EMS Carabiner Trauma Shears - Feedback Wanted

[EMTSTRONG]

We are revising our new website. We want it to be user friendly and simple to use. If anyone can offer feedback, this would be appreciated. We would also greatly appreciate your feedback on the shears.

www.trauma-shears.com

 

[EMSLaw]

Should I be totally blunt? They're ugly as sin and cost about ten times as much as the regular ones. Shears tend to get lost and/or "borrowed" all the time. Other than the fact that I might be able to clip them to my pants, what makes them better than the four spare pairs of shears I have sitting on my desk - or the pairs we get for free from drug reps?

 

[firecoins]

I don't think they are that ugly. I like the look. But your right. Why spend that much on shears?

 

[EMTSTRONG]

thanks for the feedback so far

That's very useful feedback. Blunt is fine. We went for function first. Of course, in comparison to the traditional trauma shear look, the carabiner might look disproportionate as a shear bow (handle). The price is unfortunately high at this time due to large production and material costs. For now we are making these in the U.S. with the best quality materials. The carabiner is the most costly component because we use the real deal. Of course, when fitted to the shear, the carabiner is no longer appropriate for real climbing use. If in time, we decide to have them produced in with lower quality materials, we may be able to reduce the price.

 

[redcrossemt]

Should I be totally blunt? They're ugly as sin and cost about ten times as much as the regular ones. Shears tend to get lost and/or "borrowed" all the time. Other than the fact that I might be able to clip them to my pants, what makes them better than the four spare pairs of shears I have sitting on my desk - or the pairs we get for free from drug reps?

I actually wear my trauma shears from a 'biner on my belt these days. Used a key chain to attach the carabiner to the shears so they stay in the right orientation. Cost = trauma shears + $1. Works great for me.

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

Why two threads for the same subject? I feel a merger coming... See the other thread for my comments... Interesting design... but brings nothing of major benefit to "the Trauma Shear World" and isn't worth (by a long shot) that kinda money... I can spend $5 on a regular pair of shears, $5 on a wire gate carabineer from Black Diamond, go to the garage, rip the shears apart, weld the carbineer on, and have something that in no way makes the shears better in a practical way... and at a cost that is far more EMT friendly...

 

[EMTSTRONG]

Yes, you could do that.

To get the quality fit and security that we have could take you a few tries. We have done this. In the early manufacturing process, perfection didn't come easy. Now we have a solid product without play and with arrow-straight alignment. We are the only patented manufacturer and only authorized retailers.

 

[redcrossemt]

go to the garage, rip the shears apart, weld the carbineer on

$35, right there ^

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

To get the quality fit and security that we have could take you a few tries. We have done this. In the early manufacturing process, perfection didn't come easy. Now we have a solid product without play and with arrow-straight alignment. We are the only patented manufacturer and only authorized retailers.

Fine... I have no doubt that much time was spent on this... but once again... explain why I need this item... why regular trauma shears just will not do (aside from the “convenience” factor of clipping them)… why I should spend $45 when on this rather than on a half dozen carabineers that I actually need to do my thing...

Do the one thing your website has not... sell the item to me... tell me why my life will be incomplete without them...

 

[EMTSTRONG]

I have no response for you.

Those are great critiques. Thanks. My short answer is that it is a matter of your preference. Some people are like cheep and basic and get by fine with that. Others may appreciate the extra convenience and readiness that we have found these shears provide. We designed these for our own use long before patenting and now manufacturing them. I'd far rather have these on me and be ready to go than to have my shears sitting on the desk or ground when I needed them. My problem with the old shears was they would always be the last thing I'd think about when attending to a patient. I'd commonly forget about them until I needed them and have to beg someone else to hand me a pair.

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

Some people are like cheep and basic.

Correction... some people prefer inexpensive and just as good as the same item (in function) that you are selling for 10 times more cash...

And if you are in such desperate need of having trauma shears within arms reach at all times, there are less expensive ways to accomplish this... Shears in the front compartment of all trauma bags... shears holstered to the back of every gurney... shear holster on your belt... a WalMart $1 carabineer on your belt to attatch the shears...

