lightweight first aid kits

[forrest_m]

This came up on another topic, and I'm curious... For a long time, I carried no first aid kit at all, assuming I could improvise whatever I needed. Later experience (mostly vicarious, thankfully) made me decide that this was self deception, and I now carry a very minimal first aid kit most of the time. We all joke about the 10 essentials (or 50 or 1), but I'd like to know what other people consider the minimum acceptable emergency gear. Here's what I carry -

- 2 maxi-pads for blood absorption

- Half a roll of athletic tape

- Some band aids and 4x4 sterile bandages

- Painkillers (ibuprofin, but i'd like to supplement with a couple percoset or something similarly strong for last resort)

- A stubby pencil and one o' them accident report forms

plus, I also usually have a couple of those chemical handwarmers and a small lighter.

[Cpt.Caveman]

tiny chem lites are useful like raver style in the mountains if you got some shrooms.

If you aint got the lighter you aint smokin the bud ~ nuf about that. Weed is way better for pain than pills.

Tiny scissors can be useful as well.

Wintertime you can carry a leatherman or other brand tool similar for crampons and other shit as well that might include your scissors etc.

bright orange whistle

[This message has been edited by Cpt.Caveman (edited 08-31-2001).]

[miker]

I have the same first aid kit right down to the percocet, but I also have the neosporin for when you get those nice scraped up hands and then stick them in a pile of bat guano sitting on a ledge. You can substitute whatever the grossest thing you ever grabbed in this spot, decaying wallrat, human shit......

miker

[Beck]

earplugs and a some perscription painkillers

[haireball]

add a watch, if you don't normally wear one. Its nearly impossible to track vital signs without one. and if the damage is bad enough to use a watch to monitor vitals, you need a cell phone, too.

[EddieE]

maxi-pads

duct tape

saran wrap

ibuprofen

whistle

and wilderness emergency med training.

[Rafael_H]

quote:

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Originally posted by EddieE:

...

saran wrap

...

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Never heard off this but sounds logical. Have you used it? What for and how do you keep it?

[glacier_dup1]

I've taken a standard 'backpacker' type kit and upgunned it with additional 2x3 and 4x4 pads, steri-strips (or butterfly bandages), a wound management kit (basically a syringe and saline tablets for washing out wounds or eyes), plus some extra latex/nitrile gloves, and a cpr mouth shield. Add a tube of triple antibiotic- Micatracin (sp?) and some betadine - especially useful for cleaning out road rash/rock burn. Toss the micro-scissors they put in those kits and add a decent pair of bandage or EMT scissors - they are only $5-10 and go through clothes, tape, webbing, etc. like butter. Of course, as one of the other posters noted - proper training - A 3-day wilderness oriented first aid or the week-long W.O. first responder - is probably the most critical part of your kit.

[pms]

I like to include the Pocket Doctor by Stephen Bezruchka for most trips. It's small (4"x6", 4oz) and is an amazing rescource. A to Z type of thing.

[therock]

I include some heavy duty pain killer from my dentist. He says the shit is good for about 4 years even though the bottle and pharmacist says 1 year. They tell you that to sell more shit. If you can't get that then get some Ludes.

[bobinc]

Ditto on the Betadine or Hibiclens. Also, although it's bulky, an Ace bandage is extremely useful if you have a bad ankle or knee (or anticipate getting one). Add a few antacid tabs in with the Vitamin I (ibuprofen).

If you get the right multi-tool (eg Gerber Lite), there's good scissors right on it and it doesn't weigh a ton.

[highclimb]

For most short day trips: cell phone, asprin, maybe some big bandads

 

[slothrop]

quote:

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Originally posted by Rafael H:

Never heard off this but sounds logical. Have you used it? What for and how do you keep it?

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saran wrap is useful for covering sucking chest wounds (to keep air from leaking in and putting pressure on your lungs) or abdominal wounds (to keep air from drying out your guts).

[EddieE]

saran wrap is also good for sealing off bigger open wounds after bleeding stops.