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08/13/2016 09:08PM   (Thread Older Than 3 Years)
What's in your solo first aid kit for a 2-week trip? What do you add? Anything you leave out that you'd take on a group trip?
 
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08/13/2016 09:26PM  
Mine is pretty much the same, only with less of most items. Nothing special; various band aids (butterfly, finger/knuckle, regular, etc.), gauze, tape, iodine, antibiotic cream, moleskin, sewing kit, thermometer, Benedryl, Tylenol, Motrin, Zantex, Ace bandage, and probably some more basics that I am forgetting.
 
08/13/2016 10:38PM  
nice list.....add eye drops, Lomotil, small roll of Vetwrap
 
08/14/2016 06:54AM  
What is Lomotil?
 
billconner
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08/14/2016 07:39AM  
Anbesol, or some tooth ache remedy.
 
08/14/2016 08:51AM  
quote cowdoc: "nice list.....add eye drops, Lomotil, small roll of Vetwrap"


Eye drops is a great idea! Also, I love the vet wrap. Learned about that when my daughter was playing soccer. The girls used it to tie back their hair. A million uses for it!
 
08/14/2016 08:52AM  
quote boonie: "What is Lomotil?"
Stops the squirts.
 
08/14/2016 10:26AM  
quote Frenchy19: "Mine is pretty much the same, only with less of most items. Nothing special; various band aids (butterfly, finger/knuckle, regular, etc.), gauze, tape, iodine, antibiotic cream, moleskin, sewing kit, thermometer, Benedryl, Tylenol, Motrin, Zantex, Ace bandage, and probably some more basics that I am forgetting. "


Mine is similar. Plus tweezers. Plus splinting material (piece of wire-mesh with duct tape covering edges).
 
billconner
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08/14/2016 11:41AM  
I added a sam splint, medical shears and a syringe for cleaning wounds, all added after WFA course. Might look at Wilderness Medicine Training Center for ideas as well.
 
08/14/2016 12:19PM  
quote Frenchy19: "
quote boonie: "What is Lomotil?"
Stops the squirts. "


Is it much better than Immodium? Is it otc?
 
fraxinus
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08/14/2016 05:37PM  
quote cowdoc: "nice list.....add eye drops, Lomotil, small roll of Vetwrap"


Thanks, hadn't thought of eyedrops, washing out an eye could be crucial. I had to Google Vetwrap, looks amazing, I can see that it would be good for covering a large square of gauze or a dressing of some kind, does it also provide support for a sprain like an Ace wrap would? Thanks.
 
08/14/2016 07:35PM  
quote boonie: "
quote Frenchy19: "
quote boonie: "What is Lomotil?"
Stops the squirts. "



Is it much better than Immodium? Is it otc?"



I think Lomotil is Rx. Immodium is fine AND is actually what I was thinking of......the actual drug is Loperamide, which is OTC. My mistake.
 
08/14/2016 07:37PM  
I also take a skin stapler......just in case I really screw up. They sting a little going in.....don't ask......
 
08/15/2016 05:58AM  
A skin stapler . . . ? Tell me more.

Where does one get such a thing, etc.?
 
08/15/2016 06:00AM  
Doctor gave me some doxycycline. Does anyone take Flagyl (or similar) on longer trips?
 
08/15/2016 11:12AM  
quote boonie: "Doctor gave me some doxycycline. Does anyone take Flagyl (or similar) on longer trips?"

My wife got severely sick when she was prescribed flagl. It was a nasty reaction to the drug.
 
08/15/2016 11:33AM  
quote boonie: "A skin stapler . . . ? Tell me more.


Where does one get such a thing, etc.?"
+1 There has to be a story here!
 