Sorry, I like the design and would get a pair for myself just for the novelty and because the style fits my background... but $45 for a basic piece of equipment that you can get elsewhere for a fraction of that (50 trauma shears on ebay for $45) and that get misplaced and lost every day by thousands of EMTs and Medics... not for me for that price... but GOOD LUCK, hope you make a buck or two off the interesting idea and cool design...

 

[EMTSTRONG]

I agree with you completely.

Yes, you could do all these things instead. We think a proportion of people would rather have our shears, even at this price. In the future, we may be able to produce a lower end carabiner shear, but for now our focus will be for increased quality. We decided to steer away from using the most cheep/inexpensive shears for now and use only the best materials. Hence, production costs are high. The trade off between #50 of the cheep/inexpensive trauma shears and ours is that you won't readily loose ours. I've had my personal pair now for 2 years; never lost and always there.

 

[Chimpie]

Others may appreciate the extra convenience and readiness that we have found these shears provide. We designed these for our own use long before patenting and now manufacturing them. I'd far rather have these on me and be ready to go than to have my shears sitting on the desk or ground when I needed them.

Why are your shears on your desk or the ground?

EMS pants have a place for shears. There are radio holsters and other belt accessories that specific places for shears.

As Mountain Res-Q said.. sell me the item. Maybe place a video or two on your site showing how a set of shears on a carabiner are more convenient than the examples stated above.

 

[EMTSTRONG]

During trauma stats.

There are always shears on the ground after the trauma stats at the hospital.
I like your suggestions. I'm going to take them to heart. The website is just a week old. We'll probably take it in directions that are suggested from feedback such as this in the coming months.

 

[Chimpie]

There are always shears on the ground after the trauma stats at the hospital.

Why are they on the ground?

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

Why are they on the ground?

It is where I keep all vital pieces of equipment that I would be willing to spend $45 on... another reason why spending that kind of money on an item that had traditionally been disposable is not happening for me...

 

[EMTSTRONG]

I hear what you are saying.

For Chimpie = Mine are not on the ground - they are clipped to my scrubs.
For Mountain RQ = I hear what you are saying. You like disposable. I guess some people like disposable razors and some like electric. Both work. We don't expect to replace the basic trauma shear, only to improve it.

 

[Mountain Res-Q]

For Mountain RQ = I hear what you are saying. You like disposable. I guess some people like disposable razors and some like electric. Both work. We don't expect to replace the basic trauma shear, only to improve it.

I don't "like" disposable... I like cost effective; get your money’s worth... I get regular trauma shears for free from the agencies I work/worked for. Thank God, as trauma shears are traditionally disposable items and everyone has lost more pairs than they can count over the years. If we were talking about a stethoscope or a flashlight, then yes, I would spend a $45+ for quality products that I know are gonna perform above the level that their cheaper counterparts would… Can you say that these shears are gonna work so well at doing their job (cutting) that I should spend $45 on them; that their superiority in cutting is superior to the standard shears in the same way that a $100 Littman stethoscope is superior to the $10 crap sets that are found in the back of most Ambulances? Maybe if these shears had other features they would be more worth it; i.e. O2 wrench, window punch, beer bottle opener (for after work of course), etc… But $45 to cut clothing?

If you are gonna make money off of these, you and your website will really have to prove that they are worth it. Something that no EMT or Medic could do without. Shears with a Carabineer is not enough sell on it's own...

 

[EMTSTRONG]

We'll be sure to address those concerns . . .

with the next update on the website. I hear you asking for more information about the shears. I can promise you that the site will include more information for all to see in due time. - Hey, you can't beat free. Free is a great deal. Thanks for your help.

 

[EMSLaw]

I put my shears in the pocket on my EMT pants that is designed for that purpose. Even doing that, I've managed to lose a pair. Shears and penlights will get lost/forgotten/borrowed and will never be seen or heard from again.

EMS loves gadgets, so I'm sure there's a market for these. But I just don't see the advantage over paying $5 - maybe $10 with shipping - for 5 pair of shears on ebay, versus five times as much for one pair that has a fancy clip-on handle. I mean, sheesh, they're /just/ trauma shears. They cut tape, bandages, and clothing.