First Aid Kits
09 May 2012 11:50 - 09 May 2012 11:57 #53794
by HappyCamper
First Aid Kits was created by HappyCamper
Hi all,
I am new to this forum and have found it very interesting.
First Aid Kits are a necessity seldom discussed in hiking circles, and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to gain some insight into what others think.
I have always hiked with a FAK, initially a basic store bought one, but with time I found it to be too limited. However, the kit I now carry is almost 1kg and I question whether it may be overkill.
I have seldom had to use it other than for blisters, the odd pain-killer and some strapping for sore knees. It is the unknown eventualities that worry me, and keep me slogging the thing around.
My Kit is part FAK and part survival kit, and consists of:
1x medium FAK bag
2x crepe bandages in different sizes
4x gauze patches in different sizes
1x Zinc oxide tape
1x surgical tape
1x pair of scissors
2x pairs of surgical gloves
1x eye bath
1x eye patch and gauze
1x burnshield gel sachet
1x emergency blanket
15x elastoplast plasters
1x heavy duty needle and thread (for blisters, stitches, and gear repairs)
10x ear buds
1x bottle of glycerine (for treating chaffing, and for starting fires)
1x bottle of KMNO4/Potassium permanganate crystals (disinfectant, water treatment and fire starter)
1x venom pump
A variety of mild to strong analgesics, anti inflammatory's, antihistamines, Immodium and Valoid.
I have done a few first aid courses, (I believe everyone should attend one, especially if you are planning to spend time in remote areas) and know how to administer basic life saving treatments if necessary. Most of the items have multiple uses and I have tried to keep the weight down, however it is very heavy and I do not want to remove any more items in case I/or someone else one day needs it.
What do you carry, and do you have any suggestions for lightning up the kit?
I am new to this forum and have found it very interesting.
First Aid Kits are a necessity seldom discussed in hiking circles, and I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to gain some insight into what others think.
I have always hiked with a FAK, initially a basic store bought one, but with time I found it to be too limited. However, the kit I now carry is almost 1kg and I question whether it may be overkill.
I have seldom had to use it other than for blisters, the odd pain-killer and some strapping for sore knees. It is the unknown eventualities that worry me, and keep me slogging the thing around.
My Kit is part FAK and part survival kit, and consists of:
1x medium FAK bag
2x crepe bandages in different sizes
4x gauze patches in different sizes
1x Zinc oxide tape
1x surgical tape
1x pair of scissors
2x pairs of surgical gloves
1x eye bath
1x eye patch and gauze
1x burnshield gel sachet
1x emergency blanket
15x elastoplast plasters
1x heavy duty needle and thread (for blisters, stitches, and gear repairs)
10x ear buds
1x bottle of glycerine (for treating chaffing, and for starting fires)
1x bottle of KMNO4/Potassium permanganate crystals (disinfectant, water treatment and fire starter)
1x venom pump
A variety of mild to strong analgesics, anti inflammatory's, antihistamines, Immodium and Valoid.
I have done a few first aid courses, (I believe everyone should attend one, especially if you are planning to spend time in remote areas) and know how to administer basic life saving treatments if necessary. Most of the items have multiple uses and I have tried to keep the weight down, however it is very heavy and I do not want to remove any more items in case I/or someone else one day needs it.
What do you carry, and do you have any suggestions for lightning up the kit?
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Last edit: 09 May 2012 11:57 by intrepid. Reason: embedded image
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09 May 2012 12:15 #53796
by ghaznavid
Replied by ghaznavid on topic Re: First Aid Kits
I carry the following:
- a few cotton swabs
- 3 different types of plasters
- 1 bandage
- a bottle of headache pills
- tweezers
- scissors
- antiseptic cream
- rehydrate
- water purification pills
- powdered charcoal for snake bites
If I need a splint I can use my trekking pole which dismantles into 3 parts.
- a few cotton swabs
- 3 different types of plasters
- 1 bandage
- a bottle of headache pills
- tweezers
- scissors
- antiseptic cream
- rehydrate
- water purification pills
- powdered charcoal for snake bites
If I need a splint I can use my trekking pole which dismantles into 3 parts.
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09 May 2012 12:24 #53797
by tiska
Replied by tiska on topic Re: First Aid Kits
Hi HC - welcome to the forum.
I think you are well on the comprehensive side of things. I've only ever taken a handfull of *good* *really sticky* *and tested* plasters and the strongest painkillers we could find - so weighing in around 100g all in.
