First Aid Kit

[TrampingKiwi]

Hi everyone, a new member here! I've been looking at putting together a personal first aid kit for the tramps I go on. However, I am very confused.

The list I found online was as follows:

• Crepe bandage (100 mm)
• Pain relief (e.g. Paracetamol)
• Triangular bandage cloth (sterile)
• Antihistamine tablets (3–6)
• Plastic strip dressing (6–10 bandaids)
• Sunscreen
• Dressing strip
• Lip balm
• Non-adherent sterile dressings (2 or 3 of various sizes)
• Disposable CPR face shield
• Gauze dressings (2 or 3)
• Notebook Sticking tape (1 roll)
• Pencil
• Safety pins
• Insect repellent
• Scissors
• Personal medication
• Disposable gloves

However, the larger first aid kit I am using to put together the tramping first aid kit has almost none of these items, and instead has stuff like:

• Dressing (sterile) (various sizes - 40cm x 60cm and 60cm x 80cm)
• Fixative bandage (various sizes - 6cm and 8cm)
• Compressive bandage (sterile) (various sizes - 6cm x 8cm, 8cm x 10cm and 10cm x 12cm)
• Triangular bandage (136cm x 96cm x 96cm)
• Compress (sterile) (has note saying it does not stick to skin) (10cm x 10cm)

So I am wondering what I should have in the first aid kit I take with me when I go tramping and if any of the things from the other kit can be used interchangeable.

Thanks!

 

[bopdude]

It's ok taking the kit but by your obvious indecision over it, would you be able to use it ? Your kit should be suitable for the trip you're planning, so cuts, burns, bites etc

And welcome to the forum

 

[Tonyuk]

The larger dressings would be useful if you get a nasty cut. But stuff such as iodine, plasters, pain killers etc.. would be more useful on a day to day basis. Try and balance both for different eventualities.

Tonyuk

 

[northumbriman]

I would say get onto a first response/first aid course and get a basic knowledge of how to use your first aid kit. Most of the listed items are sensible for an outdoor kit but unless you know how to use them they will be useless. Some items are aimed at personal use others more for helping others or for others to use on you. I generally carry a very small kit with sticky plasters, a couple of small sterile wound dressing pads and a roll of surgical tape. Thats pretty much in a pocket of my day bag all the time. I have a slightly larger kit I carry when I go out for more than a few hours/overnight.

 

[scarfell]

My favourite item for a first aid kit is pure Aloe Vera gel, brilliant for all kinds of burns including heat & friction burns (and many other skin problems). It will prevent the 3 day sting from a 1st degree burn if you apply loads to the area and dont wipe it off (cover it up so it doesn't wipe off or dry to quickly), great for sun burn and more serious burns aswell; very easy to grow Aloe Vera and harvest your own gel - or buy a big tub online, the little tubes in chemists are massively over priced)

Diclofenic or Ibuprofen is a good painkiller for inflammation, twisted ankles or bruised muscles for eg; i carry a diclofenic cream and a few ibuprofen tablets

Lidocain cream is great for numbing bad bites, its an aesthetic that will give good relief while the antihistamines get to work


Sterile saline solution is another important thing to carry, to clean out cuts before dressing

 

[Leshy]

My favourite item for a first aid kit is pure Aloe Vera gel, brilliant for all kinds of burns including heat & friction burns (and many other skin problems). It will prevent the 3 day sting from a 1st degree burn if you apply loads to the area and dont wipe it off (cover it up so it doesn't wipe off or dry to quickly), great for sun burn and more serious burns aswell; very easy to grow Aloe Vera and harvest your own gel - or buy a big tub online, the little tubes in chemists are massively over priced)

Diclofenic or Ibuprofen is a good painkiller for inflammation, twisted ankles or bruised muscles for eg; i carry a diclofenic cream and a few ibuprofen tablets

Lidocain cream is great for numbing bad bites, its an aesthetic that will give good relief while the antihistamines get to work


Sterile saline solution is another important thing to carry, to clean out cuts before dressing

Amen to all of that .
May I just add that the sterile saline solution is also known as eye wash...and those little bottles usually found in 1st aid packs are worth having...
Best advice here so far... Get yourself on a 1st aid course and you will have a better idea of the what , where and how much of it.

