Video Overview

Big thanks to Sam Wilp for this detailed look at his 2026 flight medic chest rig. Sam is a critical care flight paramedic in Colorado with six years of flight experience, and in this video he walks through every item in his Hill People Gear SAR Kit Bag — from tourniquet holders and decompression needles to IV kits and surgical airway tools. It’s a rare, unfiltered look at the everyday carry of a working flight medic, packed with real-world insight. If you’re in prehospital or critical care, this one is worth the full watch. Thanks for sharing, Sam — great content.

Items & Gear

• Hill People Gear SAR Kit Bag – Purchase on Amazon
• Surefire Sidewinder Multi-Output Headlamp – Purchase on Amazon
• CAT Tourniquet (Combat Application Tourniquet) – Purchase on Amazon
• Pro Medical Tourniquet Holder – Purchase on Amazon
• Medical Tape (Surgical/Cloth) – Purchase on Amazon
• Nitrile Medical Gloves – Purchase on Amazon
• Pocket Notepad – Purchase on Amazon
• Sharpie Permanent Marker – Purchase on Amazon
• Flatline Syringe Holder Mini Clip – Purchase on Amazon
• Assorted Syringes (1cc, 3cc, 10cc, 20cc) – Purchase on Amazon
• IV Catheters 18g & 20g – Purchase on Amazon
• J-Loop IV Extension Set – Purchase on Amazon
• Three-Way Stopcock – Purchase on Amazon
• Saline Flush Syringes – Purchase on Amazon
• North American Rescue Cricothyrotomy Kit – Purchase on Amazon
• Decompression Needle (AIRS Needle) – Purchase on Amazon
• Chest Seal (Vented) – Purchase on Amazon
• Disposable Scalpel – Purchase on Amazon
• Curved Kelly/Pean Forceps – Purchase on Amazon
• Trauma Shears – Purchase on Amazon
• Surefire Headlamp (pocket carry) – Purchase on Amazon
• EDC Knife – Purchase on Amazon
• Multi-Tool – Purchase on Amazon
• Patch Panel Name Tag / Morale Patch – Purchase on Amazon

Editor’s Insight

Six years into a flight career is when things get interesting. Early on, you’re still figuring out what you need. By year two or three you have opinions. By year six, you have a system — and Sam Wilp’s 2026 chest rig update is exactly that: a refined, field-tested loadout built around real calls.

The anchor of the whole setup is the Hill People Gear SAR Kit Bag in gray, sized to match Sam’s uniform and organized with purpose. Nothing in here is frivolous. Every item either duplicates something harder to reach in the helicopter, or fills a gap in what’s accessible under pressure. That’s the philosophy Sam keeps returning to: if you need it in flight, you need to be able to get it fast.

The Surefire Sidewinder on the front is a good example. Sam could dig a headlamp out of his pocket for pre-flight walkarounds — but those walkarounds happen every night, often with a flight helmet already on. Having a multi-mode light (white, red, blue, IR) right on the bag cuts that friction entirely. Small optimization, real-world impact.

The medical setup is where things get serious. Sam carries a well-organized syringe system, with Flatline holders being evaluated for a v2 update after feedback he gave directly to the company — a neat look at how working medics actually influence gear development. His IV kit is self-contained: 18g, 20g catheter, J-loop, and a flush, all in one pouch. The reason is simple: the first-out bag in the helicopter has everything, but it’s in the back and your partner is usually using it when things get busy.

The front pocket is the highest-stakes real estate on the rig. That’s where Sam keeps his finger thoracostomy and surgical cricothyrotomy supplies — decompression needle, scalpel, curved kellies, chest seal, and a North American Rescue airway tube. These aren’t daily tools, but when you need them you need them immediately. Sam pared down the full NAR kit to just what his protocol requires, cutting the noise so the signal is always accessible.

The back pocket is dedicated to flushes — and he’s right, you can never have enough on a helicopter. The Velcro strip inside keeps them organized and pull-ready. A 20cc syringe sits up top for rocuronium dosing during RSI. It’s the kind of detail you only know from doing rapid sequence intubation on a moving aircraft at altitude.

A consistent thread through the whole video is Sam’s advice: stick with your gear. The efficiency you gain from muscle memory — knowing exactly where the tourniquet is without looking, knowing which pocket holds the airways — is worth more than any new product. Chest rigs like this aren’t just EDC. They’re cognitive offloading under pressure.

Big thanks to Sam Wilp for sharing his real-world loadout. If you’re building a flight medic kit or any kind of critical care rig, this video is as close to a practical template as you’ll find.

Closing Remarks

Sam Wilp’s 2026 chest rig is the result of six years of refinement on real calls. It’s organized, purposeful, and built around the reality of critical care in tight spaces. Whether you’re a flight medic building your own rig, an EMT looking to upgrade your kit, or just curious how professionals carry their gear, there’s a lot to take away here. Check out Sam’s channel for more detailed gear and medical breakdowns. What’s the most critical item in your own work kit? Drop it in the comments — we’d love to hear how other professionals approach their everyday carry.