What to leave home/preparation for a thru-hike (Hiker Advice)

[$lug]

These supplies arent necessarily for treating a lost limb. The combined weight of all three items is something close to 7 oz's.

I made no claim as to it being essential gear for anyone else other than myself. Other users expressed interest and due to my field of experience I felt inclined to inform.

However wanting to live in the event of traumatic blood loss isent probably going to happen without something very similar to whats listed. At 7-10 oz's with a booboo kit who wouldn't? I understand that many are in a super stupid light weight craze but common sense allows for certain items to be carried regardless. Kinda like saying the cars to heavy so where cutting out the breaks(booboo kit) and seatbelt(bok/ifak) but leaving the roof(tent), windshield wipers(raingear) and headlights(headlamp).

Heres a not so common reason to carry but many others out there that 10oz of weight could really mean the difference. Hunters, Animals, etc.

I Had to Use Quikclot on My Dog

Uploaded on July 14, 2010
I have had to use Quikclot gauze to stop bleeding a couple of times when either myself or friends had gotten cut or gashed. Quikclot is a gauze pad that has something in it, called "kaolin" which causes blood to clot.
I was hiking with my dog and I foolishly had let him off his leash when we encountered a Javelina just off the trail. Javelina are a type of wild boar that lives in the desert Southwest and they have all the boar traits of agressiveness coupled with tusks that are very sharp.
As soon as my dog saw the Javelina, he went right after it and a horrendous fight started. They were all tangled up and I had a hard time just getting a clear way to hit the Javelina with my hiking stick. I was finally able to get the Javelina to run off and I grabbed my dog who was bleeding very badly.
He had been bitten and gashed with a couple of cuts very deep and really pouring blood. I was able to settle him down enough to get my first aid kit and took a couple of rolls of gauze and put pressure on the cuts as well as I could, but two of them would not stop flowing. I always have some Quikclot in my gear and I tore open a couple of packs of it and pressed them into the cuts and was very pleasantly surprised that they worked. I had no idea whether dog blood worked the same way as human, but the Quikclot worked just as it had previously.
I was able to get my dog back to the trailhead and then to a veternarian where he received a couple of shots and a bunch of stitches. The vet had never heard of Quikclot and was really surprised that we had been able to get the bleeding controlled considering the depth of the cuts.
I checked the Z-Medica website after I got home and found they have a product called "Petclot". I am ordering some for future potential problems with my dog. I was really glad I had the "human" version with me, but will have the "pet" version in my pack too.

[JaxHiker]

As a nurse/hiker/survivalist I can give you a few trail options to stop bleeding. Outside of the direct pressure, sport-clot, and tourniquet (which I advise against), there are a couple of options left for the minimalist/ultralight-er.

Why? From what I've been taught the use of tourniquets has changed in recent years and the school of thought now is to apply one in most every severe bleeding instance to stop the bleeding first. Obviously it's easier to use QuikClot or something like it if you've first stemmed the flow of blood so it's not just washing the stuff away. You can always remove the tourniquet when the QC is in place.

We were taught in our last trauma class that in these days (though the AT may be a bit different) you'll be able to get to an ER or other medical aid in enough time to remove the tourniquet without causing damage to the surrounding tissue. Of course if you're remote that may not be the case. I believe the instructor said they can stay on for 6-8 hours. Seemed high to me but things change all the time...just look at CPR.

[Snoring Sarge]

The standard of "life or limb" for the use of tourniquet seems to me to still be a good standard.

[Lemni Skate]

I usually carry a decent bit of first aid. When you hike with kids (now 11 and 13 years old) it seems they always "need" something from the kit. At least, they whine less if you put something on the boo-boo.

I'm not sure I can ever remember even using a band-aid. I have used Benedryl for a bee sting and as a sleeping pill. I also use massive quantities of ibuprofen.

[Mühly]

I work in garden centers in the summers... lots of time spent watering plants... my feet are routinely wet for up to 8 hours a day six days a week. Every night my feet would be cleaned and dried, but still, every summer I would have to deal with either hot, itchy feet or with skin sloughing off.

[Mühly]

Have you tried the Amazon.com Kindle? I'm thinking about getting one.

I received a kIndle for Christmas...

I wouldn't suggest it for the trail. The battery lasts 30 hours or less and it is pretty heavy with or without a protective cover.

I've also discovered magazine subscriptions do not include all the articles, photos, graphs, and little bits that are included in a paper subscription to the same magazines.

[JaxHiker]

Thanks for the tip on the magazine sections missing. I've wondered how most mags would look on a Kindle. Don't see the point and now I see less of a point.

I actually leave the Kindle at home but take my iPod Touch with both the Kindle app and Stanza. This lets me have my music, games, and reading material on a single, small device that has pretty decent battery life.

