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Author	Message Text
Scout64	01/19/2022 05:30PM   My kit is much like what others have mentioned above. Ever since I saw a tree branch go thru someone's hand and an axe cut into a leg, I have carried Israeli Style Bandages. Apparently, if you carry them in your first aid kit, nothing ever happens again. I have taken them on at least a dozen trips and never needed them. I also carry a flexible splint with an ace bandage.
ockycamper	01/16/2022 03:22PM   I would highly recommend the Wilderness First Aid course. Myself and two of our other men have taken it. I bring a larger first aid kit for in camp that includes first aid, dental first aid, stop bleed, and trauma supplies. Includes everything for upset stomach to bug bites, small cuts to severe bleeds issues. Also has supplies for hyperthermia. I carry a small EDC first aid kit on my PFD. A few more supplies in my day pack. I have an ankle trauma kit I wear regularly, as well as in the BWCA that has a tournequit, nitril gloves, chest seal, gauze, shears, and EMT knife.
woodsandwater	01/16/2022 05:30PM   Liquid Benadryl rather than tablets. If you are having a reaction liquid goes down better than tablets.
butthead	06/03/2020 11:45AM   I like small packable FA kits and travel with a minimum of 2. One attached to my PFD and one for each pack. I keep the content to what I am confident in using, variety of BandAids, gauze pads, tape, QuickClot dressing, assorted medications. My PFD kit also has fire starting gear, SpaceBlanket, a length of nylon cord, compass. The pack kits will have some specific items not common to all 3. I started with 4 Adventure Fist Aid 1.0 Kits (the 4th went into my day hiking pack), added as needed or replaced contents. And my hiking pack. butthead
Savage Voyageur	06/09/2020 12:43PM   Bandaids Roll of medical gauze Roll of tape 3” square gauze pads Ace bandage Compression bandage Super glue
TominMpls	06/03/2020 05:21PM   I was being cheeky earlier, but one bit of good advice that I've been given is, don't waste space including anything that you don't know how to use. Bigger kits especially tend to include all sorts of things that, in the hands of a trained person, might be useful in certain odd situations; but especially if you're already dealing with an emergency situation, it's not the time to try using something you know nothing about. I carry various size bandages, including several of the big square ones that can cover up a heel blister (my most common need); moleskin; a good bit of gauze; some packing and dressing material; bandage tape; antiseptic wipes; the iodine tincture things; some maxi pads; ibuprofen and acetaminophen; anti-diarrhea medication; benadryl pills; afterbite; some safety pins; a tweezers; and a face shield for CPR.
ZIMTLSA	01/19/2022 07:55PM   I add glucose tablets to my kit Incase there is a diabetic need.
Jaywalker	01/19/2022 07:39PM   I’m thinking of adding a skin stapler.
Jackfish	06/03/2020 08:53AM   What do you have so far?
ashlandjack	06/10/2020 07:19AM   Sound advice. Thanks for the reference. Jack
ashlandjack	06/03/2020 06:20PM   Again more good stuff. Thanks Jack
drnatus	06/09/2020 11:15AM   You have gotten some good advice so far. +1 on taking only what you know how to use. as far as wire cutters: I had a dinky 4 inch brand new pair in my kit. A friend went on a trip and had a treble stuck, they said their cutters didn't work and had a heck of a time. So I went home and tried mine on the typical trebles on my lures... sure enough they couldn't cut the hooks. Replaced mine with a real set...and sure enough.. needed them on the next trip!
MichiganMan	06/04/2020 06:11PM   Great info in this thread. Here's to hoping you never need any of it!
ashlandjack	06/03/2020 09:11AM   Clean slate, just band aids.
zski	06/09/2020 04:58PM   benedryl tablets epipen
OCDave	06/03/2020 10:34PM   ashlandjack: "Putting together a first aid kit. Any suggestions?" How big is your traveling party? When traveling Solo I carry : Acetaminophen (10 x 500 mg), Ibuprofen (10 x 200 mg), Aspirin (10 x 325 mg), Diphenhydramine (10 x 25 mg) Loratidine (10 x 10 mg) Ranitidine ( 10 x 150 mg) or Famotidine (10 X 20 mg) Imodium ( 10 tablets) Triple antibiotic ointment Bandaids Moleskin Tweezers Fingernail clippers All this fits in a wallet sized clamshell style, zip up kit. For a larger traveling party: I increase pill counts, add a wider range of bandage sizes, add a bottle of eye wash, a SAM splint and a pair of EMT Trauma shears. This all fits in a soft side case roughly 9" x 8" x 4 ". If traveling with family, they know it is on top of my pack. If traveling with others, I try to tie a long colorful ribbon to the kit that dangles out the top of my pack so anyone in the traveling party can find and retreive it easily. Hope something here helps
Jaywalker	06/09/2020 06:32PM   I don’t know anything about what training you may or may not have had, but I’d suggest a book for your first aid kit: NOLS Wilderness Medicine. There are times when knowledge is more important than equipment. It’s a great read before a trip if you are inclined, or bring it along as a reference in case of serious trouble. It’s easy to fill a first aid kit with ointments and bandaids, but what do you do if a member of your group, or someone you come across, has symptoms you may not be familiar with? The wilderness may not seem like a good time to start learning about emergency care, but if trained help is hours or days away, it might be a great time to take a few minutes and start reading about what might be happening and what to to do help.
scramble4a5	06/03/2020 09:25PM   Add some quick clot bandages to the above suggestions.
