Wilderness First Aid Kit?

[GailV]

This Christmas list item is hot off the press, so to speak - younger just mentioned it. 

My first thought is to just cruise by REI and pick up a pre-made kit. But, is there a better place to go? I'm fine with shopping online.  

Or, is there a website that has good thoughts on how to put together a kit?

Current hiking is in upstate New York, so Adirondacks, Catskills. Just weekend trips/day trips so far. Current main hiking companion grew up somewhere upstate, an Eagle Scout, whose sister lives in the Adirondacks (although that relationship could go kaput and it would be months before I'd be told, sigh). Anyway, the point is that currently she goes out with people who seem to have a clue what they're getting into and how to handle themselves. Dd is probably the most novice member of the crowd.

She also asked for bear spray but I nixed that because there's not a way for her to get it from here to New York since she's flying.

[*****]

Not first aid, but must haves: just off the top of my head and in a hurry...bear bell and waterproof matches. You can make your own by dipping wooden matches, the heads into melted wax. Look on REI website, they may have a list of first aid items everyone needs, or google it?

[prairiewindmomma]

The most important thing, I think, is a really good bivy bag. If you have a serious fracture mid-hike, you need to be able to make it overnight until a rescue crew can get to you, iykwim. The Sol Escape is a decent $60 emergency bivy bag.

Beyond that, I don't know that there is a perfect buy and go kit. Here is a decent review I have bookmarked: https://www.outdoorgearlab.com/topics/camping-and-hiking/best-first-aid-kit

We've built our own. I think it's not necessary to have a good CPR mask, fwiw. Most people don't survive CPR, and if you're on a trail, it's highly unlikely that you are going to be breathing and compressing for someone in the time it takes for a helicopter to come in. Highly unlikely.  Nitrile gloves to handle someone else's bleeding, sure, but not a CPR mask. I carry pressure bandages because of hunters near many trails in my area--gunshot wound is a possibility, iykwim. Epi-pens, trauma shears, and a SAM splint are some of the other things that I carry that others don't. Things that have gotten the most use in the last few years: Loperamide, zyrtec, ibuprofen, antibiotic cream and bandaids, and Badger after sun balm (order from website, decant to a smaller tin). 

[Rachel]

I put my own together, but a premade kit would be a good start. Here’s a YouTube video that may be help. 
 

What I use the most is sunscreen, tick key, leukotape for blisters, Benadryl, and Advil. 

[Mrs Tiggywinkle Again]

I would not go hiking without a commercial tourniquet.  Hemorrhage is the main thing that will kill you that you could potentially survive with the right equipment.  Also even in the summer it gets cold in those mountains, so a space blanket as well for warmth, something that’s easier than a sleeping bag  to wrap around someone who has had a medical emergency/traumatic event. The one I linked can also be used to carry someone up to 250 pounds.

https://www.galls.com/north-american-rescue-cat-tourniquet-combat-application-tourniquet?PMOPV1=BLK&PMSRCE=GAPLA&gclid=Cj0KCQiA4OybBhCzARIsAIcfn9l4HLMiO7u0SIVJaluDaBfDzRM1hjxdiXWuI-I5lo3cX1G-ogd13xAaAnriEALw_wcB

https://www.galls.com/dyna-med-emergency-space-blanket?PMSRCE=GAPLA&gclid=Cj0KCQiA4OybBhCzARIsAIcfn9k8k1Owd5rRuMMRUGpIenV-VtrvbCFctlHs2IdQugbcntSQO6lmGgoaAt4XEALw_wcB

 

Edited November 22, 2022 by Mrs Tiggywinkle Again

[GailV]

Dh mentioned his biggest concern is blood loss. Pressure bandages, tourniquet, and space blanket seem very on point for that.

When she tells me about the hikes they've done she generally includes a tick report, in spite of which I hadn't thought of a tick key.

I'm really loving the list of most-used items.  We are not a hiking family so I don't have this background.

[Resilient]

Google mendikits.  

[lauraw4321]

Sam splint, Coband, gloves, writing utensil and paper, syringe (no needle - for cleaning wounds), garbage bag, iodine, lots of gauze in rolls.  Highly recommend taking a WFA course and often the instructors will provide a list. Wouldn’t use a pre-made kit. A lot depends on how weight conscious you need to be. 

[lauraw4321]

Also, each hiker should carry the 10 hiking essentials and a personal first aid kit. 
 

https://scoutingmagazine.org/2013/02/the-10-essentials/amp/

 

https://scoutlife.org/video-audio/4937/first-aid-kit-buying-guide/amp/

 

 

[HomeAgain]

I would stay away from the premade kits.  You're often getting something that is subpar.  TBH, I don't think I would make a "kit" for a person, but I would put together something like a Kaboodle or tackle box with several different things.  Throw in a small bag for her pack if you want. But there are different needs for different terrain and weather.  Having a larger box to draw from doesn't limit YOU to what she will pack, it gives her options to tailor to that day's hike.

We have a similar set up in our house.  DS's current first aid kit fits in a reusable ziploc-style bag and has meds along with things like FrogTog strips, Propel packets, allergy meds....you can tell he hasn't switched it out since late September. 😄

Encouraging her to go through her kit more often will help her keep up on expiration dates and wear/tear of material. And give her a better handle on what she needs, I think.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

I have 3 extra copies of You Alone in the Maine Woods, a guide by the Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. I would be happy to send you one to include in whatever kit you choose to do. It's a handy little guide on what to do in case you are lost or experience trouble.

[BlsdMama]

Steri strips and transparent wound dressing/cover

 

There is a wilderness first aid class that some of our Trail Life guys have taken. Just a thought. 

[Carol in Cal.]

Agree with the space blanket!

Someone who gets stuck outside, even in the summer, is likely to get extremely cold overnight.  Plus in case of a rattlesnake bite, the first thing you should do is take off the clothes for that half of the body, because it’s going to swell up fast and copiously, so if you don’t get them off right away they will be constricting and painful.  So you need something to put over yourself.

[prairiewindmomma]

I wouldn’t put it in a kaboodle or hard case. Don’t carry extra weight you don’t have to, and hard stuff doesn’t sit as nicely in a day pack. 
 

Amazon sells plenty of weight conscious empty first aid bags to build off of, or many buy a basic kit and then switch out or add components. Even a ziplock bag with other ziplocks will hold out. A lot of my kids use a gallon size freezer bag with a mix of sandwich and quart bags inside. It’s waterproof, light weight, and easy to grab.

The Sam splint can be unrolled to a flat position and slid in straight into the back of the back so it takes up less room.

 

Edited November 22, 2022 by prairiewindmomma

[Faith-manor]

We have a drawstring bag that has a commercial basic kit of supplies in a gallon baggie, and then we added to it. Tourniquet, roll of larger gauze, hand towel, two Mylar blankets inside little baggies, Mark's epipen, Immodium, water purification tablets, can't remember what else is in it off the top of my head.

[Resilient]

On 11/21/2022 at 6:20 PM, Resilient said:

Google mendikits.  

MendiTkits.  

[Eos]

Ten essentials plus the eleventh: tampons.  In our kits: glucose tabs, arnica gel, big sterile gauze, bandaids, moleskin or bubble pads for blisters, space blanket, tourniquet, triple antibiotic ointment, a couple of ibuprofen and a couple of benadryls. My game changing water purification technology this: https://www.katadyngroup.com/us/en/8019639-katadyn-befree-0.6-us~p10915.  Very light and collapsible, instant use.