BlastSax are way better than sandbags ... and here's why

Once you’ve used BlastSax you’ll never want to go back to old-style traditional sandbags again

BlastSax have undergone extensive trials with the British armed forces and can save lives by mitigating explosions from IEDs while helping to preserve the evidence.

They are transformed from being exceptionally light to more effective than traditional sandbags in minutes. Easy and space-saving to store in warehouses or on vehicles, BlastSax weigh just 700 grammes before being activated by simply being immersed in water.

The BlastSax absorbs the water and retains it so they become taut, weighing around 20kg (44lbs) in about 8 minutes, and have a uniform shape and size for ease of stacking unlike old-style sandbags which can be very difficult to handle. 

BlastSax have been shown to be more effective than sandbags at capturing fragments from explosive devices, helping forensic teams gather evidence. They have also proven to be a reliable protective barrier against grenades and bullets fired by the standard British Army SA80A2 rifle with an official army report stating: “Even at extremely close ranges the BlastSax were able to contain the round. The BlastSax were able to offer excellent protection against this calibre of weapon.”

Even when grenades land on or very close to BlastSax they are able to absorb most of the fragmentation.

BlastSax have also been tested by a number of bomb squads in the USA and other high profile operational departments.

Their report concluded: “This trial seemed to prove the effectiveness of the BlastSax in a blast mitigation role, more specifically in reducing the blast wave and capturing the fragmentation for forensics.

“The bags absorbed water very quickly and were deployed very quickly too. In an urban environment BlastSax would have limited the damage to surrounding buildings and other structures. They would also be effective as an aid or first line of defence in case something inadvertently went off while waiting for the Bomb Disposal Unit. BlastSax proved 100% effective for this trial.”

The report added: “The BlastSax system could prove effective against unexploded ordnance, IEDs, small incendiary devices, small dirty bombs (when the water used is combined with a tropical bleach) and other small scale Homeland Security threats.” 

BlastSax were devised and are manufactured by  Environmental  Defence Systems Ltd based in Yorkshire, England, and managing director Richard Bailey said: “We invented BlastSax after the Ministry of Defence approached us asking for an easily portable version of a sandbag that could mitigate the effect of explosions and do everything else expected of a sandbag.

“After a great deal of research and testing we devised the BlastSax which has proved to be highly effective, especially when dealing with smaller improvised explosive devices. The BlastSax are vacuum-packed and weigh very little so can easily be carried to a scene, however remote, by just once person – the kind of places you’d really struggle to take sandbags.”

One person can carry 40 BlastSax at one time in dry state – equal to 800kgs sandbag weight - and they can be used with aqueous decontaminants to neutralise CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear) threats. They are ideal for conventional demolition, minefield clearance, combat engineering, personnel protection when preparing detonators, IED applications, pipe bombs, CBRN tasks, blast protection in sensitive locations where collateral damage is unacceptable and to prevent flooding.  

Richard added: “After we’d finished testing with the MoD the UK was hit by severe flooding and we were then tasked by the British Government to make a version of a sandless sandbag for flooding, meeting strict criteria set by the Environment Agency and the Government.”

This led to a civilian version of the BlastSax called a FloodSax which became the original sandless sandbag and are now seen as the ‘go to’ alternative to traditional sandbags. Around 3 million FloodSax have since been sold worldwide to prevent flooding outside and, in their dry state, to soak up leaks and internal floods in homes, businesses, supermarkets, hospitals and civic buildings.

BlastSax have a NATO stock number which is W8 4240-99-991-3183.