 

[bigbear]

Best of all do a dedicated outdoor first aid course, so much more relevance, and not expensive.

 

[Robson Valley]

Not so here. I looked at the obscene costs. As if you are preparing for 2 years in the International Space Station.
Recommended by an auto repair shop owner, I spent about 60$ on an approved First Aid kit. Looks very adequate.
Now, I need to know what everything is and when best to select each item as needed.
Practically impossible, with any economy.

 

[scarfell]

There are lots of charities which offer first aid at reasonable prices, most likley you have found the corporate pricing

Tbh you cant really put a price first aid knowledge, CPR alone is worth every penny you might spend; plus important to understand that bad first aid can be worse than no first aid..dont wing it, unless its very minor injury (even then how do you know? A little scratch on the forehead may not look like much, if you dont know the right questions to ask and what to look out for later)

 

[northumbriman]

There are loads of first aid courses available, many employers will put you through a course if you agree to be a first aider. Local groups like scouts and guides will run courses for leaders and are often trying to make up numbers to cover a course. You can contact St. Johns ambulance, fire service, mountain rescue or RNLI. All will offer advise and information for first aid. You can also check your local authority adult education service who will likely have classes in a host of subjects and usually first aid is one of them.

 

[Leshy]

That's great advice for someone in the UK but the OP is in Auckland, New Zealand.

You'd hope that similar entities will provide the same courses there , but I'm not sure...

 

[Drain Bamaged]

One of the problems that comes from making up a FAK to try and cover all mishaps and eventualities is most of the time you end up carting around an awful lot of redundant gear that isn’t needed ‘Until it is needed’ by which time it’s either out of date or damaged. It is sometimes better to carry a small kit with the obvious essentials:- plasters, bandage, gaffa-tape, cling-film/plastic bags, antiseptic cream, painkillers, anti-histamine …….. then keep a selection of more ‘specific’ items at home which can be sorted according to probable/possible necessity depending on the trip planned. This way you are more likely to keep a check on dates and condition as you pick the items required for each occasion.

D.B.

 

[Robson Valley]

I'll leave it to health care professionals and emergency first responders and the Search & Rescue people
to tell me what my first aid kit should hold. The kit is about the size of a 4-liter paint can and weighs next to nothing.
I don't question what's in it, I question selection and what to use and when.
Given our winter mountain highway driving conditions and the numbers of highway deaths in the winter, the kit can live in my Suburban.
If I think that I need a big kit in the house (hindsight says that I don't), I'll buy another one.

 

[northumbriman]

If I think that I need a big kit in the house (hindsight says that I don't), I'll buy another one.[/QUOTE]

I would have dedicated kits for different purposes. I have a large home kit which is kept in the house with various bandages, dressings, scissors, sticking plasters, etc etc. I have a small carry kit for days out with the family which is in the car at all times, a similar kit dedicated to trips where I will be away from home for more than a few hours and a tiny kit with bare essentials like plasters that I carry literally all the time. It may seem a little over kill but having been involved in outdoor activities for a good few years I know even a short walk in the woods can lead to silly accidents.

 

[Robson Valley]

Travel east/west on highway 16 in BC is prone to what we call "wildlife collisions." Deer, moose, bear, caribou, even lynx. Modern small cars tend to "submarine" under the bigger animals.
Next, the animal comes across the hood and through the windshield, maybe still doing 60 - 80kph. Not counting the broken glass, the animal body itself can be really hard on the people in the car.

A big first aid kit is useful. What with a bunch of wood and stone working power tools, just as big a kit in the house should be on my city shopping list.

