This is the Benchmade 8 Hook. There are may like it but this one is mine. Or, more accurately, this is one of mine. One of the perks of my line of work is sometimes you get stuff super cheap or even free. In this case, I think this one was a freebie.
The reason I lead with that is not to talk about how great the perks of emergency response are, but rather to qualify my next statement – namely that if I had my druthers, I’d just as soon have a 7 Hook. Primarily for me, it’s a size consideration – the 7 takes up less space, and I’ve never really felt the 8 was truly necessary. That said, I’ve never had to get someone trauma naked (this is a real thing – it’s to make sure we don’t miss any injuries) with heavy gloves on.
For what it’s worth, I’ve only had the Benchmade ones, but I know there’s a bunch of other manufacturers who make items aimed at the same market space – Gerber, CRKT (their tool has replaceable blades if you’re really busy), as well as other companies, and of course the ubiquitous trauma shears, or if you’re feeling spicy, Leatherman’s Raptor shears (incidentally, Leatherman’s pro program has a fantastic discount for first responders and military types).
Now, for work I usually stick to the generic trauma shears that my employer provides, because I’m too cheap to go buy a 7 Hook, and people are gross, as I mentioned earlier. However, for my personal kit in my car, I keep an 8 Hook, simply because it’s dead simple, and even if I need an inexpert user to help me with its use, they’ll struggle to do any damage to an injured party if they slip or make a mistake.
For this reason, if you’re putting together a set of medical tools, I’d strongly recommend the 7 Hook or a similar product for inclusion in your kit – you’d be surprised how handy it can be, and for all of you who are saying “oh but I’ve got a knife!” – sure, so do I, but I try not to come at people with an open knife – at best it’s bad form and at worst you can appear to be a threat and elicit a violent response.
I’ve had good experiences with tools of this type – I personally use my issued trauma shears as discussed above, but even they cut through all manner of clothing with ease – the Benchmade hooks and similar are just as good if not better when properly maintained. I’m talking boots and motorcycle leathers here, as told to me by trusted, experienced EMS providers.
That’s really all I’ve got for you today – until next time!
-T