Mt Whitney Zone Forums General Discussion First Aid Kit

Good morning my friends!!

A nice walk in the desert/mountains along a small section of the PCT this weekend has me re-examining my gear (again). One of the main points of interest is my first aid kit.

What do you guys tend to carry in your first aid kit for back country adventures?

Thanks for the input!
Chris

Ibuprofen, and everything you need for blisters. I am a popper (of both Ibuprofen and blisters.)

Hi Chris,

Something I learned packing bags for the medics: go BIG and go small. All of the needs that I ever encountered were either blisters or puncture wounds. I carry an assortment of blister care/band-aids, but I also carry several sanitary napkins that double as "battle wound" dressing/gauze wrap for pressure. A small squeeze bottle for wash. The rest is variations on the usual Hydro perox for irrigation, neo-sporin, pills, etc, however, I still believe that the most important item is the 'battle dressing' because it can cover from moderate to severe injuries.

Pretty much what was said above. I carry a lot of gauze and things that can double as gauze, along with some pills that I know how and when to use.

I think the biggest thing that hikers get hung up on when it comes to first aid kits is trying to have everything that they could possibly need. Having everything that you could possibly need is useless if you don't know how to use it. So ditch the stuff that you don't know how to use, because you stand a good chance of making a situation worse by trying to learn on the fly.

I carry a cut and blister kit separately, in an easy access pocket. Alcohol swabs, hand sanitizer wipes, med tape, small amount of duct tape, various blister treatments, moleskin, a few small and medium bandaids, and anti-biotic cream. I use this kit fairly often for myself, co-hikers or unprepared strangers.

Then I pack a second kit deeper in the pack that I rarely touch. Large bandages, lots of gauze, butterfly bandages, safety pins, pain meds, etc for a more serious injury. Knock on wood, I've never used much from this kit.

This reminds me, I need to go through this stuff and replace the expired items.

For desert hiking, you may want to include sunburn lotion, salt tabs and electrolytes.

A couple doctors post regularly, and probably some other medical people who should put in their $0.02. I'm not a doctor, and I don't play one on TV.

You just do not carry a first aid for yourself...unfortunately. You carry it for everyone around you.

I have used my more for others than myself from simple items; such as, moleskin and Compeed to various OTC drugs.

You have to be able to stop bleeding and this means some combination of roll gauze, pad and some highly absorbent pad...like a feminine napkin and a way to slow down an allergic reason...Benydryl.

This is the strength of my first aid kit.

I have never had to use my first aid kit on myself. However, the most striking example (that made it all stick together in my head all these years) was on a trip to Zion NP when I was a young teen.

We were hiking to the Emerald Pools upper pool and someone had had an accident off the trail. I didn't see the injured person but know that it was significant enough that they sent for a Ranger for evac. My Momma always made sure we had a fully stocked first aid kit in our daypacks and she stayed behind the rest of our group to render assistance to the injured person until the Rangers arrived.

I have basic first aid, CPR and Wilderness first aid certs.

I carry a mouth shield (for CPR), gloves, basic bandages and wraps, moleskin, ibuprofen and Benadryl, first aide ointment and antiseptic wipes, and some styptic powder. Tweezers and nail clippers.

I do something similar. OTC painkillers and small bandages in an easy access place (mini first aid on my gear list), then a second kit in the bottom of my pack(emergency kit on my gear list).

Packing List: Summer Day Hike



I just started carrying this:
Quikclot Sport Brand Advanced Clotting Sponge

That is along the same lines as what I have. We started using something similar for my son last wrestling season to stop nose bleeds and found it so effective that I put some in my first aid kit.

Ordered one on Amazon. Thanks.