What's in your medical kit?

[Eywa Dude]

I am relatively new to distance hiking, and I want to know what essentials to pack in my medical kit? What's in yours? Thanks.

[mikec]

assorted bandages, first aid cream and Aspercreme. I also carry Advils and One A Day tablets separately.

[Feral Bill]

Band-Aids, ibuprofen, mole skin, Benedryl, sometimes tape and gauze pads. Swiss army knife elsewhere.

[garlic08]

Bandaids, needle and thread (multiple use), white athletic tape, tweezers, razor blade, Neosporin, a couple of Benadryls.

[DivaB]

a little gauze, some gorilla tape, antibacterial ointment (sealed in straws), needle and wax thread, mini super glue, benadryl, aspirin, tylenol each in individual sealed bags, razor blade in mini envelope, tweezers, mini liquid band aid, and a few regular band aids.

[Wise Old Owl]

I am thinking as one ages you should add a glasses repair kit-what are they one ounce?

I take the bandaids out - (they are never used in a hospital anyway) and add what Garlic said above and Aleve and Lopermide

A over sized Bandana ( from a sheet ) or if you are real old school the BSA one with the cheat sheet First Aid printed on it....

a small vial of crazy glue.... for deep cuts? - not for the AT of course.... That needle comes in handy for popping the blisters....

[daddytwosticks]

Very similar to Ferel Bill's except I carry liberal doses of Immodium...I WON"T go into details, but figure it out. I also carry enough TP, but that's the topic of another thread. :)

[Don H]

12 Bandaids, Small tube of Neosporin, 5' of 2" Leukotape (for blisters,the only tape that will stick to my sweaty feet), safety pin, tweezers, Doxycycline for Lyme Disease), and ibuprofen. That's it. I figure my first aid kit only needs to handle minor medical situations. Anything major and I'm heading to the nearest town for medical assistance.

[ScottS]

Half dozen ibuprofrin, half dozen bandaids, sewing needle.
Haven't used them in hundreds of miles but it's a security thing.

[double d]

First: I would suggest that you take (if you haven't yet) a wilderness first aid class (such as the Green Mt.Club hosts in Vermont two-three times each year) and understand how injuries affect the body and their treatment. But, I carry large sized band-aids (4-5 of them) in case of blisters-small cuts, then add two small rolls of duct tape, lots of aleve-aspirin and off I go.

[MaybeTomorrow]

First Aid kit (Imodium, benadryl liquid,bandaids, neosporin,butterfly bandages,dental repair kit,roll of mesh,medical tape, tweezers,razor blade,hand mirror,tylenol, 4 aquamira tabs, plain condom,cotton balls,soap powder,ear plugs, suter kit, crazy glue,needle and thread, extra minibic,moleskin, box matches, cloth repair material)

[garlic08]

First: I would suggest that you take (if you haven't yet) a wilderness first aid class...

I'm usually the one who suggests this first on these threads. I must be slipping.

The best first aid kit ever assembled won't be worth squat if you panic the first time you might need it. Having a cool head is better than anything that might be in your pack. Training is a great way to assure that you might actually be able to do something if it happens.

[sbhikes]

I have some athletic tape and gauze (can make any sized bandaid out of that), some regular bandaids, neosporin in a sample foil thing, some ibuprofen, a couple vicodin, big fat needle (with a big eye) and dental floss for thread. There might be an alcohol swab in there, too.

[Rocket Jones]

+2 on the first aid training.

Some other suggestions and possibles:

1. A tiny (1/2 page) printout on common first aid actions (heat stroke vs. heat exhuastion, shock, etc). You can put this together yourself from info on the internet. Fold it up into a mini-booklet or create two or three two-sided laminated cards. Punch a hole in the cards and run a piece of string through it to keep 'em together.

2. A laminated card with your blood type, known allergies, medications you take, insurance info and emergency contact numbers. Have your trail name (if you have one yet) and your full real name on it.

3. A little burn ointment. Hot stoves, pots full of simmering dinners, camp fires... you get the idea.

4. A little bit of hand sanitizer. I carry a tiny bottle full. You should have some in your pack already, but in the heat of the moment it's a good reminder if you see it when you open the first aid kit.

5. A tweezers or tick key. Some sort of tick removal tool.

6. Before you load up on Ibuprofen or Aleve, check with your doctor. I can't take Ibuprofen because of a prescription medication I use. I didn't know that until I specifically asked the doc.

7. If you have heart issues, or just getting older and cautious, a couple of 325mg uncoated aspirin weigh next to nothing. Again, ask your doctor.

8. I also carry a couple of safety pins in my "repair kit" which rides along with my first aid kit. Safety pin + bandana = sling.

9. A couple of antacids.

10. I carry a couple of old fashioned cough drops. Never needed them for myself, but on one trip I gave them to a buddy one night which allowed both of us to get some sleep.

