You can build your own medical kit to have on hand while camping, hiking, in the car trunk, or at the workplace or home, as many commercial medical kits are bulky, overpriced, and do not contain a lot of useful gear.
To save money, consider splitting the cost of purchasing supplies for your med kit with a few friends. While having the right gear is important, it is even better to have the knowledge to use it effectively. Therefore, it is recommended that you receive training in order to understand how and when to utilize everything in your med kit. The Red Cross provides affordable First Aid and CPR classes that are widely accessible. It is advisable to choose in-person classes over online ones. If you prefer a more outdoors-oriented option that covers situations not typically covered in regular first aid courses, I personally suggest considering NOLS’ Wilderness First Aid classes or their Wilderness First Responder classes. These classes are available locally and are highly effective for learning.
Medications
To ensure proper organization, arrange your kit by placing the contents into three quart-sized Zip-Loc bags. All three bags should then be consolidated into a larger gallon-sized Zip-Loc bag. These Zip-Locs possess advantageous qualities such as being waterproof, lightweight, compact, and cost-effective. Additionally, their transparent design allows easy identification of the contents without the need to open them. When assembling your quart-sized bag for medications, be sure to include the following items.
To ensure convenience in organizing, it is advisable to possess a pill case containing a selection of common over-the-counter medications. Consider including pain relievers, anti-diarrheal drugs, antihistamines, and any regular medications. To prevent the case from unintentionally opening, secure it with a rubber band when storing. To keep track of expiration dates for each medication, transcribe the dates from the original packaging onto sticky labels and affix them to the case. This approach ensures awareness of when replacement is necessary.
This gel, which contains antihistamine, is effective in relieving insects’ bites that cause pain and stinging. Produced in a tube, After Bite is easy to use – just remove the cap and apply it to the affected area. It offers relief from various insects such as mosquitoes, fire ants, black flies, and bee stings, as well as poison ivy. Additionally, if you possess or require an EpiPen or Instant Glucose ($30), remember to include them in your medications bag as well.
If you find yourself in an emergency, it is likely that your feet will serve as your mode of transportation. If you are embarking on a lengthy outdoor journey and there is a possibility of your feet getting wet, it is wise to be ready to tackle foot fungus issues. Unattended, specific fungi can cause significant discomfort and if left untreated, they can develop into persistent health problems and potentially harm nerves. Investing in a low-cost cream in a small tube can prevent a multitude of problems in the future.
Bandages
In order to achieve the best outcome, it is important to prepare for the worst. Bandages have various purposes such as halting bleeding, covering wounds, and providing support to injured body parts. If you decide to bring multiple bandages, it may be necessary to pack some of them separately in a larger gallon-sized Zip-Loc bag. It is advisable to keep smaller items together in a quart-sized bag specifically designated for trauma gear.
Compression bandages include elastic within the fabric, allowing you to adjust and secure them tightly for immobilizing limbs and stopping bleeding. To have options in terms of size, it is advisable to bring a 2-inch Ace bandage and a 3-inch Ace bandage ($14), preferably with Velcro closures instead of cumbersome metal clips. Alternatively, you can replace the 2-inch Ace bandage with a roll of Coban ($5), which lacks Velcro but adheres to itself.
To stop bleeding in the event of a medium- to large-size wound, use these items. Purchase them in assorted sizes and individually wrapped. Avoid placing the whole box’s worth in your med kit; only include a few of different sizes, keeping them in their wrappers. Additionally, triangular, lightweight cravats ($10) have various uses, like creating slings for injured arms and absorbing blood. For closing gashes and cuts, employ Steri-Strips ($6), while a small amount of Transpore Medical Tape ($5) will secure the gauze in place.
Burns can cause immense pain; however, these pads reduce the pain substantially and also maintain the cleanliness of burnt skin areas. It is more comfortable to keep the burnt areas moist rather than covering them dry with bandages. Moreover, when you eventually need to remove the pads, they will not adhere to the burnt flesh and cause further tearing.
This piece of gauze has been treated with a hemostatic solution to enhance the clotting process and effectively stop severe bleeding more effectively than regular gauze. If you choose to carry QuikClot gauze, you can replace one of the larger pieces of standard gauze. Alternatively, there is a hemostatic powder called Celox ($30) that achieves the same outcome. Both products can be life-saving in situations involving life-threatening and excessively heavy bleeding. If you are engaging in hunting activities or expect to be in the vicinity of firearms where accidental gunshots can result in deep channel wounds, it is advisable to acquire a Celox kit ($27). This kit includes a plunger that allows you to inject the Celox powder deeply into the wound channel.
Extra Supplies
When considering the supplies to include in your personal first aid kit for backcountry recreation, think step by step.
Trauma shears
These shears have a wide, blunt tip to minimize the chances of cutting the patient when tending to an injury.
Tweezers
In the field, this is an essential item to have for addressing small cuts, scrapes, and splinters, particularly when they require added care.
Safety Pins
Ideal for securing bandage materials or the foundational layer that you have included in an impromptu splint.
NOLS Wilderness Medicine Pocket Guide
Take this fantastic lightweight and waterproof reference for the field, which allows you to carry your training with you wherever you go.
Oral Thermometer
Having an oral thermometer close at hand is helpful for monitoring temperature changes in your patient, which can indicate various conditions.
Rescue Mask
When performing CPR, we prefer to use this mask that includes a hard case for protection and a pair of gloves to establish a barrier between the user and the patient.
2nd Skin Dressings
Second Skin operates as a transparent gel bandage that acts as a shield shielding wounds. It possesses properties such as antiseptic ability, flexibility, and water resistance.
Antibiotic Ointment Packets
In order to prevent infections and facilitate the healing process of wounds, it is important to combat infections that may occur in cuts, scrapes, and burns.
Knuckle and Fingertip Fabric Bandages (Band-Aids)
Specially designed knuckle and fingertip bandages, made from a flexible fabric, are created to stretch with the movement of your knuckles and fingertips, and they are kept in place by adhesive.
3 x 4 Nonstick Gauze Pads
Gauze fabric is utilized to protect and cushion wounds, as well as to soak up blood and fluids. Its particular utility lies in dressing wounds that may otherwise adhere to a burn or cut.
Coban Wrap (7.6 cm x 4.6 m)
A self-adhering bandage or cohesive bandage is a bandage or wrap that sticks to itself but does not stick well to surfaces other than itself.
1-inch Cloth Tape
To promote healing, it is important to seal out dirt and germs. Bandages should be securely wrapped around wounds that need protection, and in the case of athletic injuries, joints should be wrapped.
SAM Splint
A SAM Splint is a splint that can be used multiple times and is waterproof for the purpose of immobilizing injured bones.
Gloves
To minimize cross contamination, use a pair of nitrile gloves and adhere to Body Substance Isolation.
12cc Irrigation Syringe
This can be utilized for wound cleaning purposes, as it aids in the removal of dirt and debris from a wound without making direct contact with it.
Povidone-iodine Solution
Take care of minor wounds and infections by eradicating bacteria.
Antiseptic Towelettes
Prevent the spread of germs and keep your hands clean by using these convenient wipes!
Sterile Scrub Brush
Maximize the cleansing process without inducing any skin irritation.
Wound Closure Strips
Use this to secure, close, and provide support for small cuts and wounds.
Tincture of Benzoin Swabs
It forms a natural adhesive layer on your skin, facilitating better adhesion and longer retention of bandages.
Moleskin Dressings
Ideal for creating personalized finger cuffs, as well as minimizing friction between the skin and blisters.