08/15/2016 11:34AM  
quote fraxinus: "
quote cowdoc: "nice list.....add eye drops, Lomotil, small roll of Vetwrap"



Thanks, hadn't thought of eyedrops, washing out an eye could be crucial. I had to Google Vetwrap, looks amazing, I can see that it would be good for covering a large square of gauze or a dressing of some kind, does it also provide support for a sprain like an Ace wrap would? Thanks. "


Not supportive like an Ace, that's why I also carry an Ace. The vet wrap is great because it clings to itself, so no need for tape. I recently cut the s$#t out of two of my left fingers with a power planer, and I used vet tape to keep the gauze in place. It cuts easily and if faster to use than tape.
 
08/15/2016 06:58PM  
Can you get Vetwrap at Petco?
 
08/15/2016 07:08PM  
Vet Wrap works good for pets also. Sorry for the grainy picture.

Don't know where we get it. My wife is a RN and magically has first aid things.
 
08/15/2016 07:55PM  
quote boonie: "Can you get Vetwrap at Petco?"



Probably easier to find at Fleet Farm or livestock supply store.....or at a vet office.
 
08/15/2016 09:25PM  
quote TomT: "
quote boonie: "Doctor gave me some doxycycline. Does anyone take Flagyl (or similar) on longer trips?"

My wife got severely sick when she was prescribed flagl. It was a nasty reaction to the drug."


That's not good.
 
08/15/2016 09:25PM  
quote cowdoc: "
quote boonie: "Can you get Vetwrap at Petco?"




Probably easier to find at Fleet Farm or livestock supply store.....or at a vet office."


Maybe I can find it at Tractor Supply here.
 
08/15/2016 09:36PM  
I keep a pack of this in my kit and another in the car.

I figure I can use it, if I survive a Griz Bear mauling while canoeing in AK. I don't want to pour gun powder in my wound and lite it off like I saw in the movie, The Revenant.

I'm joking mostly, it's supposed to be nasty stuff, and only to be used in an emergency with gushing wounds.
 
08/16/2016 09:39AM  
quote LindenTree3: "I keep a pack of this in my kit and another in the car.


I figure I can use it, if I survive a Griz Bear mauling while canoeing in AK. I don't want to pour gun powder in my wound and lite it off like I saw in the movie, The Revenant.


I'm joking mostly, it's supposed to be nasty stuff, and only to be used in an emergency with gushing wounds.
"


That actually may not be a bad idea!
 
muddyfeet
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08/16/2016 10:17PM  
Here's my light solo kit.
The focus is on more 'aid annoyances' and not life-threatening situations. When solo, you're not going to do much serious first aid: Either you're incapacitated to where you can't help yourself- or if you can't paddle out you hit the PLB button and wait for rescue. This kit is for little things that (untreated) have the potential to ruin a trip. Thanks to many on this board for good suggestions on what to include:

Mixed nuts tin:
(2) triangle cravat bandages. (bleeding or splinting)
Dermabond (superglue) for cuts
Large and small bandaids (cuts/scrapes/blisters)
Betadine swabs (cleaning wounds)
Tweezers, safety pin (spinters, stings, hangnails, fishhooks)
Dayquil (is mostly tylenol, for fever/cold)
Ibuprofen (headaches, muscle soreness, injuries)
Benadryl (allergic reactions/sleep aid)
Allegra (seasonal allergy med)
Immodium (hope not to need it)
pepto tabs (heartburn/indigestion)
single dose doxycycline (deer tick bite)
ambesol (mouth/tooth pain)

6.27oz total
Again, this is tailored for a solo trip. With this many meds, its a good idea to have them in blister packs with name/dose on the back. Other items I have can be used for first aid as well (cordage for splinting/tourniquet, Leatherman multitool, clothing for massive bleeding). Criticism from the group is welcome.

