View Full Version : First Aid Kit
Just posted my most recent blog entry on what I plan to pack as a first aid kit. Got a lot of insight from these forums. Tried to go real light, but I'm a first aid geek ... I'm hovering around 9 ozs right now
http://laughingdawg.blogspot.com/
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1WsykWEz_ss/TpumJXgmppI/AAAAAAAADAQ/fh46VC1mhU8/s1600/DSCF0331_edited-1.jpg (http://laughingdawg.blogspot.com/)
Moose2001
10-17-2011, 10:40
Looks very similar to the first aid kit that I've carried for many miles. The one thing I would add would be a tick removal tool. You can get them through REI. Yeah, you have tweezers but the removal tool does a much better job. With the tweezers, you end up squeezing the tick and can push the bad stuff into your system. The tool is really light and takes up almost no room.
Fog Horn
10-17-2011, 10:44
I'm a first aid geek too. Don't forget the super glue!! I see you have some strip things for deep cuts, but super glue and a butterfly bandage work wonders!
I'd recommend leaving the hydrocortizone creme though, because the benadryl will work better (if you haven't grown a tollerance to it like I have, stupid sleeping pills), and more effectively. And weigh a ton less.
Not that you'll need it or anything, but consider having plan A B and C for tourniquets if you end up needing one. I saw you listed splints from nature, so I figured you might want to get your head wrapped around that too. Just in case you get bit by a shark on the trail or something.
NerdyJohn
10-17-2011, 13:12
I appears to me that the packaging might be as much as half of the weight. You could repackage almost everything in there, save a lot of weight and it would take up less space as well. Places that sell those quarter-sized plastic pill cases are great. They are about the size of a stack of 4 quarters. I made a cardboard divider that makes 4 compartments out of one, and it works great. If you repackage take into consideration that there will be a much shorter shelf life for the products due to exposure to air, moisture, and the abrasion from shaking as you hike. I use a flattened cotton ball in the pill containers to help keep the pills stable.
English Stu
10-17-2011, 13:45
Hi Fog Horn, how much super glue do you use, just a smear? I have seen advice against using it. I have been tempted a few times to use it but feared the consequences. On the trail I have suffered with cracks in the fingers which are slow to heal as they are out in the weather all the time.
Now that's the way to do it- make it all fit in a ziplock! Mine does too. I add a 1/2 oz. leakproof Nalgene bottle filled with either Betadine or hydrogen peroxide for wounds.
Oh, after I woke up with my eye swollen shut due to a spider bite in New England I started carrying some Benadryl too. Lesson learned.
Cheers!
Fog Horn
10-17-2011, 14:41
Hi Fog Horn, how much super glue do you use, just a smear? I have seen advice against using it. I have been tempted a few times to use it but feared the consequences. On the trail I have suffered with cracks in the fingers which are slow to heal as they are out in the weather all the time.
I've never used it on skin cracks so couldn't speak to that. I've used it on deep cuts before. The thing you have to remember is not to seal the wound unless its clean.
PapaGarrettP
10-17-2011, 15:23
Duct tape instead of adhesive tape...you can buy a mini roll that is about 1/2 the size of the one pictured or make your own. I bought a pack or 4 and put one in each of my glove compartments and have one one my first aid kit.
RoadTrippin
10-17-2011, 16:47
+1 on the super glue! I work in the emergency room and we use it all the time! I use it on myself every time I get a small cut or scrape! You can leave the bandaids at home! Just glue and go!
Some of the large tubes of ointment you could decrease by squeezing some into little zip lock bags instead. Save a little weight. Also, if you are using the super glue, you don't want to use any ointment. Just clean the would the best you can, let it air dry, then apply the glue.
4eyedbuzzard
10-17-2011, 17:26
+2+ on super glue. I worked in steel mills and industry all my life. Always had cracked skin on my fingers, mostly near the nails, and they are painful and don't heal well due to use and exposure. Clean it up good, add a drop of super glue, squeeze shut, wipe off excess - and no more pain plus no open sore to get infected. You never really know it's there once it wears down a bit. Plus it heals quicker than being left exposed. The healing skin carries the glue out with it as it grows.
