Hello All:

I had an accident happen to one of my trip mates last week and popped out the first aid kit. I have the deluxe model I think I picked up at Cabelas. There is a lot of things that I did not have that I needed and a bunch that I do not think I will ever use. What do you all bring in regards to first aid kits and supplies. My thought is to build my own from scratch.

Thanks,

First Aid Kit thread
From a search of this site - Good information!
Good to review now and then and update our kits!

The basics plus: sam splint, quickclot and a real tourniquet like cat or sof-t.

quote Ardwich: "Hello All:

I had an accident happen to one of my trip mates last week and popped out the first aid kit. I have the deluxe model I think I picked up at Cabelas. There is a lot of things that I did not have that I needed and a bunch that I do not think I will ever use. What do you all bring in regards to first aid kits and supplies. My thought is to build my own from scratch.

Thanks, "

What were the items you needed that you lacked in the first aid kit?

Much depends on your level of knowledge. I take a suture kit and xylocaine w and w/o epi....but I know what I am doing. I would not recommend that for 99+%.

Take what you know how to use and can reasonably carry. I use a sea-to -summit drysack to port mine. I carry no controlled substances, but plenty of other meds (antibiotics/steroids) etc.

There never seem to be enough basic bandage materials - I usually add plenty of bandaids (the flexible tougher ones), blister bandages, burn bandages, etc., plus some duct tape.

Not enough gauze. He split his lip open bad when a log kicked back on him. We didn't have anything to stop the bleeding.

This year I've added a trauma kit for clotting blood and a large splint kit. The older I get the more I worry about broken bones and bleeding to death.
Trauma Kit
Splint

quote Ardwich: "Not enough gauze. He split his lip open bad when a log kicked back on him. We didn't have anything to stop the bleeding. "

You can always use a clean bandana. Then once you get the bleeding to stop with holding direct pressure on it for a good 5-10 minutes without taking it off and peeking to see if it has stopped. Then dress it with some gauze.

It would not clot. Bottom lip. Big laseration.

quote Ardwich: "It would not clot. Bottom lip. Big laseration. "

4x4 gauze pads won't do much for controlling bleeding. On the ambulance and in the ER we use 5x9 ABD or Surgical pads. Another alternative that we used to use on Ski Patrol were generic tampax pads. They both absorb a lot of blood.

A small field surgery kit
Rat tourniquets
Israely bandage
Birthday candles for packing a filling
Trianglar bandage specially msfe for possible burns
Ibuprofins\alieve\pepto pills\tums\bandaids\lip balms.

My bias is against commercially packed FA kits. To me they always seem heavy on band aids and itch creams. Like OF57 I was Ski Patrol and always since have liked packing my own kit. For BWCA think of most likely serious issues and what it takes to deal with the for 8-24 hours and pack your own.

I really like the NOLS Wilderness Medicine book.

I'd add DentTemp. Takes up almost no space, and nice to have if anyone loses a filling or crown.

quote HowardSprague: "I'd add DentTemp. Takes up almost no space, and nice to have if anyone loses a filling or crown.
"

Amen to that

I was disappointed to discover on day 4 of our seven day trip that my first aid kit didn't include Imodium.

I have never needed but a small bandage, same with all my colleagues on multiple trips. I know people who have had some serious head injuries and a few friends who almost had a challenging fall.

I feel a need to be prepared, can't be caught without something I need. So, I make up my own first aid kit. I'm not trained in first aid so some of my stuff I wouldn't use unless absolutely necessary.

This year for 3 people heading into Quetico I packed 68 separate items. All packed into a few handy bags I collected that fit into a 20 liter sea-to-sumit evac dry sack. Total weight is 7 pounds. I wouldn't bring it on a hiking trip but it certainly fits into a canoe pack.