 
08/18/2016 06:00AM  
quote muddyfeet: "Here's my light solo kit.
The focus is on more 'aid annoyances' and not life-threatening situations. When solo, you're not going to do much serious first aid: Either you're incapacitated to where you can't help yourself- or if you can't paddle out you hit the PLB button and wait for rescue. This kit is for little things that (untreated) have the potential to ruin a trip. Thanks to many on this board for good suggestions on what to include:


Mixed nuts tin:
(2) triangle cravat bandages. (bleeding or splinting)
Dermabond (superglue) for cuts
Large and small bandaids (cuts/scrapes/blisters)
Betadine swabs (cleaning wounds)
Tweezers, safety pin (spinters, stings, hangnails, fishhooks)
Dayquil (is mostly tylenol, for fever/cold)
Ibuprofen (headaches, muscle soreness, injuries)
Benadryl (allergic reactions/sleep aid)
Allegra (seasonal allergy med)
Immodium (hope not to need it)
pepto tabs (heartburn/indigestion)
single dose doxycycline (deer tick bite)
ambesol (mouth/tooth pain)


6.27oz total
Again, this is tailored for a solo trip. With this many meds, its a good idea to have them in blister packs with name/dose on the back. Other items I have can be used for first aid as well (cordage for splinting/tourniquet, Leatherman multitool, clothing for massive bleeding). Criticism from the group is welcome.


"


OK, let's talk about a couple of things:

Obviously, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Keep in mind, we're talking about, say, a 2-week trip, probably fairly far out there. Let's say you're 7 days out. We want it to be light and compact, but also complete. Even if help can be summoned, it may not get there quickly - thinking of the recent storms and injuries.

I would agree that the most important thing is to have enough band aids, blister/burn bandages, etc.

So, how much Immodium do we need on a 2-week trip? How much of other meds?

No antibiotic ointment?

No eyewash?

What about hydrocortisone cream for itching? Seems better for minor cases than using Benadryl and suffering its side effects, especially if trying to travel.

As noted, it may be difficult to do some things yourself - for example you injure a hand/arm, especially your dominant one. Let's say you break your wrist - would you want a Sam Splint and wrap here rather than trying to improvise with sticks and cordage? Doing that and doing it well enough seems like it would be somewhere between awkward and impossible, especially for an old guy with arthritic hands.

What about the quick clot? Seems even more necessary for a solo traveler on a long trip. Granted, I can press the button on my PLB, but help may not arrive for quite a long time. I could bleed to death in the meantime if there's a serious hemorrhage, especially in a place that is difficult for a solo traveler to apply direct pressure.

What about suturing or stapling for more serious lacerations? And once again, antibiotic ointment?

I think you could probably leave out the thermometer . . . ?

What about an earache/infection?





 
08/18/2016 06:52AM  
Epipen
 
muddyfeet
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08/18/2016 07:42AM  
When discussing any of this, I think it's important to point out the difference between a camper's first aid kit and a responder's first aid kit. I don't intend on ever using the stuff I bring. But if needed it can be useful. On the other hand, a responder's first aid kit is going to be expected to be used, so it needs to be much more comprehensive with proper treatments. That's not what most of us want to carry. If a paramedic ever showed up with a 6.2oz mixed nuts tin, I'd seriously consider walking to the hospital myself! A SAM splint is definately faster/better, but it's also bigger and heavier and more specific/less versatile than old school triangle bandages.

Epi pens are expensive and by prescription only, but are a good idea if you or a group member has had an anaphylactic reaction in the past.

Regarding lacerations: pressure to stop bleeding, clean with soap and water and bandage to protect it. Clot granules, Steri strips and glue are fine and will get you by until you can make an exit or get help.

I have thought about a suture kit and I really don't think it has a place in the BWCA. It seems to be more of a fantasy survival prep thing than a recreational canoe trip thing. Expedition medicine, maybe, but definately Let the pros help you with that. I won't soapbox on all the reasons why it's a bad idea, but with full disclosure I'm an expert in this field: my job involves fixing broken bones and suturing skin almost every day.

With any wilderness injury, The more important question to ask is not "if you can suture/staple wounds", but rather "is this injury going to require seeking help or can I safely continue the trip."
 
08/18/2016 10:08AM  
Boonie, you raise a couple of points that interest me:

1. The SAM or other splinting material strikes me as essential. Splints can be fashioned from available materials, but perhaps not easily or well by somebody who has an injury that limits dexterity or mobility.