Once the real emergency people show up, it's time to get out the 12ga and dispatch the mangled critter, if it isn't already dead.
There's a bunch of us, that I know of, that always travel with a shotgun or rifle.

I hit a deer while braking really hard, damn thing popped up out of the pavement like a magician. Front left corner. My GMC 2500 Suburban is big, heavy and hard. Still 10 days to fix.
I've seen other collisions happen in front of me. I'm never following so close that I can't slow, stop and try to help.

 

[Nomad64]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry reading this thread - from contents of a FAK for tramping/hiking to shooting animals wounded by "big, heavy and hard" SUVs with 12 gauge shotguns in 15 posts!

Not so here. I looked at the obscene costs. As if you are preparing for 2 years in the International Space Station.
Recommended by an auto repair shop owner, I spent about 60$ on an approved First Aid kit. Looks very adequate.
Now, I need to know what everything is and when best to select each item as needed.
Practically impossible, with any economy.

I'll leave it to health care professionals and emergency first responders and the Search & Rescue people
to tell me what my first aid kit should hold. The kit is about the size of a 4-liter paint can and weighs next to nothing.
I don't question what's in it, I question selection and what to use and when.
Given our winter mountain highway driving conditions and the numbers of highway deaths in the winter, the kit can live in my Suburban.
If I think that I need a big kit in the house (hindsight says that I don't), I'll buy another one.

Travel east/west on highway 16 in BC is prone to what we call "wildlife collisions." Deer, moose, bear, caribou, even lynx. Modern small cars tend to "submarine" under the bigger animals.
Next, the animal comes across the hood and through the windshield, maybe still doing 60 - 80kph. Not counting the broken glass, the animal body itself can be really hard on the people in the car.

A big first aid kit is useful. What with a bunch of wood and stone working power tools, just as big a kit in the house should be on my city shopping list.

Once the real emergency people show up, it's time to get out the 12ga and dispatch the mangled critter, if it isn't already dead.
There's a bunch of us, that I know of, that always travel with a shotgun or rifle.

I hit a deer while braking really hard, damn thing popped up out of the pavement like a magician. Front left corner. My GMC 2500 Suburban is big, heavy and hard. Still 10 days to fix.
I've seen other collisions happen in front of me. I'm never following so close that I can't slow, stop and try to help.

A quick interweb search suggests that a full days basic first aid training in British Columbia can be had for CAD95 (about GBP60), which seems to me a bargain rather than an "obscene cost" certainly when compared with CAD60 x 2 for large FAKs even if they were recommended by a bloke at the local garage.

http://www.bcfirstaidcourses.com/courses/cid-1/Occupational-First-Aid-Level-1

and FWIW for the OP, a similar course in Auckland costs NZD150 (about GBP90)

https://www.redcross.org.nz/first-aid/book-course/

Without proper training, an FAK (regardless of the contents) is of limited use other than for minor cuts, blisters, burns, bites etc. For serious life threatening conditions, the ability to assess and safely approach an accident scene, perform CPR, stem serious bleeding, recognise and (where appropriate start basic treatment for) heart attacks, strokes, head injuries, hypo and hyperthermia, etc. etc. requires knowledge rather than kit, most of which can be improvised. If I had a serious accident, I'd far rather find myself in the care of a trained first aider with a roll of duct tape than a numpty with a whole pharmacy at their disposal.

Apologies if this has sounded harsh RV but this is possibly the most important subject ever to get discussed on this forum and you have rather derailed what could have been an educational thread (i found it while looking for tips on tweaking a small EDC kit I was putting together) where other people were suggesting the importance of training and tailoring FAKs to particular situations with a message of; don't bother with training, its not worth the (modest) cost of learning how to save a life, just buy a big FAK and carry a 12 gauge! :roll eyes:

IMHO basic first aid should be regarded as an essential life skill and I can't honestly understand how any parent would want to leave hospital with their newborn without having some basic skills.