11. Ear plugs. I keep mine in the first aid kit because I got tired of brushing my teeth, hanging my food and toiletries, then having to get it down again to retrieve my ear plugs.

[Abela]

Inside my Medical Kit:


Clear Eyes - 8.75g - Micro container (trail fires burn the eyes, don't learn the hard why like I did!)
Superglue 7.34g - (If you have to ask, you probably should not ask lol)
NyQuil - 4.41g - 2 Caps
Orajel - 4.17g - In a micro dropper. (easiest way to acquire benzocaine)
Tylenol PM - 3.88g - 4 Pills, 2 packs
Dramamine - 3.39g - 4 Pills, 2 packs
Neosporin - 3.26g - 2 Packs
Hydrocortisone Cream 1% - 2.85g -2 packs
Pepto-Bismal - 2.34g -2 pills
Excedrin - 2.32g -2 Pills, 1 pack
Medi-Lyte - 2.18g -2 packs
Blistex - 1.92g -2 packs
Burn Gel - 1.36g -1 Pack
Aleve 1.25 - 0.044g -1 Pill, 1 Packn
Bandaids - 1.16g -Misc.
Splinter Out - 0.74g -Just one

Total weight: 51.32 grams (1.81 ounces)

I will also note that I never leave home without a RoadID which contains my full name, blood type, SSN, emergency contacts and other details. I believe every hiker should not leave home without one either. Buy them with a red band to hopefully catch the attention of the EMT's and/or S&R and/or the coroner.

[RWheeler]

Two large bandaids where I could cover a quarter-sized blister if necessary, a bottle of NewSkin (it works better for /me/ over most bandaid things, but I have those two bandaids as back-up), a handful of Ibuprofin, and some prescribed stronger things. Two safety pins. Toothbrush/paste.

That's it.

[DogPaw]

Vaseline, toothpaste, gauze, assorted bandages, triple antibiotics, a bunch of cotton balls doubling as fire starters with the vaseline, and my palm sewing kit for stitches.

[gearfreak]

If you go to YouTube and search for Mike Clelland (author of "Ultralight Backpackin' Tips: 153 Amazing & Inexpensive Tips for Extremely Lightweight Camping") you'll find a handful of informative videos. One of these addresses the contents of his medical kit. They're all worth viewing.

[Surplusman]

All I carry is a large bottle full of Rush's Thunderbolts. If they were good enough for Lewis & Clark, they're good enough for me.

Seriously, whatever you carry along for first aid, do like several posters have said: Get some wilderness first aid training and carry with you some form of ID with your medical history on it. I wear two dogtags around my neck with all the info on it.

[swjohnsey]

Neosporin (actually the generic stuff from Walmart)
Doxycyclene (for Lyme Disease and anaplasmosis)
Fasigyn (for giardiasis)

[Leanthree]

2. A laminated card with your blood type, known allergies, medications you take, insurance info and emergency contact numbers. Have your trail name (if you have one yet) and your full real name on it.


All good ideas Rocket and it reminded me of a good tip my mom (who works at a hospital and says it has been helpful in the past) guilted me into doing. Having a entry in your cell phone book labeled "ICE" (for "in case of emergency") who is someone who knows your blood type, allergies, medical history, medications etc. A weight free way to improve your medical safety and way more likely to save your life than a band-aid.

[lemon b]

Ibuprofen, triple antibotic pack, needle, dental floss,coupe benadryl,couple lopermide,gaze pad, bandaid, roid med, Beta blockers&extra script, ins card. All fits in small snack baggie.

[Sandy of PA]

Skip the laminated card, put a RoadID on your wrist. I don't leave home without mine!

[fiddlehead]

I've always been pretty much a minimalist when it comes to a first aid kit. Especially on the AT, where you can bail out at least once a day.
But, I've added 2 things lately. I now carry tiger balm (smallest container of course) or monkey balm is almost the same (tiger is a little bit stronger)
This has multiple uses: it is great for bug bites of most any kind. It is good for aching muscles (like a massaging cream that adds heat to the area), and is also good to sniff and clear the sinuses. I mainly use it for the bug bites and last week I got something like poison ivy (don't know what it is exactly but it's just itchy and dots all over) and it took away the itch anyway.

The other is some magnesium pills. (300 mg) These seem to be the only thing that can heal my cramps that I get whenever I push my body. (jogging, hiking hard when not in thru-hiking shape, swimming long distances, etc.) I've tried other things like potassium but only the mag. seems to work for me.

That said, the only other thing I carry is duct tape, a small foil pouch of neosporin and a few aspirins. I also carry needle and dental floss but, more for pack repairs than sewing myself up. (I would use the duct tape instead in most cases)

I also carry a small paring knife or razor blade but again, i don't consider these first aid.