2. Wish I knew more about the utility of the quick-clotting product. I keep a packet in my solo first-aid kit because it seems like a good idea -- but unlike bandages, etc., I have no experience using it. If anyone on this thread has actually used it or seen it used, I'd appreciate learning more.

3. I've thought about adding sutures or staples, but with no real training on their use I feel like I'd do better with butterfly bandages.

Dave
 
muddyfeet
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08/18/2016 12:24PM  
Dave, quick clot is gauze with kaolin. Kaolin is a non-organic mineral (not a drug, not a protein) that helps promote faster clotting of blood. Like most emergency treatments it was developed from battlefield medicine, and is actually pretty amazing. You use it just like gauze: hold it directly against the wound and apply pressure.
 
08/18/2016 02:01PM  
I might have to get a better first aide kit, my ziplock with a few bandades and few other things my not cut it compared to all of your guys stuff.
 
hobbydog
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08/18/2016 09:01PM  
quote housty9: "I might have to get a better first aide kit, my ziplock with a few bandades and few other things my not cut it compared to all of your guys stuff."


I don't take much either and will keep it that way. Same with a ditch kit, i think it is more for wilderness survival fantasy than practical situations you might encounter.

So lets say you bring a splint and you get your broken arm slpinted up. Then what? You think you can paddle with the broken arm, portage with the broken leg when you are solo?

I think Muddyfeet is right on with his comments below. Remember, this is about a solo first aid kit.

quote muddyfeet: " Here's my light solo kit.
The focus is on more 'aid annoyances' and not life-threatening situations. When solo, you're not going to do much serious first aid: Either you're incapacitated to where you can't help yourself- or if you can't paddle out you hit the PLB button and wait for rescue. This kit is for little things that (untreated) have the potential to ruin a trip.

With any wilderness injury, The more important question to ask is not "if you can suture/staple wounds", but rather "is this injury going to require seeking help or can I safely continue the trip."
 
08/18/2016 10:34PM  
Here is the size of my first aid kit, including Quick Clot. Probably about 8 ounces.


I am a current wildland firefighter who has been on multiple rescues and recoveries.
I cannot keep enough first aid supplies for every conceivable situation I may run into on a solo trip, it is not realistic.

Fiugre out what you can carry and what your all around medical needs could entail, find the happy medium, and pack your first aid kit along those lines.
Guarenteed if a bad emergency comes up, you will never have enough, no matter what you pack in your kit, when in the wilderness.
 
hobbydog
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08/18/2016 11:00PM  
quote AmarilloJim: "Epipen"


At $600 for a 2 pack that is probably worth leaving off the list.

500 percent price hike
 
08/19/2016 06:35AM  
quote muddyfeet: "Dave, quick clot is gauze with kaolin. Kaolin is a non-organic mineral (not a drug, not a protein) that helps promote faster clotting of blood. Like most emergency treatments it was developed from battlefield medicine, and is actually pretty amazing. You use it just like gauze: hold it directly against the wound and apply pressure. "


Thanks. Good info. I'll keep bringing it along.
 
08/19/2016 10:23AM  
WOW!
I get slightly expired from work so I was clueless on that.
I would consider a SPOT or satellite phone also.
 
NotLight
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08/21/2016 07:54PM  

I carry a minimal kit in a ziploc bag. I think a better strategy than hauling all kinds of first aid crap is to be cautious - wear glasses, wear gloves, always wear hook resistant shoes, no treble hooks and grind off barbs, avoid catching a huge pike, no pre-trip food poisoning meal, no hatchet, avoid using knife as much as possible, take time on wet rocks, etc.
 
muddyfeet
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08/21/2016 11:28PM  
quote hobbydog: "
So lets say you bring a splint and you get your broken arm slpinted up. Then what? You think you can paddle with the broken arm, portage with the broken leg when you are solo?
"


Yeah, if it's broken you're probably waiting for rescue.

I was considering the likely case of a sprained ankle: it's not sticking sideways so you don't think its broken- but it sure hurts to try and move it. I think there is a reasonable chance an improvised splint could be the deciding factor on whether or not you're able to walk out, or at least make it to the next campsite where you can rest/reassess. I'd give it a try before hitting the PLB.