Moose2001
10-17-2011, 17:57
Duct tape instead of adhesive tape...you can buy a mini roll that is about 1/2 the size of the one pictured or make your own. I bought a pack or 4 and put one in each of my glove compartments and have one one my first aid kit.
Adhesive tape is the better idea. You don't want to us duct tape on blisters or cuts. Duct tape does not breathe and can cause problems that you just don't want to deal with while on the trail.
Rocket Jones
10-17-2011, 18:09
I keep a little laminated card in my first aid kit with my own info on it. Blood type, allergies ("No Known", in my case), daily medications, emergency contact info, and health insurance info.
Looks very similar to the first aid kit that I've carried for many miles. The one thing I would add would be a tick removal tool. You can get them through REI. Yeah, you have tweezers but the removal tool does a much better job. With the tweezers, you end up squeezing the tick and can push the bad stuff into your system. The tool is really light and takes up almost no room.
I might just do that, and leave the long tweezers at home.
Thanks,
I keep a little laminated card in my first aid kit with my own info on it. Blood type, allergies ("No Known", in my case), daily medications, emergency contact info, and health insurance info.
That's a really good idea. I might just dig out my old dog tags!
I've never used it on skin cracks so couldn't speak to that. I've used it on deep cuts before. The thing you have to remember is not to seal the wound unless its clean.
That's what the syringe is for. Flush out the wound repeatedly with clean water to make sure there's nothing in there that'll cause infection. One could use a water bottle, or a baggie with a small hole...
When I got my WFR first time around, I hauled around a bunch of stuff - thought it was cool - heavy and never got used: My kit fits in a quart zip-lock:
1 pr. rubber gloves
1 roll coaches tape
4 Dr. Shoals blister pads
a little bit of duct tape
iodine prep pads
Vitamin I
One asprin (for M.I.)
Epi pen (when out with groups)
lance (needle)
that and a good brain is all you need (unless you are involved with a rescue or are employed as a trip guide)
I'm a first aid geek too. Don't forget the super glue!! I see you have some strip things for deep cuts, but super glue and a butterfly bandage work wonders!
With yours and the others endorsement, I went out and read up on it. There are some who would advise against super glue because of the chance of irritation to the skin. They point at the formulations made specifically for medical purposes like Dermabond. I found that on Amazon, and it is right spendy!
http://www.amazon.com/Dermabond-Topical-Adhesive-5ml-vial/dp/B002TSIP9O/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1318895726&sr=1-1-catcorr
(http://www.amazon.com/Dermabond-Topical-Adhesive-5ml-vial/dp/B002TSIP9O/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=office-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1318895726&sr=1-1-catcorr)
Lots of variations that are almost as expensive. I've always kept those tiny, one use sized tubes around. Like these:
http://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Single-Super-Glue-AD119/dp/B00342VCGM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1318895612&sr=8-3
(http://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Single-Super-Glue-AD119/dp/B00342VCGM/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1318895612&sr=8-3)Might just put a couple of those in the kit
I'd recommend leaving the hydrocortizone creme though, because the benadryl will work better (if you haven't grown a tollerance to it like I have, stupid sleeping pills), and more effectively. And weigh a ton less.
Not that you'll need it or anything, but consider having plan A B and C for tourniquets if you end up needing one. I saw you listed splints from nature, so I figured you might want to get your head wrapped around that too. Just in case you get bit by a shark on the trail or something.
Sharks! Now I have to worry about sharks?!
I'm of the opinion that tourniquets are a last resort thing. Having said that, a bandana, or cloth ripped from a T shirt would work. You know, in case of sharkbite ...:rolleyes:
Duct tape instead of adhesive tape...you can buy a mini roll that is about 1/2 the size of the one pictured or make your own. I bought a pack or 4 and put one in each of my glove compartments and have one one my first aid kit.
