There comes a moment on every Wilderness Medicine Institute of NOLS course I teach, literally every one, where an earnest and well-intentioned student approaches to ask which first-aid kit they should buy.
With apologies to all these terrific and beautiful people, the answer is quite simple: How the heck should I know? It's not a question anyone could answer for another person, any more than they could tell you which state you should live in, or which national park you should visit or what you should eat when you get there.
The more meaningful question is, what factors should you consider when you are shopping for a first-aid kit? Now that's something I can help you with!
• How many people will rely upon your kit, and for how long? A good place to start. Obviously, more people and a longer trip will warrant a larger supply of first-aid materials.
• Will the kit be the only source of first-aid supplies? On my expeditions, for example, I carry a substantial first-aid kit but each group member also carries a "blister kit" I've prepared for them, lightening my load. Perhaps you may also be able to divide materials among several people.
• What is the activity you're planning for? You won't need as many of my blister kits if you're planning a river-rafting trip, now will you?
• Do you or anyone in your party have special medical requirements? Plan ahead for individuals who have weak ankles (extra tape), who snore a lot (earplugs) or who need to bring all the medicine and equipment needed to manage their diabetes. Every group is different.
• Where are you going? Your location will suggest specific needs, too, whether it's extra sunburn cream or poison ivy lotion or snake repellent. (Please don't email me about snake repellent, friends, I am joking!)
• What access will you have to definitive medical care? In other words, if something more serious occurs, for how long might you need to care for a patient before you can get them to a hospital? A more remote trip demands greater self-reliance.
Now that you've considered these questions, you are in a much better position to choose an appropriate kit. WMI of NOLS has researched the economics of this issue and concluded that, in general, it is cheaper to purchase a ready-made kit and tweak it than it is to put together your own kit, piecemeal.
But, since the theme of this article is that it's up to you, please prove me wrong! I promise to be impressed. For the rest of us, please note that REI offers an array of quality first-aid kits and supplies.
Look for these things in any kit you consider:
More of these:
Adhesive bandages
3 x 4 and 4 x 4 nonstick gauze pads
Medical gloves
Antiseptic towelettes
Antibiotic ointment packets
Moleskin dressings
Blister dressings
1-inch or 2-inch cloth tape
Fewer of these:
Safety pins
"2nd Skin" burn dressings
Wound closure strips
Tincture of benzoin swabs
Transparent film dressings
Triangular bandages
Maybe one of each of these:
Trauma shears
Tweezers
Note-taking supplies
Oral thermometer
CPR mask
Emergency blanket
"Coban" wrap (7.6cm x 4.6m)
Wire or "SAM" splint
12cc irrigation syringe
Povidone-iodine solution
3-inch conforming roll gauze
4- to 6-inch elastic "ACE" wrap
Definitely none of these:
Sharp and scary things that you don't actually know how to use, like scalpels, syringes and suture kits you found on eBay.
Once you've made your purchase, be sure to look through the kit and check that you know how to use every item in it. Take out what you don't want or need, add in what's missing. The best practice is to do this before each trip—less chance of reaching for your kit in a time of need only to discover a pouch full of expired antibiotics and used Band-aid wrappers. I think you know what I mean.
In the end, of course, it's up to you. The World's Best First-Aid Kit is available, for sure. You just have to configure it for yourself.
_____
To learn more about wilderness medicine, visit WMI of NOLS. For an excellent list of even more first-aid supplies, see the REI First-Aid Checklist. See also the REI Expert Advice article, How to Choose a First-Aid Kit, for more information.
With apologies to all these terrific and beautiful people, the answer is quite simple: How the heck should I know? It's not a question anyone could answer for another person, any more than they could tell you which state you should live in, or which national park you should visit or what you should eat when you get there. The more meaningful question is, what factors should you consider when you are shopping for a first-aid kit? Now that's something I can help you with!
• How many people will rely upon your kit, and for how long? A good place to start. Obviously, more people and a longer trip will warrant a larger supply of first-aid materials.
• Will the kit be the only source of first-aid supplies? On my expeditions, for example, I carry a substantial first-aid kit but each group member also carries a "blister kit" I've prepared for them, lightening my load. Perhaps you may also be able to divide materials among several people.
• What is the activity you're planning for? You won't need as many of my blister kits if you're planning a river-rafting trip, now will you?
• Do you or anyone in your party have special medical requirements? Plan ahead for individuals who have weak ankles (extra tape), who snore a lot (earplugs) or who need to bring all the medicine and equipment needed to manage their diabetes. Every group is different.
• Where are you going? Your location will suggest specific needs, too, whether it's extra sunburn cream or poison ivy lotion or snake repellent. (Please don't email me about snake repellent, friends, I am joking!)
• What access will you have to definitive medical care? In other words, if something more serious occurs, for how long might you need to care for a patient before you can get them to a hospital? A more remote trip demands greater self-reliance.
Now that you've considered these questions, you are in a much better position to choose an appropriate kit. WMI of NOLS has researched the economics of this issue and concluded that, in general, it is cheaper to purchase a ready-made kit and tweak it than it is to put together your own kit, piecemeal.
But, since the theme of this article is that it's up to you, please prove me wrong! I promise to be impressed. For the rest of us, please note that REI offers an array of quality first-aid kits and supplies.
Look for these things in any kit you consider:
More of these:
Adhesive bandages
3 x 4 and 4 x 4 nonstick gauze pads
Medical gloves
Antiseptic towelettes
Antibiotic ointment packets
Moleskin dressings
Blister dressings
1-inch or 2-inch cloth tape
Fewer of these:
Safety pins
"2nd Skin" burn dressings
Wound closure strips
Tincture of benzoin swabs
Transparent film dressings
Triangular bandages
Maybe one of each of these:
Trauma shears
Tweezers
Note-taking supplies
Oral thermometer
CPR mask
Emergency blanket
"Coban" wrap (7.6cm x 4.6m)
Wire or "SAM" splint
12cc irrigation syringe
Povidone-iodine solution
3-inch conforming roll gauze
4- to 6-inch elastic "ACE" wrap
Definitely none of these:
Sharp and scary things that you don't actually know how to use, like scalpels, syringes and suture kits you found on eBay.
Once you've made your purchase, be sure to look through the kit and check that you know how to use every item in it. Take out what you don't want or need, add in what's missing. The best practice is to do this before each trip—less chance of reaching for your kit in a time of need only to discover a pouch full of expired antibiotics and used Band-aid wrappers. I think you know what I mean.
In the end, of course, it's up to you. The World's Best First-Aid Kit is available, for sure. You just have to configure it for yourself.
_____
To learn more about wilderness medicine, visit WMI of NOLS. For an excellent list of even more first-aid supplies, see the REI First-Aid Checklist. See also the REI Expert Advice article, How to Choose a First-Aid Kit, for more information.
Ratings and Comments
Might seem silly, but I actually bought a NOLS WMI field guide. It's small, lightweight and durable. I have a copy I keep backpacking, one in my home first aid kit, and one in my car first aid kit. It's great to have a reference for when you forget or just need a refresher.
And I even keep a blister kit in my backpack/purse wherever I go just in case those new pair of shoes decide to give me grief.
I would have to say, the best medical first aid kit out there is the one you know how to use. You could buy all kinds of high tech first aid equipment, but if you cant use it, it becomes useless.
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