Rescue litters fall into five broad types: rigid basket litters (the Stokes basket), flexible roll-up litters (the SKED and Reeves), folding pole litters, poleless soft litters, and pocket-sized extraction litters like the Pocket Litter. Each trades weight and packed size against spine protection, carry distance and technical capability. No single litter covers every job, which is why most teams carry more than one.
The right question is not "which litter is best" but "which leg of the rescue is this litter for." Here is how the main types compare.
Rigid basket litters: the Stokes basket
The Stokes basket is a rigid, tub-shaped litter made of metal, wire mesh or plastic. It is credited to Charles F. Stokes, a U.S. Navy surgeon. The basket fully contains the patient, protects them from the terrain, and rigs for high-angle rope rescue and helicopter hoists.
Best for: long carries, technical and vertical rescue, hoists. Tradeoff: it is big and heavy, so it lives on the truck, the trailer or the cache and gets carried in by a team.
Flexible roll-up litters: SKED and Reeves
A flexible litter is a sheet of stiff material that wraps around the patient and rolls up for storage. The best known is the SKED. Skedco lists its Basic Rescue System at 17 lb packed in an 8 × 8 × 37 in backpack, including lift slings, a tow strap and handles. It drags well over snow and rough ground, fits confined spaces and rigs for vertical lifts.
The Reeves stretcher is an older flexible design with slats sewn into heavy fabric, used for confined spaces and ship and industrial rescue.
Best for: confined space, drags over rough terrain, vertical lifts. Tradeoff: it is a pack, not a pocket item, so it is carried by someone assigned to carry it.
Folding pole litters
Folding pole litters use two collapsible poles and a fabric bed. Military medics know them as field litters; tactical versions fold the poles for vehicle or pack carry. They are fast to set up and comfortable for a four-person carry over distance.
Best for: carries over distance on reasonable ground, CCP to vehicle. Tradeoff: poles don't drag well, and even folded they are too long for a pocket.
Poleless soft litters
A poleless litter is a sheet of reinforced fabric with handles sewn around the edge. It rolls very small and weighs little. Rescuers grab the handles and carry, or drag it across the ground.
Best for: quick carries, moving a patient through buildings and vehicles. Tradeoff: the fabric sags, so the spine gets little support, and several hands are usually needed.
Pocket-sized extraction litters
A pocket-sized litter is built for the first leg: getting a casualty who can't walk from the point of injury to cover, a casualty collection point or a trailhead, where a full litter takes over. The goal is a litter small and light enough that one person actually carries it every day.
The Pocket Litter weighs 2.5 lb, folds to 6 × 9.25 × 1.75 in, deploys in under 10 seconds and is load tested to 400 lb. Stiffeners and a central hub support the spine during a one-person drag, and it converts to a carry for 2 to 10 rescuers.
Best for: point of injury to CCP, hasty team extraction, partner rescue in the backcountry. Tradeoff: it is not a full litter. Long carries, rope work and vertical rescue belong on a Stokes or a SKED.
Side-by-side comparison
| Type | How it is carried | Spine support | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stokes basket | On the truck or cache, carried in by a team | High, rigid shell | Long carries, technical and vertical rescue, hoists |
| SKED / flexible | In its own backpack (SKED Basic: 17 lb, 8 × 8 × 37 in) | Good when wrapped | Drags, confined space, vertical lifts |
| Folding pole litter | On the vehicle or strapped to a pack | Moderate | Team carries over distance |
| Poleless soft litter | Rolled in a pack or pouch | Low, fabric only | Quick carries with several rescuers |
| Pocket Litter | Cargo pocket or pouch (2.5 lb, 6 × 9.25 × 1.75 in) | Stiffeners and hub | Point of injury to CCP, one-rescuer drag |
How to choose a rescue litter
Start with the leg of the rescue, then work back to what can realistically be carried there.
- Who has it when the injury happens? If the answer is "it's on the truck," you need something for the first leg too.
- How far is the carry? Short drags favor a small litter. Long carries favor a basket or pole litter and a team.
- What is the terrain? Snow, scree and trenches favor litters that drag. Ropes and cliffs require rated, rigged systems.
- How many rescuers? One person can drag or carry. Team carries take two to ten.
- Does the patient need spine support? Fabric alone gives little. Stiffeners, a rigid shell or a wrapped flexible litter give more.
Most SAR teams and military units end up with two layers: a small litter on every person for the first move, and a full litter at the CCP or vehicle for the evacuation. How SAR teams use the Pocket Litter.
The first-leg litter
2.5 lb, cargo pocket sized, load tested to 400 lb. It gets the casualty to your full litter.
See the Pocket Litter →Frequently asked questions
What is a SKED stretcher?
A SKED is a flexible, roll-up rescue litter made by Skedco. It wraps around the patient, drags over rough ground and snow, fits confined spaces and can be rigged for vertical lifts. Skedco lists the Basic Rescue System at 17 lb packed.
What is a poleless litter?
A poleless litter is a sheet of reinforced fabric with carry handles around the edge and no poles. It packs small and light but gives the spine little support.
What is a Stokes basket?
A Stokes basket is a rigid, basket-shaped rescue litter of metal or plastic that fully contains the patient. It is the standard for technical rope rescue and helicopter hoists.
What is the difference between a litter and a stretcher?
In rescue and military use the words mean the same thing: a device for carrying a patient who cannot walk. "Litter" is the common military and SAR term, and it is how line 5 of the 9-line MEDEVAC request counts non-walking patients.
Does the Pocket Litter replace a SKED or Stokes?
No. The Pocket Litter covers the first leg, from the point of injury to where the full litter is. Long carries, rope work and vertical rescue belong on a SKED or Stokes.
Sources
General information, not medical advice. Get hands-on training from a qualified instructor before you need these skills.