Yeah, I know. At this point, I plan to carry both, and I know that's hard to justify ... Medical tape conforms better, comes off better, and isn't as irritating to some people's skin. But, considering I hope to never use it, duct tape might just make sense ...
Now that's the way to do it- make it all fit in a ziplock! Mine does too. I add a 1/2 oz. leakproof Nalgene bottle filled with either Betadine or hydrogen peroxide for wounds.
I Like the 1/2 oz nalgene bottle of betadine idea. I have a few BZK antiseptic towelettes to clean a wound area. Most suggest cleansing deep wounds with just water - unless the wound is more than a few hours old. Then flushing it with something like betadine diluted with water is done to make sure there's no chance of infection. The problem we face is the potential of being a couple of days away from urgent care. At home, we can slap a bandage on a cut, go to urgent care and get them to clean it, and sew it up. We have to make sure a wound is clean, and close it up so it can heal without getting infected.
Oh, after I woke up with my eye swollen shut due to a spider bite in New England I started carrying some Benadryl too. Lesson learned.
That stuff can be a life saver for someone having a severe allergic reaction.
Thanks for your comments.
Trailbender
10-17-2011, 23:21
I have carried a first aid kit off and on, but always end up getting rid of it. It is too small for anything major, and anything small I just don't worry about. Most first aid stuff can be improvised from gear you already have if you really need to. If I get a cut, I just use toilet paper and duct tape band aids. I was a medic in the army, though, so I can treat stuff and improvise. Different gear for different people, I guess. One thing I wouldn't do without is my magnesium and firesteel. With a fire, I can do anything I need to, but I rarely make one.
oh yeah - I forgot - benadryly is in my kit too - 5-6 tabs - if you can't sleep, they will always double as a sleeping pill
Now that's the way to do it- make it all fit in a ziplock!
Now I need a cuben fiber ziplock!
Blissful
10-19-2011, 19:24
Read the blog, just some comments -
- change to whiteblaze.net :)
Your chances of snakebite are highly remote
Deer ticks are prevalent from Shenandoah NP north to MA - not primarily New England. Agree with prophylactic meds for it - one 200 mg loading dose upon discovery of an embedded deer tick is what I have read online (but clear this with your MD!).
Aspirin - its good to have 80 mg tablets for chest pain issues, not so much irregular heartbeat. Any man over 50 should be taking this every day unless they have bleeding issues or are on coumadin (a blood thinner) or have ulcers - but clear with an MD
Tylenol is for pain, it does nothing for inflammation. Advil takes care of both but don't take it if you have ulcer issues
I might also put that if you have a sensitivity to bee stings you carry an epipen, it could save your life
Sticks won't really help a sprain. Packing a 2 inch ace wrap is a good idea, imo
Gloves for wound care? Just use your hand sanitizer. I'd also skip the burn pads, other bads, steri strips, syringe, and gauze wrap.
I carried a small tube of anti itch cream. Helpful with deerfly bites and poison ivy
Surprise you don't mention Duct tape as general first aid remedy for hot spots and wound care. Don't need first aid tape if you have duct tape :)
Thanks for the blog!!
Read the blog, just some comments -
- change to whiteblaze.net :)
Doh!
Your chances of snakebite are highly remote
Agreed. I packed nothing specifically for this, but I'll tone it down as a risk.
Deer ticks are prevalent from Shenandoah NP north to MA - not primarily New England. Agree with prophylactic meds for it - one 200 mg loading dose upon discovery of an embedded deer tick is what I have read online (but clear this with your MD!)
I'll change it to read mid-atlantic thru new england states. I'll also talk about treating our clothing with Permethrin, our bodies with DEET, and conducting thorough tick checks, as the preventative side of the issue. There are a number of conflicting protocols depending on who your doctor listens to. A single dose when an embedded tick is found is one protocal I read. Another waits for symptoms to appear. I would be inclined to take a dose upon discovering an embedded dear tick, then wait for symptoms to start a regimen. I intend to talk to my doctor about this.