 

[northumbriman]

I agree with Nomad. On my most recent first aid course the instructor pointed out that regardless of the FAK you carry it is pretty much useless in any situation beyond minor cuts and grazes. If medical attention is going to be required then that is the priority. The job of a first responder is to assess and then take appropriate action. The guy pointed out that if you have an injured party with a broken arm they will automatically cradle that arm in the most comfortable position they can find. They will support it themselves so why on earth would you move it to examine it or try putting a sling on? If you are faced with a major bleed its unlikely you will have sufficient bandages to stem the flow for any length of time so you will be forced to improvise anyway. Keep your intervention to the absolute minimum. Concentrate on keeping the injured party calm, comfortable and conscious. Send someone for help and make sure its on the way. Even where someone is unconscious other than checking they are breathing and have unrestricted airways you are advised not to move them. The recovery position should only be used if you have had to clear an airway or perform cpr already.

The best advise for FAK is to choose to carry items you can use for minor cuts, insect bites and minor burns. Have some paracetamol/brufen for headaches, anti-hystamin tablets and any meds you personally need. Carry a card with a list of any conditions, meds and allergies in a pocket so if you are found unconcsious (or a babbling madman) the emergency services can treat you quickly and safely. GET ON A FIRST RESPONSE COURSE/FIRST AID COURSE.

The guy who ran my course said that more damage is done to accident victims by well meaning amateurs than ever these days.

 

[Wayne]

The guy who ran my course said that more damage is done to accident victims by well meaning amateurs than ever these days.

Whist I agree with most of the sentiment that less is sometimes more I think its important to understand that with proper training and the appliance of common sense there is a lot a first responder can do to manage a casualty. We as outdoor folk may have to manage that casualty for considerably longer than the standard first aid at work provider. This may well require a little more equipment. Generally its not medical equipment needed its shelter spare clothing food and hydration means to stabilise and facilitate evacuation. A decent wilderness medic should be able to recognise and treat most ailments in the field but that is beyond the remit of this thread.

I object to the concept that more damage is done to accident victims by well meaning amateurs. Firstly its factually inaccurate. The chap head butting a a tree at 25mph downhill mountain biking snapped his spinal column causing paralysis not the first responder turning up to offer help. This kind of attitude prevents people from offering assistance through fear of not being able to provide a positive outcome. Whereas for the most part first as is incredibly simple and with a few cheap bits of kit and a little knowledge you can save a persons life.

I would always suggest people seek a good training course and practice those skills in realistic locations Join your local first responder group, lowland or mountain rescue become a 4x4 responder. Use your skills and enthusiasm for something positive nothing beats real tissue time treating real casualties.

 

[Leshy]

Whist I agree with most of the sentiment that less is sometimes more I think its important to understand that with proper training and the appliance of common sense there is a lot a first responder can do to manage a casualty. We as outdoor folk may have to manage that casualty for considerably longer than the standard first aid at work provider. This may well require a little more equipment. Generally its not medical equipment needed its shelter spare clothing food and hydration means to stabilise and facilitate evacuation. A decent wilderness medic should be able to recognise and treat most ailments in the field but that is beyond the remit of this thread.

I object to the concept that more damage is done to accident victims by well meaning amateurs. Firstly its factually inaccurate. The chap head butting a a tree at 25mph downhill mountain biking snapped his spinal column causing paralysis not the first responder turning up to offer help. This kind of attitude prevents people from offering assistance through fear of not being able to provide a positive outcome. Whereas for the most part first as is incredibly simple and with a few cheap bits of kit and a little knowledge you can save a persons life.

I would always suggest people seek a good training course and practice those skills in realistic locations Join your local first responder group, lowland or mountain rescue become a 4x4 responder. Use your skills and enthusiasm for something positive nothing beats real tissue time treating real casualties.

Spot on.....

 

[21st century pict]

Blister patches are handy on a long hike, and if you use one on a hike and your feet get wet don't peal it off, just add a new one on top, a small tool for removing tick's is a good thing to have, Happy Trails.