I have a 14x5" piece of aluminum flashing i use for a stove windscreen. That's pretty close to a small SAM splint without the foam padding. It would be the start of an improvised-splint-merit-badge for sure!

This is a good discussion.
 
muddyfeet
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08/23/2016 12:03AM  
So I was thinking about this all weekend and a little research turned up some information from a UK site I thought was well written. I learned some new things, and at the risk of oversharing, thought I'd put a few links here for fellow nerds who enjoy reading technical stuff:

Information on cyanoacrylates (superglues) for cuts and wounds. (and you can use it for field repairs)

Splinting with SAM splints (even though you might not bring one while solo, it was discussed above)

More than you wanted to know about quick-clot products. Although in certain situations, some studies have shown that regular gauze might work just as well. Journal of Trauma , Journal of Academic Emergency Medicine
 
OldFingers57
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08/23/2016 05:59AM  
quote muddyfeet: "So I was thinking about this all weekend and a little research turned up some information from a UK site I thought was well written. I learned some new things, and at the risk of oversharing, thought I'd put a few links here for fellow nerds who enjoy reading technical stuff:


Information on cyanoacrylates (superglues) for cuts and wounds. (and you can use it for field repairs)


Splinting with SAM splints (even though you might not bring one while solo, it was discussed above)


More than you wanted to know about quick-clot products. Although in certain situations, some studies have shown that regular gauze might work just as well. Journal of Trauma , Journal of Academic Emergency Medicine "


Thanks for the website lots of other great info on that site too.
 
09/06/2016 05:53PM  
Israeli Bandage

I haven't gotten this yet but have been thinking about it, It could supplement or replace my Quick Clot. Israeli Bandage Battle Ground dressing.
 
09/08/2016 08:03PM  
First off, why is everyone writing in italics? Is this somethin Frency19 did?

Secondly, most things in my kit fit into one of two categories; either minor maintanace or trauma. I would vary amounts of the minor maintenance stuff (aspirin, band aids, alcohol wipes, ointments, etc) based on the number of people (or dogs) on the trip. I keep the trauma type stuff (wire splint, dressings, cravat bandages, quick lot) the same. I figure if I treat just one trauma type thing, the trip is over and I'll go home and restock.
 
09/08/2016 08:41PM  
quote Jaywalker: "First off, why is everyone writing in italics? Is this somethin Frency19 did? "


Looking back through the threads it seems to start after a bunch of squiggly lines on Frenchy,'s post. ;-)
It didn't register till you said something, I thought it was something with the new site.
 
09/08/2016 08:41PM  
Wow, what did I do?
I dis Frenchy19 and get slammed with a triple post.
Such is life in Ak, off grid with a cell phone booster as your means of communication.
 
09/08/2016 08:41PM  
Nothing to see here folks, please move along ;-)
 
09/08/2016 09:13PM  
Clarifying a few things. I have access to things at my clinic so I take those. For superglue, I take a small vial of Nexaband. There is a learning curve for using it and things rarely heal like they were sutured, but it's fast and will at least hold things together a little while til the cut granulates a little. I'll apply it over the wound after that like a "liquid" bandage. We use a lot of skin staples so I just grab a new one from the surgery ward, but you can order THEM Again, small learning curve but not brain surgery. Pinch the cut together, place the arrow on the cut line and squeeze the trigger. Make sure to order the STAPLE REMOVAL TOOL also in case you decide it wasn't a great idea.
 
10/07/2016 07:05PM  
I just bought this 3 compartment bag at a thrift store in Valdez to hold my first aid kit and more components for my ditch kit.
I also bought a super small Wood Saw that only weighs a few ounces along with a two person emergency bivy.
Here are some pics.
Any suggestions on how to attach this bag/ditch kit to the only tie down on my Soloquist life jacket?
The attachment on the jacket (Black Square) is in the pics.
 
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