you are talking about. We had a bandage we called a HEMCON bandage that would seal up a wound tight and aid in clotting. The Israeli bandage is also supposed to do the same, in a way. The main difference is that with the Israeli bandage you get the ability to apply some real pressure to a wound with the ends of the bandage. What I mean is that it is an actual bandage where the HEMCON is more like a giant band aid. It’s self adhesive, but it doesn’t have an “attached cravat” like the Israeli bandage does to apply that extra pressure needed. This is not to say one is better than the other, you just have to understand their uses and limitations. The HEMCON was always used in conjunction with a pressure dressing, not to aid in clotting, but for the pressure you get with bandage. In my experience, the HEMCON with a pressure dressing was more effective than the Israeli bandage, but you are going to have to carry two items and take more time to open them up and apply them, where as with the Israeli bandage you just rip it open and apply. Bam, done. Also, lets not forget that the Israeli bandage can also be used as a tourniquet, and is much better at applying pressure to the wound than any old pressure dressing alone will ever be, even with a HEMCON under it. I know I just said that I thought the HEMCON with a pressure dressing was more effective, but I think that at the end of the day, you are going to be better off with the Israeli bandage. It’s just more useful in my opinion. I suppose the best use is a combination of the two. The Israeli bandage, for immediate control of the hemorrhage and evacuation of the casualty. Then, if you are still going to be in the fight for a while, you switch to the HEMCON and pressure dressing combination for that good seal of the wound that the HEMCON brings to the party.

If by blood stopper you were referring to Quick Clot, then things just got a lot more complicated  I would recommend HEMCON over Quick Clot any day. For one, a medic can remove a HEMCON in the field with just saline. I’ll refrain from this angle unless Quick Clot is what you were referring to. I could go on with a whole other paragraph on this.

Here I am getting all military and that’s probably not even what you were asking about. I used these things in Iraq, and they are all very good. It just depends on what you want to do with them, and what you think you are going to need. I’m sure there is going to be some Paramedic that is going to come on here and destroy me, but I hoped I helped answer your question.