[TIGGER]

Love your ideas!.
Also suggest you take a gander at Lynn Wheldon's Light Weight Backpacking video. ( circa 1990 something..)
Disclaimer...( As you said ) I just like the video and it gives us alot to think about as well as the above info which I whought was super!!
KH

[chasegru]

Thank you for uncovering the gaitor scandal. Few activities and locations require these leg warmers-and Thru hiking the AT is not one of them.

[free4now]

please leave the spray paint and colored markers at home. too many as-holes writing all over the shelters. get a f'in life if you need to say 'I' was here!

[wing-nut]

As far as first aid kits, It is always good to go prepared. A good first aid course in the months before your trip weighs nothing but is very valuable when the need arises. A basic kit can get you through a lot of injuries if you have the knowledge.

A very long time ago a scoutmaster told his group of pre-teen and young teen boys that in the war they each carried a couple of tampons to penetrating wounds and a sanitary napkin for open wounds. It really messed with our young minds to carry feminine products that we had almost no knowledge of.

I still remember his justifications; they are clean, available almost everywhere, designed to trap blood, and make a great barrier dressing. I don't carry a tampon. Bullet wound probability is low. I do carry a couple of pads, a maxi and a light day.

[tiptoe]

Very good advice, A-Train. I'd take issue on the bug spray, though. I always carry it, and I used it a lot south of Connecticut to ward off ticks, gnats, and skeeters. New AT hikers should also realize that they can pick up needed items (and jettison unneeded items) along the way.

[Lea13]

Really like your post, good advice

I'm personally a huge fan of gaiters because of how awesome they are for winter backpacking and I've had leeches creep up my leg in swampier areas without them, but I doubt I'll pack them for the thru-hike I'm planning (the usefulness to weight ratio shifts a bit)

As for that bleeding question, there are publicly available clotting agents (usually used for nosebleeds or scalp/face lacerations that bleed a lot, but aren't that big). I have personally used superglue to close those small-but-deep wounds, and while it does work, not sure I'd recommend it ... there are similar products actually designed for that purpose called "liquid stitches" or something and they actually contain an antiseptic (more expensive than superglue tho). Wider, shallow scrapes you can usually stop bleeding faster by coating it with vaseline (try to wash out debris first) or antibiotic ointments and covering them. Applying pressure is always gonna help slow bleeding down and yeah, definitely be careful about tourniquets. If its serious enough to warrant a tourniquet you gotta get to a hospital STAT, and have a serious expectation that you could loose the limb (still generally better than dying in a super-extreeme scenario)

[Papa D]

Really an excellent post - I agree with 90% - my tyvek groundsheet does keep my tent floor dry -- some people do use groundsheets incorrectly - I also use a groundsheet under my pad in shelters to keep things clean.

[ckwolf]

Dialysis nurses use a powder involving some sort of starch to stop bleeding, comes in small patches too, don't know if it is commercially available but would think it might be

[Trish]

Not sure if it has been suggested already but if you are set of bringing a book, why not an audio book if you are already carrying sometype of player. Personally, I like my Zen. Its small, light, built in radio & voice recorder, AA batteries, etc. If you really wanted a book just upload it onto your Zen and your done. No extra weight. Also, you can record your voice for reminders later on down the trail if needed.

Hi-can you tell more about a Zen?

[Tharwood]

This isgonna sound crazy...But, after 10 years in SAR Team Leader, and EMTIV Tech. A tampon or maxi pad works wonders as a large capacity bandage for heavy bleeding. Just remember.. direct pressure , and don't take it of to see if the bleeding has stopped. You will pull the clot loose. Just add more and keepon the preasure.

[Jess F'in Jaycox]

What will stop heavy bleeding in the field?

You can try pressure dressing(gauze, which is light and easily pack-able), elevating of course and , if it is a deep wound, you can pack it in the best you can with a hemostatic dressing which would go directly in a wound. The Hemostatic dressing is relatively expensive but if you are concerned about bleeding out on the trail it is a good option.

[duffsta]

I just want to say that tourniquets are still used by soldiers when you cannot control the bleeding.
Remember to put the time of day on the persons forehead, once the tourniquet is applied.
The clotting agent is good for situations where a tourniquet wont work, like any non extremity artery that wont stop bleeding.
If you can't stop the bleeding the tourniquet can save someones life as once you go into shock from loss of blood your done for.

[The Wanna Bs]

As I bumble along in the maze of too much information, this was a great article and great discussion. Thanks. When we go, we want to keep it light.
Humorus.. don't take a first aid kit, borrow off someone else...
not smart...someone else may not be there
Tourniquet discussions... dangerous...
Interesting...hiking in 99cent nylon socks as a better option or was that a different thread
Will keep this (the original post)list for my planning. Thanks again.