Check THIS out!!!

[Rick Hancock]

You can go to the Adventure Medical Kits web site as well as other sites and purchase small amounts of whatever item you need. Most pre-supplied medical kits are way overkill, heavy, and full of stuff you'll never use. It's much more practical to build your own.

I include about 6 blister blocks, 4-6 pain pills, 4-6 Imodium, a small tube of neosporin or bacitracin, a strip of Leukotape (12") and a tiny tube of Super Glue.

I use a 1/2 qt. freezer weight baggie to carry the items and put it in my clothing stuff sack.

[JERMM]

But its so COMPACT and it even comes with a cute little roll of duct tape!
I just love kits and organization type things! And now I love little rolls of duct tape!

7x6x2.5...doesn't sound compact to me and 1lb 4oz certainly isn't a compact weight

[Rick Hancock]

But you are right, it does come with that cute roll of 2"x 50" duct tape!

[Hikerhead]

If you fill like you must buy one of these kits then get this one. It should be good enough till you get to the hospital.

http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/...tertight%20.3#

[Papa D]

Heavy and expensive - get a tiny eagle creek dopp kit or even just a gallon zip lock and go to a local pharmacy and buy some stuff - a complete personal backpackeer first aid kit has the following:

coaches tape $2.00
small 5" hemostat $6.00
latex gloves $0.25
lance (needle) $1.00 (ask pharmacist for one)
1 oz of iodine solution $1.00
a few gauze pads $0.25
2-3 bandaids $0.25
1 roller gauze $0.25
2 alcohol prep pads $0.25
compede pad for blisters $0.50
2 asprin $0.50
6-8 ibuprophen $0.50
sharpie marker $1.50
(keeping a small pocket-knife or trauma shears can also be helpful)
all of this should weigh about 6 ounces or less if you are careful

I come to about $14.00 plus the zip-lock bag and this is pretty complete - for groups I might add some more blister stuff and maybe if you are a real geek, a pocket mask.

Sometimes I just run with coaches tape, gloves, and a pocket knife - that would solve a lot of problems - really.

[Papa D]

It's funny - every newbie seems to tote one of those adventure med kits (they are always clean and new looking) but most have no idea what to do with one. - take a course from Wilderness Medical Associates if you want to really know something. But like everyone says - you can use clothing as bandaging material and your pocket-knife for some trail surgery - coaches tape (or duct tape maybe) just about does it. A sharpie is really good to have for writing down things like vital signs, what you plan to do with a victim - emergency notes to others etc. You can see my list above - and it is really too much but I am a geek

[JERMM]

If you fill like you must buy one of these kits then get this one. It should be good enough till you get to the hospital.

http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/...tertight%20.3#

if i carried that detailed of a kit i would be a certified surgeon

[Hikerhead]

if i carried that detailed of a kit i would be a certified surgeon

And then we'd have to call you Dr. Jermm and that just doesn't sound good. For day hikes I just carry my cell phone, I have some duct tape on my poles. Week long hikes mostly band aids and a few medical devices like a tweezer.

[tammons]

Too heavy and an overkill.

If that was all you were going to take on an outing for a day in a day pack, not too bad, but just buy what you need and carry that. Should be able to hit 6-7 oz max with everything.

[LDog]

I think there is a lot of stuff in this kit you don't really need. Now, I'm a ski patroller, and I carry a huge first aid kit with me all the time. So,my basic instinct is to carry a lot. I'm also old enough to want some basic meds. This is what I intend to put together:

Meds (all restricted to a couple of two-packs except Motrin)

Anti-inflammatory

• Motrin (small bottle)
• Aspirin

Anti Diarrheal

• Imodium A D (Loperamide)

Antihistamine

• Loratadine
• Hydrocortisone Cream (2.5%)

Antibiotic

• Flagyl (needs script)
• Neosprin Antibiotic Ointment

Antacid

• Tums

Blister Treatment

• Compound tincture of benzoin (Adhesive)
• Spenco 2nd Skin Adhesive Knit
• Leukotape
• Needle

