First aid kits, what is in yours?

bear100

Member
Hi all, hope you are all safe and well in these very strange times :confused:

On my list for the up coming expeditions to Morocco and Pyrenees just to name two, I'm looking into what should be in the first aid kits.

Obviously the standard essentials listed below, these are run of the mill items which will be ok in an urban environment but way off the beaten track should there be more?
what do you carry?
  • plasters in a variety of different sizes and shapes
  • small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings
  • at least 2 sterile eye dressings
  • triangular bandages
  • crêpe rolled bandages
  • safety pins
  • disposable sterile gloves
  • tweezers
  • scissors
  • alcohol-free cleansing wipes
  • sticky tape
  • thermometer (preferably digital)
  • cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings
  • antiseptic cream
  • painkillers such as paracetamol, aspirin, or ibuprofen
  • antihistamine cream or tablets
  • distilled water for cleaning wounds
  • eye wash and eye bath
(y)(y)(y)
 

ottsville

Observer
Totally depends on what you are doing while travelling. If you are going to be doing risky stuff you need some more trauma type things. I don't see ice packs on your list.
 

plh

Explorer
I added a suture kit to mine after cutting my hand and needing to get stitched up at the Grand Canyon clinic. I was traveling with 2 doctors with one being a surgeon and an RN at the time, but no tools. Be sure to know how to use the tools though.
 

taliv

Observer
MOST IMPORTANTLY: skills. go take the Wilderness First Aid or First Responder course


then add to your kit:

coflex bandage dressing https://www.rescue-essentials.com/coflex-afd-absorbent-foam-dressing-2-tan/
burn dressing (water jell with lidocaine) https://www.rescue-essentials.com/water-jel-burn-gel-with-lidocaine/
tourniquet
hot and cold packs
emergency blanket
bandaids
shears
sam splint https://www.rescue-essentials.com/sam-splint-original-36/
chest seal https://www.rescue-essentials.com/hyfin-vent-chest-seal-twin-pack/
z fold quick clot https://www.rescue-essentials.com/quikclot-combat-gauze-z-folded-military/
steri strips https://www.rescue-essentials.com/3m-steri-strip-skin-closures-1-4x3/
moleskin https://www.rescue-essentials.com/moleskin-2-x-3-6-pack/
antibiotic ointment https://www.rescue-essentials.com/triple-antibiotic-10-pack-unit-doses/
hydrocortisone https://www.rescue-essentials.com/hydrocortisone-cream-10-pack/
anti itch https://www.rescue-essentials.com/anti-itch-gel-10-pack-unit-doses/

and one of these https://www.rescue-essentials.com/advanced-medications-module/

this doesn't really address airway/breathing, but most of those take training

i tend to be extremely safety conscious and extremely rarely get more than a small cut or burn. but the people i'm around tend to go through my burn gel, coflex bandage, bandaids and antibacterial and meds like candy. if you're hiking, the moleskin gets used a lot too.
 

transalper

Explorer
MOST IMPORTANTLY: skills. go take the Wilderness First Aid or First Responder course

then add to your kit:
lots of cool stuff above!

i tend to be extremely safety conscious and extremely rarely get more than a small cut or burn. but the people i'm around tend to go through my burn gel, coflex bandage, bandaids and antibacterial and meds like candy. if you're hiking, the moleskin gets used a lot too.

Yes to training and Kudos to the well-prepared guy! 90% of the time I am handing out bits from my 1st aid kit to others. But that may be because everyone I hang out with knows I have a thorough FAK or two with me at all times.

The only thing I can see that I would add would be more gauze, tape, and some elastic wraps. And more standard-size flexible bandaids.

The kit you are recommending would take up a lot of space, but is a great list for vehicle-based trips for someone who has at least some basic training as you said. Some of the items on the list are a little overkill (pun intended) for most layperson FAKs:

> sam splint https://www.rescue-essentials.com/sam-splint-original-36/
These are nice, but splints are pretty easy to improvise.

> chest seal https://www.rescue-essentials.com/hyfin-vent-chest-seal-twin-pack/
Most could skip this as it would probably never be used. In its place I would have some duct tape. :) Or the compact chest seal twin pack to save some space.

> z fold quick clot https://www.rescue-essentials.com/quikclot-combat-gauze-z-folded-military/
12 feet of quick clot is a lot for non-military IMO. There are smaller packages of the z-clot that you can combine with the coflex or just go with an Israeli bandage.

> and one of these https://www.rescue-essentials.com/advanced-medications-module/
Meds go bad and I usually go with smaller quantities than this awesome monster module.

Make sure to have an Epipen or two on hand if anybody has severe allergies.

Taliv, what would you bring in a minimalist FAK for side trips to go in a small daybag? Presume two people.
 

Sneaks

Active member
I'm a volunteer EMT for my rural Maine ambulance service. I keep two kits in all my vehicles that mirror the jump packs we have in the units - one trauma-focused bag, one medical-focused bag - as well as a small bag for minor stuff that has a selection of band aids, tape, 2x2 gauze, sprays\ointments, tweezers, aspirin\advil\Tylenol\Imodium\Pepto, and an Ace. The little bag duplicates stuff in each of the jump bags but for a small cut or scrape, it isn't worth dragging out the big kits.
 

taliv

Observer
The kit you are recommending would take up a lot of space, but is a great list for vehicle-based trips for someone who has at least some basic training as you said. Some of the items on the list are a little overkill (pun intended) for most layperson FAKs:

> sam splint https://www.rescue-essentials.com/sam-splint-original-36/
These are nice, but splints are pretty easy to improvise.