ITEM No. PURPOSE DESCRIPTION
1 Allergy Benadryl Cream 1 Oz.
2 Allergy Benadryl Tablet 12 tablet
3 Allergy Hydrocortisone Cream - 1.0 Oz.
4 Allergy Zanfel - Poison Ivy, Oak & Sumac Wash
5 Cold Cold Calm x 60 tablets
6 Cold Oscillococcinum x 9
7 Bandage 0.8125" x 2.25" Waterproof Blister Bandage x 8
8 Bandage 1" White Tape
9 Bandage 1.0625" x 3" Waterproof Bandage x 8
10 Bandage 1.25" x 2.25" Waterproof Bandage x 8
11 Bandage 1.5" x 5 Yd Waterproof Tape x 2
12 Bandage 1.875" x 4" Waterproof Bandage x 8
13 Bandage 1/2" x 5 Yds Heavy Duty Waterproof Tape
14 Bandage 1/4" x 4" Steri Strip x 3 (10 strip packs) = 30
15 Bandage 1/8" x 3" Steri Strip x 3 (10 strip packs) = 30
16 Bandage 2" x 3" Non-Stick Gauze Pad x 6
17 Bandage 2.375" x 3.5" Waterproof Bandage x 8
18 Bandage 2.375" x 4" Tegaderm Waterproof Dressing x 5
19 Bandage 2.875" x 4" Waterproof Bandage x 6
20 Bandage 3" x 4" Non-Stick Gauze Pad x 5
21 Bandage 4" x 4" Gauze Pad x 4
22 Bandage 5" x 9" Compound ABD Pad x 5
23 Bandage 6" x 6" Tegaderm Waterproof Dressing x 4
24 Bandage Ace Wrap 3"
25 Bandage Ace Wrap 4"
26 Bandage Butterfly Bandages x 10
27 Bandage Cohesive Tape 1" X 5 Yds
28 Bandage Cohesive Tape 2" X 5 Yds
29 Bandage Cohesive Tape 3" X 5 Yds
30 Bandage Cohesive Tape 4" X 5 Yds
31 Bandage Liquid Bandage
32 Bandage Trauma Wound Dressing
33 Bandage Triangular Bandage
34 Blister GlacierGel blister pads x 2
35 Burn Pac-Kit First Aid/Burn Cream Packets x 5
36 Burn Water Jel 4x4 Tactical Burn Dressing x 3
37 Cut Irrigation Syringe x 2
38 Dental Anbesol - Oral Anesthetic
39 Dental Dental Kit - Cap and Filling Repair
40 Gastro Colace
41 Gastro Imodium
42 Gastro Tums
43 Infection Alcohol prep wipes X 20
44 Infection Hydrogen Peroxide - 2 Oz. Spray
45 Infection Iodine wipes
46 Infection Neosporin - 1/2 Oz.
47 Misc Back Country First Aid, 4th Edition
48 Misc Field Guide of Wilderness and Rescue Medicine
49 Misc Latex gloves X 8 Pairs
50 Misc Magnifying Glass 5X Mag
51 Misc Needle x 8
52 Misc Patient Assessment Form
53 Misc Q tips (30 Purse Pack)
54 Misc Safety pin X 8
55 Misc Scalpel X 5 (not fur surgery! Handy for trimming)
56 Misc Scissors/Shears
57 Misc StingEze x 2
58 Misc Tweezers x 2
59 Pain Ibuprofen x 60
60 Sprain/Break Ace Bandage
61 Sprain/Break Sam Splint - Large
62 Sprain/Break Sam Splint - Soft Shell - Hand/Wrist/Forearm
63 Sprain/Break Sam Splint - Sugar Tong
64 Sprain/Break Sam Splint - XL 36 Inch
65 Sprain/Break Sam Splint Finger Splint
66 Sprain/Break Sam Splint Guide
67 Vision Artificial Tears Lubrucant Eye Drops 0.6ml x 10
68 Vision Visine - Totality - 1/2 Oz.



All my stuff laid out except a few things







Hope this mug don't need his kit.

Good Job Bud. Come a long ways from the days when we used the ol Red Green first aid kit and just brought a roll of Duct Tape.

If you ever need it you will be glad you have it. God Bless you if you have never needed it. Been very close many times.

There have been times when I would have given up one of my rod/reels for relief something in your pack would have provided. Yet I do pack extra rods and reels.

K

quote TominMpls: "I was disappointed to discover on day 4 of our seven day trip that my first aid kit didn't include Imodium."

...it was because of my experiences with losing valuable time fishing by spending too much time on the brown throne in the kingdom of mosquitoes...I never forget a bottle of immodium tablets AND Pepto Max tablets, extra TP, reading material, and Gatorade in the powdered form to restore any electrolytes lost during such "quality" time, haha.