Soft Gurney

The challenge

Evacuating injured or incapacitated individuals from tight, confined or obstructed environments presents serious challenges. On the battlefield, rubble, collapsed structures or mountainous terrain often make rigid gurneys impractical. In civilian life, medical teams face similar obstacles:

Traditional stretchers are too bulky and require lifting the casualty, which risks spinal injury or worsens the patient’s condition. A new solution was required: lightweight, foldable and deployable even in the tightest spaces.

• Patients stranded in bathrooms, toilets or narrow hallways.
• Evacuations from elevators too small for rigid gurneys.
• Rescue operations in stairwells and other tight passages.
• Emergency response in urban environments where quick, compact and flexible equipment is essential.

Ultra-lightweight and compact

The Soft Gurney weighs less than 300 grams and folds to the size of a soda can. Every rescuer, soldier or paramedic can carry it without adding bulk to their loadout.

Innovative ¾-length zipper

The gurney features a three-quarters length central zipper, allowing rescuers to open it wide, slide it beneath a casualty in a confined area and then zip it closed. This eliminates the need to lift the patient, reducing the risk of spinal injury.

Strong, flexible and versatile

Made from advanced technical fabrics (Cordura® or parachute-grade textiles), the gurney combines flexibility with high strength. Reinforced webbing handles enable lifting by small or large teams, while distributing weight evenly for safe patient handling.

Schematic operating procedure

Results

• Ultralight and compact: carried effortlessly without adding strain to personal equipment.
• Feasible and low cost: easy to equip in large numbers for both military and civilian teams.
• Battlefield proven: enables fast tactical evacuation from rubble, collapsed structures or mountainous terrain.
• Medical applications: ideal for rescue from bathrooms, toilets, elevators, stairwells, narrow hallways and other civilian environments where rigid gurneys cannot fit.
• Spinal safety: reduces unnecessary movement during evacuation.
• Field-ready: deployable in seconds, washable and resistant to harsh environments.

Testing and validation

The Soft Gurney has been field-tested in both military training simulations and urban civilian environments:

The Soft Gurney is not only a battlefield innovation but also a dual-use solution for paramedics, first responders, search-and-rescue units, disaster-relief teams and urban emergency services.

• Confirmed capability to slide beneath casualties without lifting.
• Successful extractions from mock collapsed buildings, staircases, tight bathrooms and small elevators.
• Validated safety in carrying patients over rough terrain and through urban obstacles.