> chest seal https://www.rescue-essentials.com/hyfin-vent-chest-seal-twin-pack/
Most could skip this as it would probably never be used. In its place I would have some duct tape. :) Or the compact chest seal twin pack to save some space.

> z fold quick clot https://www.rescue-essentials.com/quikclot-combat-gauze-z-folded-military/
12 feet of quick clot is a lot for non-military IMO. There are smaller packages of the z-clot that you can combine with the coflex or just go with an Israeli bandage.

> and one of these https://www.rescue-essentials.com/advanced-medications-module/
Meds go bad and I usually go with smaller quantities than this awesome monster module.

Make sure to have an Epipen or two on hand if anybody has severe allergies.

Taliv, what would you bring in a minimalist FAK for side trips to go in a small daybag? Presume two people.

it does take up some room. but it seems reasonably prudent if you're going to be wheeling as far away from hospitals as we tend to get. I pack all that and more into a bag that's about 14"x9"x6".

splints are easy to improvise in some places, especially wooded areas. but on the plains or beach, maybe less so. and if you are going to improvise, make sure you carry lots of wrap or paracord or something.

I shot competitively, mostly sniper style matches and 3gun. being around 200 dudes running and gunning in a remote location means my kit has a lot more trauma stuff like chest seals and tourniquet and QC than your average kit. but hey, you can fall and impale yourself pretty easy, especially on a bike. or using axe or chainsaws. or getting gnawed on by bears. not following safety rules during a recovery, etc....

the awesome monster module gets split between lots of kits. i have small kits in each of my backpacks. in my trailer. in my truck. etc. it's prob way cheaper to buy bulk bottles of each at sams club or something, and then put them in little pill baggies. but it's nice having meds labeled and in factory packaging if you get searched in an airport or crossing a border or something.

epipen is great idea. i would have one even though i'm not alergic but for some reason, they're like a bazillion dollars these days.

i think when you're putting together your kit for little trips, you should tailor it to your specific circumstances since size and weight may be more of a factor. start with the big kit and then see what you feel like taking out. is it summer? winter? is hot or cold exposure a potential issue? if you're exploring mountains in winter, you can prob leave the bug bite stuff at home. but take extra chapstick, etc. your side trip involve eating street food? bring the stomach meds. always bring some booboo stuff and antibiotic ointment.

tbh, I'd bet most of the things that distract from an adventure are things like dehydration, sunburn, altitude sickness, cold/flu, upset stomach, etc. so it really depends a lot on the willingness of your companions to suffer through that. traveling with wife and kids? or a bunch of "it's just a flesh wound" veterans?
 

jgaz

Adventurer
I’m going to take the liberty of posting a link to a kit put together by a member on this site, @teotwaki.


I found his write up to be through and a big help in putting together a large kit.

Also, echoing what’s already been said, get trained! WFA (wilderness first aid) at the minimum.
I used NOLS thru REI for my initial cert. and my first recert.
My second recert. was thru the University of New Mexico Wilderness Medicine program.
Both excellent courses.
 

Alloy

Well-known member
A tube of Crazy Glue. I used it to close a cut on my arm. Felt like alcohol was poured on the cut though. I've since been I told there's product called Dermabond but I still carry the CG.

I learned about the Crazy Glue from a guy whose skin on his hands would crack.
 

taliv

Observer
> chest seal https://www.rescue-essentials.com/hyfin-vent-chest-seal-twin-pack/
Most could skip this as it would probably never be used. In its place I would have some duct tape. :) Or the compact chest seal twin pack to save some space.
i've been trying to find a youtube video i saw years ago where someone was making vented chest seals with duct tape, but i can't seem to find it. i think that would work, but they'd prob bleed out while i was trying to find and peel the edge of the tape on the roll lol
maybe you could pre-make them and put wax paper on the back of it or something, if you're looking to save money
 

teotwaki

Excelsior!
I’m going to take the liberty of posting a link to a kit put together by a member on this site, @teotwaki.


I found his write up to be through and a big help in putting together a large kit.

Also, echoing what’s already been said, get trained! WFA (wilderness first aid) at the minimum.
I used NOLS thru REI for my initial cert. and my first recert.
My second recert. was thru the University of New Mexico Wilderness Medicine program.
Both excellent courses.


Thanks jgaz!! I also am a WFA fan. If folks want an idea of what the course is like I wrote up my experience with a bunch of photos to highlight the narrative.

 

Hilldweller

SE Expedition Society
I carry a blow-out kit with Israeli Bandages, Quick Clot, tourniquet, shears, gloves. Stop the Bleed stuff.
And a big boo-boo kit.
A triage kit.
An AED.

I drove an ambulance a LONG time ago. I'm a CERT instructor now, volunteer when needed for SAR or K9SAR, play with the ARES team.
I try to keep up to date on training. I used to get all my classes free from the county but their funding got hacked to bits. Company just paid for my CPR/AED recert right before the COVID shut-down.


It's funny how many car accidents I've stopped and aided. I can't imagine just passing a wreck with injuries when you can help.
 

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