Wables	06/03/2020 09:58PM   I carry most of the above, plus a tampon for the occasional gun shot wound. We have been lucky over the years. No bad axe or knife wounds, no serious burns. I got torn up pretty good by a northern on Kawnipi a few years ago that required more than just a bandaid. I carry 2 epipens as one of my kids has bad allergies to tree nuts and wasps. I had my kit along for a cabin trip on LOTW last year, and my 8 year old had a bad bike spill. Helmet saved his life. I had to use every bit of my gauze and tape to patch him up. He looked like a little mummy! On a side note, consider barbless hooks. I’ve had a couple of mishaps that could have been much worse with barbs!
Blackdogyak	10/13/2021 06:36PM   Old thread I know...but it's timeless stuff. Definitely do not buy a premade kit. Make your own so you'll understand each piece and know how much if each thing you want to carry. For example, a little packet of two ibuprofen is NOT going to cut it. You need a bunch more. I use a Lock n Lock Tupperware with gasketted lid. About 11"x9"x3". Here's what I carry. Imodium Benedryl Ibuprofen Acetomenifin Allergy meds such as Allegra. Triple antibiotic cream or Neosporin Emergen-C packets. If you hit a cold on the first morning hard with vitamin C, and no coffee or alcohol that day, you can usually beat it back and stop it from ruining a trip. Betadine Alcohol prep packets A large syringe for irrigating wounds Super glue Zip Stitch (look it up... awesome stuff) Tweezers Scissors Small and large gauze pads Medical tape Ace bandage Light stick Tampon... obvious reason but also for plugging wounds Extra pads for females Coagulant powder Domeboro packet for poison ivy rash Several sizes of bandaids Cold pack Thermometer...old school glass one Gloves Lidocaine topical Cold and Flu tabs Anti itch cream
Minnesotian	10/13/2021 07:11PM   All very good suggestions here, I have many of what is listed in my kit. One thing that I didn't see mentioned is Leukotape. Leukotape It is mostly used in the backpacking community for blister prevention, of which I have used it for many times. However, I also like to use it to keep gauze or bandaids attached. Leukotape doesn't bunch up or fall off easily, but when you do pull it off, it is clean without causing pain, unlike duct tape on skin. At Philmont this year, I was taping up all the kids and adults in my group daily, 12 of us, for 10 days and 1 roll was more then enough. Prevented a lot of blisters and when a blister wasn't caught in time, kept the cushion over the blister in place.
plander	10/14/2021 06:05PM   zski: "benedryl tablets epipen " +1 And an Israeli bandage
boonie	06/03/2020 10:10AM   FA kits range from minimal to comprehensive expedition kits. I'd suggest looking through the range of options available from commercial suppliers like Adventure Medical. Band aids is a good start. I like blister and burn bandages. Duct tape. Basic medications such as Tylenol/ibuprofen, anti-diarrhea, indigestion, allergy, antibiotic, hydrocortisone, superglue. Don't forget sunscreen, bug juice, lip balm. etc. You'll need more for a large group than solo. There may be special needs such as Epi-Pen, personal RX, etc.
foxfireniner	01/16/2022 09:25AM   plander: "zski: "benedryl tablets epipen " +1 And an Israeli bandage" Quikclot and isreali bandage. Probably never need it but if you do? Saves a life. I also pack a dental repair kit. A lost cap or filling will make the portages out excruciating.
TominMpls	06/03/2020 12:25PM   Johanna and Klara Söderberg have a pretty great First Aid Kit
ockycamper	01/16/2022 03:30PM   A word of caution on the epipen. . . .in the WFA course they cautioned us of the legal risk of administering an epipen on anyone other then ourselves. They require a prescription which is person specific. There are legal consquences to using an epipen on someone it is not prescribed for. Also, you need a certification to administer it if you do. Again, the NOLS WFA course will certify you in not just wilderness first aid but in use of the epipen.
boonie	06/04/2020 06:32AM   Note: Ranitidine (Zantac) was recently removed from the market by FDA.
TrailZen	01/20/2022 11:16AM   At least once each year go through your first aid kit to ensure nothing is past its expiration date. TZ
Blatz	06/03/2020 07:00PM   Steri Strips
OldTripper	06/04/2020 09:47PM   After recovering from a couple different injuries I started asking my doctor for an prescription strength anti-inflammatory and muscle relaxant to take while on a canoe trip. I take them in the evening after camp in set up. I sleep better and don't have an abundance of aches, pains and stiffness. They definitely make for a better morning the next day. Just a thought.
x2jmorris	06/05/2020 06:50AM   Wire cutters, pliers, bandaids, electrical tape, hand sanitizer, meds, extra clothes that you aren't afraid of ripping.
ashlandjack	06/03/2020 03:43PM   Thanks guys. I already see some items that I would not have thought of. Please keep it coming.
merlyn	06/03/2020 03:54PM   I carry 2 kits, one with band aids, neo sporran, carmex and quick grab things. this is on top of the pack and a more complete kit with medications and serious wound treatment in the main pack. Things I have added as a result of injury or problem that incurred while on a trip: needle for splinters, the self sticking wrap for twists and sprains, nail clippers (try removing a deeply torn nail with a knife!) soap specifically made for dissolving the oils in poison ivy, burn cream (fire burn not sun burn) small eye drops and 1% hydrocortisone cream, the only thing that seems to help me with black fly bites. Kinda sorta related, the back flushing syringe for my water filter also works to flush out punctures.
ashlandjack	06/03/2020 08:06AM   Putting together a first aid kit. Any suggestions?
ashlandjack	06/04/2020 05:17AM   This was all a great help, I am going to pick though these and should end up with a great kit. If someone thinks of something else let me know. Thanks again Jack