First Aid kits for hiking...

[KDOG]

Looking for recommendations for decent kit. I see REI has some listed for hiking. I'm searching of course but would appreciate suggestions.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk 4

[lush242000]

I suggest you make your own. You don't need much.

A couple band aides.
Perhaps neosporin
Aspirin
Duct tape on your pole or water bottle.
Knife or scissors.

Anything other than that is really overkill. If you hurt yourself severely a first aid kit isn't going to do much.

If you are allergic or a diabetic that changes things.


Sent from somewhere.

[hikernutcasey]

I suggest you make your own. You don't need much.

A couple band aides.
Perhaps neosporin
Aspirin
Duct tape on your pole or water bottle.
Knife or scissors.

Anything other than that is really overkill. If you hurt yourself severely a first aid kit isn't going to do much.

If you are allergic or a diabetic that changes things.


Sent from somewhere.

Not much to add here. I never take a "kit". I just throw a few items in my toiletries bag. Here's what I take:

-Meds (Vitamin I, benedryl etc)
-Couple band-aids
-Moleskin
-Very small lightweight pocket knife
-Body glide for chaffing

If I need anything other than that I figure I'm going to be in a fix and am just praying for cell service.

Secondary question for those of you who carry duct tape. How do you carry it? It is heavy so I'm definitely not taking the entire roll. Do you peel some off first? If so doesn't it stick to itself? What am I missing?

[wookinpanub]

I agree about making your own. I have Benadryl, Ibuprofen, and Imodium for drugs. Duct tape, gauze, and neosprin for cuts/scrapes. Also, include some burn cream for stove mishaps. My secret weapon, though, is a packet of tincture of benzoine swabs. Apply the benzoine to your skin before sticking the duct tape and it won't come off for a very long time. Include some super glue, as well. It works great for closing cuts.

[HeartFire]

. Include some super glue, as well. It works great for closing cuts.

If you super glue a cut closed, and there is any infection causing bacteria in the wound, you could be in for big trouble. Leaving wounds open to drain allows any infection to drain out instead of building up inside the wound. I've seen horrible results (when I worked as a nurse practitioner in the ER) from super gluing wounds closed.

[lush242000]

Duct tape? I carry some wrapped on one hiking pole. It has many uses. Patch a tent hole. Fix a leak. Cover a heel. Fix a shoe (had my sole tear off once. Damn glad I had the tape). Fix a strap. Patch a hole in a backpack. Seal a ziplock. Fix glasses. I could go on and on.

You learn by making mistakes. What works for me my not work for you. It's weight is negligible to me.


Sent from somewhere.

[DeerPath]

Secondary question for those of you who carry duct tape. How do you carry it? It is heavy so I'm definitely not taking the entire roll. Do you peel some off first? If so doesn't it stick to itself? What am I missing?[/QUOTE]

Peel off about 5 feet and roll around a plastic straw. Cut both ends of straw off even with the tape. I put it in a small zip bag to keep dry and from picking up debris on the edges. Works great!
Happy Trails

[slbirdnerd]

I roll my duct tape around my trekking pole(s), up near the handle. I probably have 1-2 feet on each pole, though I have only been using one pole. If you don't use poles or don't want it on there, roll it around anything small--half a regular ball point pen body, a straw, piece of a pencil...

[frogmonkey]

Secondary question for those of you who carry duct tape. How do you carry it? It is heavy so I'm definitely not taking the entire roll. Do you peel some off first? If so doesn't it stick to itself? What am I missing?

I had the same question! http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?98611-Duct-Tape (http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?98611-Duct-Tape)

[Ox97GaMe]

the list provided is pretty good. You have other items that you are carrying that can be used for medium impact medical issues. A bandana works as a larger bandage/compress, a sling, or can be used to tie sticks around a break. You can use your extra shirt as bandage material if needed. The main thing to remember is that you just need to be able to get to the next road crossing where medical attention can be received if necessary. The common things you will run into on the trail....
blisters, bug bites, sprained ankle, sunburn, burns, minor cuts/scrapes.

Most thru hikers carry 2-3 ft of duct tape around a nalgene or hiking sticks. This can be used to make small bandaids, cover blisters, or repair equipment as needed until you get to the next town.

Have a great hike.

[quasarr]

Speaking of blisters, I always bring a safety pin to pop them with! And hand sanitizer to clean the safety pin and blister before popping.

And I love, love, love my mini Leatherman. (it is the Leatherman Style CS, the Micra is another popular one) The scissors are really sharp and work GREAT to cut moleskin or whatever. Much better than the little scissors on a mini Swiss Army Knife

[Turk6177]

My first aid kit has enough supplies to take care of minor health issues for two or three days. As written previously, anything major and you would probably be coming off the trail at your next available moment. I made my own kit and I store all the items in an Alok sack. I carry 4 to 6 bandaids. I use an old store credit card and wrap a couple feet of Leukotape around it which makes it flat (zinc backed tape works awesome for blisters). I do the same with a couple feet of duct tape. In the end of the tape, I put a sewing needle under the tape so it does not poke anything (for blister popping). My kit also contains a tweezer, small plastic ziplock like bag (2"x1") with neosporin in it. I pack a couple gauze pads. I used a couple of clear (Chik Fil A) staws cut down and melted (pinch between some needle nose pliers and use a lighter to seal the end) that I put some hydrogen peroxide in. You just cut the end off when you want to use them. My kit also contains a keyring sized swiss army knife that has a blade, scissors etc. I carry a small ziplock style bag with ibuprofen. I carry around 6 pepto bismol pills. I have a small tube of superglue to close cuts. Somewhat related to my first aid kit, is another Alok sack I carry that has tincture of benzoin (put on before leukotape or duct tape for adhesion), vial of hand sanitizer, vial of Dr. Bronner's peppermint soap I use for washing and tooth paste, and a vial of zink oxide (some form of baby rash cream--I use Boudreaux's Butt Paste) for chafing and treating your feet at night if necessary. This is pretty much from memory, but I think I have all the stuff I carry listed here. It is actually quite lightweight.

[HeartFire]

THE most important part of any first aid kit is what's inside your head - do you know what to do for injuries and accidents? All the tools and equipment in the world will not help you if you don't know how to act. Take a first aid class, and KNOW what to do. Then you probably wont' need to ask what to take with you.

[Paul the Brit]

I would suggest training and knowledge are the most important part of a first aid kit. To me first aid is the initial response to an "incident" which could be potentially life threatening. I will carry a first aid kit but I will also know how to make a splint with my trekking poles, an arm sling with my bandana, stem bleeding with a sock......I am trained in wilderness first aid and I just booked my son on a wilderness first aid course. I think first aid preparation is a level of risk mitigation which people should consider if they are heading to the trail.

[Chopsbenedict]

The main reason i went out and bought a kit as opposed to making one of my own was the container it came in. I have a modified REI Backpacker Plus kit. This kit comes with way more stuff than you really need (like the mini wire splint...wasted weight when you know some limited first aid) but the zippered bag in comes in has nice clear plastic windows, and once you remove things you dont think youll need, it works essentially as a ditty bag, i keep my firestarting gear in there, along with compass(when i dont plan to be using it a lot) and sewing kit. Personally i carry a little more than most of what i saw above, but thats just my weight preference, and we are talking about only a little extra weight (I carry some medical tape, gauze roll, elastic bandage and a set of nitrile gloves) that could keep me from having to go to town or seek help, and i try to isolate myself to some degree.

[modiyooch]

i pack a hershey bar