Breaks/Sprains

• Elastic, cohesive wrap
• Sling (Bandana)
• Splint with found material

Wound Care

• Nitril gloves
• Betadine wipes
• Bandaids (a couple ea of various sizes)
• Butter fly sutures
• Gauze pads (a couple ea of various sizes)
• Rolled gauze Bandage
• Safety pins

Airway

• CPR Microshield

Lots of folks will think this is way too much. I admit I'm a first aid geek, and probably (hopefully) won't need a lot of this stuff. But I am an old-school Boy Scout who buys into the "Be Prepared" motto ... to a point. Having said that, I'm leaving my emt shears at home, along with lots of other stuff.

I hope to put this together for less than 8 ozs in a freezer baggie. We'll see.

[LDog]

If you fill like you must buy one of these kits then get this one. It should be good enough till you get to the hospital.

http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/...tertight%20.3#

That looks pretty damn good.

[Hikerhead]

That looks pretty damn good.

And my spelling sucks

[Sierra Echo]

ok I'm talking yalls advice and not getting that exceedingly cool pack of crap! I will be working on my home made and not as cool kit as soon as i drag all my crap into the living room. I will post what I put in there.

[Rick Hancock]

Whew! That was a close call. I really think you'll be better off building your own first aid kit. More importantly, take a class at the Y or whatever that will help you know how to react to emergencies from a bee sting to a broke leg. You may never have to use this knowledge but it's good to be prepared. There are plenty of books/pamphlets that are available online etc.

If you lead hikes know a little about the medical history of the people your guiding. A few years ago I had a fellow who was highly allergic to bees and was stung. Another guy was diabetic and carried insulin. Over the years I've had several times when I needed to give first aid to someone (even myself) it's good to be able to react to a situation.

[Sierra Echo]

OK this is what I have going on so far. And my first aid kit is mixed in with my repair stuff and hygeine stuff. So this is in no particular order:

moleskin
chewable pepto (GAG)
a small vial of advil
bandaids
crest toothpaste
carmex
benedryl
alcohol swabs
a big honking needle
dental floss to sew things up with the big honking needle
a small travel size pack of kleenex
Dr bronners soap stuff
knee brace
ankle brace (i have to have these)
a small thing of "off"
afterbite

that covers it so far. I'm looking for a really lightweight toothbrush. I want a hospital one but my grandmothers vast collection of them disappeared after she died. I think my mom tossed them.
I also want a small set of scissors for the moleskin.

And wally world doesnt sell small rolls of duct tape! The film roll holder is a good idea, but I havent seen one in like 10 yrs! LOL

[daddytwosticks]

If you use hiking poles, just wrap about a foot or less of standard duct tape around each pole. The tape will always be handy when needed.

[Mongoose2]

Echo, I have always carried an ankle brace.....for scissors I use a small swiss army credit card knife.....it also has tweezers, small knife blade, straight pin (for blisters), small pen, etc. And it's very light weight. Cost about 20.00-30.00 on Amazon

[mountain squid]

Some observations on your revised list:

Dr Bs is very sudsy - don't need much
hand sanitizer

Don't know when you are starting your hike, Sierra Echo, but if the leaves are not on the trees, you might consider some sunscreen. All day long in the sun frequently translates to burnt skin - OUCH!

Concur: I don't know what a credit card knife is, but a small swiss army knife with scissors and tweezers will probably handle most of the cutting chores you'll encounter on the trail.


See you on the trail,
mt squid

some observations

[Mongoose2]

[TheYoungOne]

I actually have a first aid kit from Adventure Medical but I got a $10 ultralight .3 version that only weighs 2.5 oz.

Actually my full sized compass, my Dajo Survival knife with fire steel and whistle, and my firstaid kit, which I added extra meds, a large gauze pad, and a small quikcot pad, is still a few ounces lighter them that 1 1/3 pound monster kit.