The rubric
How I grade
For dads, by a dad who's run the calls. Check your kit. Win the day. A kit gets one family grade. Bleeding, airway, burns, and allergy matter. So do the kids in the back seat. A piece-count sticker does not.
Each row is 1 to 5. The family letter is that weighted average, divided by 9.4. Kid coverage, bleeding, and choking weigh more than the zipper. A is 4.5 and up. B is 3.8 to 4.4. C is 3.0 to 3.7. D is 2.2 to 2.9. F is under 2.2. A kit I have not signed says Grade pending.
The job score is the other mark. It says how well the kit does the job it was built for. I set that letter, and it can include a plus or a minus. The weighted family average does not. On the card the job letter is the big one. The family letter sits on a bar. Best for and Pair it with say where the kit belongs. A unitasker gets a job score and no family score. A first look is labeled: First look, full grade after I film it.
Graded by a former paramedic dad.
Ryan Fields-Spack, former fire captain, 20+ years as a paramedic
Who picks these kits
1. Kid and infant coverage
Weight 1.4
A 5. Sizes and tools for babies and kids are in the bag, not an afterthought.
A 1. The listing is adult gear. Nothing is sized or chosen for a child.
2. Bleeding control
Weight 1.3
A 5. A proven windlass tourniquet, packing gauze, and a pressure dressing.
A 1. Bandages only. Nothing for bleeding that will not stop with a strip.
3. Choking and airway
Weight 1.2
A 5. A barrier for rescue breaths and a real plan for a choking child.
A 1. No barrier device and no choking plan called out.
4. Burns
Weight 1
A 5. A dedicated burn dressing, not ointment and a guess.
A 1. Nothing in the listing for a burn.
5. Allergy
Weight 1.1
A 5. Room and a reminder for the allergy medicine your own clinician already prescribed, including a child's.
A 1. No allergy supplies called out.
6. Organization and labels
Weight 0.8
A 5. You can find the right pocket in the dark.
A 1. A loose pile. You will dump it on the floor.
7. Durability
Weight 0.9
A 5. The case can live in a trunk or a pack and still open.
A 1. A thin pouch that will crush or soak.
8. Value
Weight 0.9
A 5. You are paying for useful gear, not a piece count.
A 1. The price does not match what the listing actually shows.
9. Ease of restocking
Weight 0.8
A 5. Refills are obvious, labeled, and easy to buy again.
A 1. When something is used, you will not know how to replace it.
Letters
| Grade | Score | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| A | 4.5 and up | Covers kids and the big four without a shopping list of add-ons. |
| B | 3.8 to 4.4 | A strong family kit with one or two gaps you can close. |
| C | 3.0 to 3.7 | A usable start. Buy it for what it is, then add the holes. |
| D | 2.2 to 2.9 | One job, or a pile of bandages. Fine as an add-on. Not the only bag. |
| F | Under 2.2 | The public listing does not show a family kit. Open it before you trust it. |
Independence
Grades are never for sale. A sponsor cannot buy a letter, a bump, or a softer note.
Sponsored items are always labeled, on the kit and next to the button. A kit marked sponsored shows that label. If you do not see it, nobody paid for the placement.
A link to a maker's own page does not pay a commission, and it does not say that it might. A link with affiliate tracking can. The line next to that button says so. A commission does not change the grade. A signed letter is one I set.
I don't list medication doses. I don't tell you to give a child a drug. Bring what your own clinician already recommended, and take a hands-on class for bleeding and CPR.