Aspirin - Its good to have 80 mg tablets for chest pain issues, not so much irregular heartbeat.
I'll rewrite this to be more specific. I really meant to imply myocardial infarction in a homey way.
Tylenol is for pain, it does nothing for inflammation.
It's also the pain reliever specified when one has bleeding that needs to stop. It can be taken concurrently with ibuprofin without OD'n - I've taken Tylenol when I was in sustained, severe pain, and I anticipated my last dose of motrin to be fading - covered the dips in pain relief. [I'm not a doctor, a doctor told me this, don't even think of doing this without talking to your doctor, this conversation never happened, Capisce?] Not gonna carry a lot of Tylenol - just a few 2-pill packs. I'm going to carry a pretty good qty of ibuprofin - at least for the first month :]
I might also put that if you have a sensitivity to bee stings you carry an epipen, it could save your life
I don't have sensitivity to bee stings, but I can carry an OTC antihistamine that could make my life more comfortable, and just maybe prolong someone elses.
Sticks won't really help a sprain. Packing a 2 inch ace wrap is a good idea, imo
I'm still considering an ace bandage or a roll of cohesive wrap. They'd be good to wrap a sprain, provide compression to soft-tissue injuries, and to help splint a fracture. But they're bulky. A sprain can be effectively wrapped with adhesive tape or duct tape. Splinting can be done by using sticks held in place with cravats made from bandanas or torn up clothing...
Gloves for wound care? Just use your hand sanitizer.
This is not for my wounds, or for Mary's, They're there if I have to deal with some strangers body fluids ... A place to save an ounce? Maybe ...
I'd also skip the burn pads, other pads, steri strips, syringe, and gauze wrap.
The burn pads do seem to be a luxury item. Be nice when I clumsily spill the contents of my cook pot on my hand tho. The rest of them are there for any wound deeper than a bandaid fix. The slice I put in my thumb a few months ago was stitched up by urgent care pretty quickly. But when we're 2 days away from town, it'd have to be cleaned, closed and bandaged to avoid infection. Granted, I could cut down a bit from the variety and qty of bandages I'm carrying. Probably save an ounce or two. As I said before, I've got 5 months left to look at it!
I carried a small tube of anti itch cream. Helpful with deerfly bites and poison ivy
I've got a couple of small foil packets of hydrocortisone cream for those anoyances. I updated the entry to mention using it for poison ivy.
Surprise you don't mention Duct tape as general first aid remedy for hot spots and wound care. Don't need first aid tape if you have duct tape :)
I mentioned Duct Tape - To replace an ace bandage to splint a break! But I don't really subscribe to using it as a general first aid remedy - I know that's heresy round these parts. I'd use it on myself. I'd tape up a sprained ankle with it. But I'd be concerned about how Mary would react to the rubber adhesives in duct tape. I use Spenco's latex-free Adhesive Knit moleskin product for hotspots, and duct tape to repair ripped nylon and blown out shoes.
Thanks for the blog!!
Thank you for reading it, and for your informed comments!
Just posted my post season reevaluation of my first aid kit. Cut it down by 4 ozs, and I don't think I lost any real capability. Let me know what you think.
http://www.laughingdog.com/
PetCo has inexpensive Tick Pullers (good for people too)... just got mine tonight
PetCo has inexpensive Tick Pullers (good for people too)... just got mine tonight
Thanks for your comment. I have a pair of titanium tweezers with long, thin tines (?) with sharp points that can be sliped between a tick's body and mine so that it can be pulled out gently. Doubles for splinters, cleaning out wounds ... Got rid of the tick puller I had been given that was both redundant and a single use item.
Mr. Bumpy
01-25-2013, 12:53
Don't forget the lomotil!
That kit looks great! I was thinking about making my own kit myself. Last year I ended up getting one of those .9 adventure medical kits. I liked that the bag was waterproof (an aloksack is too) but already came with everything needed for a fair price.