We've had a few things go wrong (e.g. friend broke his wrist quite badly climbing something daft with me in the far N.Berg, I took a boulder on the chin trying an equally daft route in Rockeries etc etc) and nothing apart from the painkillers would have helped much. In the Rockeries, I just tied the cleanest sock I could find round my chin and let it bleed itself clean - taking care not to look till we were back in town. Medics said that was the right thing to do. My climbing partner with the broken wrist walked out while I carried both bags - hard to know who suffered the most. Even after these incidents we still just carried the plaster and pills. Trick is to learn when you're vulnerable and look sharp - e.g. boiling water spilled on feet. And know you're own weaknesses.
I think you are well on the comprehensive side of things. I've only ever taken a handfull of *good* *really sticky* *and tested* plasters and the strongest painkillers we could find - so weighing in around 100g all in.
We've had a few things go wrong (e.g. friend broke his wrist quite badly climbing something daft with me in the far N.Berg, I took a boulder on the chin trying an equally daft route in Rockeries etc etc) and nothing apart from the painkillers would have helped much. In the Rockeries, I just tied the cleanest sock I could find round my chin and let it bleed itself clean - taking care not to look till we were back in town. Medics said that was the right thing to do. My climbing partner with the broken wrist walked out while I carried both bags - hard to know who suffered the most. Even after these incidents we still just carried the plaster and pills. Trick is to learn when you're vulnerable and look sharp - e.g. boiling water spilled on feet. And know you're own weaknesses.
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11 May 2012 07:16 #53823
by spook
Replied by spook on topic Re: First Aid Kits
I addition to plasters and strong pain killers mentioned by mnt_tiska, I typically also pack a few buscopans and motiliums (for stomach cramps and nausea), cataflam (v. good painkiller and anti-inflammatory), a tube of bactroban, some burn gel and a small suture scalpel (for thorns and other minor surgery). This keeps the FAK small and light but covers the most likely ailments.
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21 May 2012 18:08 #53971
by intrepid
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
Replied by intrepid on topic Re: First Aid Kits
In order to lighten the weight of your kit get a different bag for starters. I have the exact same one you have in the photo but now use it for my car's first aid kit. The bag alone is almost 200g if I remember correctly. You can find something lighter and save 100-150g.
I do not carry anything for snake bite treatment. Most of the advice I'm reading these days has made a full circle and basically says there isn't much you can for direct treatment on the scene, other than keeping the patient calm.
I find that most of my kit is used for non-critical treatment that makes the person needing it a little more comfortable and able to continue the hike without affecting the route/plans. And if you are leading a group you typically need to cater more for others than yourself.
The most typical non-critical treatment needs I encounter are injured/strained knees and ankles, and blisters. I carry a wider assortment of strapping tape and bandages because of that. If people in my group have new boots or are new to hiking/Berg then I proactively get them to buy their own wide, stiff strapping tape (the sticky type) and to strap up their heals from the start. Obviously I carry the same tape as back-up. Bandages are also great for treating blisters that have already formed - strapping up the foot seems to provide soft but firm padding that alleviates the pain. I've had to strap up many knees and ankles due to strains due and this has enabled many to complete the hike, so don't skimp on these.
And a small role of duct-tape is always in my kit too. It's really good strapping tape and can also be used to fix broken hiking poles, broken boots (where the soles are coming off), and ripped seats of hiking pants - all real life scenarios.
The space blanket is only handy for day hikes, or if you intend stashing most of your gear and doing a side trip somewhere as part of your overnight hike. Because if you have your full pack on you all of the time, then you have warm clothes and sleeping bags with you and the space blanket is redundant.
My kit is typically arranged into an essential/critical day trip component which always goes with me, and an overnight component which stays with the rest of my gear if I stash it somewhere. The overnight component has more quantity of items which are already in the day trip component, and several other items, extending the usefulness. For groups bigger than my usual size (4-6) I simply increase the amount of existing items but store these in a separate bag as a supplement.
Hope this helps.
I do not carry anything for snake bite treatment. Most of the advice I'm reading these days has made a full circle and basically says there isn't much you can for direct treatment on the scene, other than keeping the patient calm.
I find that most of my kit is used for non-critical treatment that makes the person needing it a little more comfortable and able to continue the hike without affecting the route/plans. And if you are leading a group you typically need to cater more for others than yourself.
The most typical non-critical treatment needs I encounter are injured/strained knees and ankles, and blisters. I carry a wider assortment of strapping tape and bandages because of that. If people in my group have new boots or are new to hiking/Berg then I proactively get them to buy their own wide, stiff strapping tape (the sticky type) and to strap up their heals from the start. Obviously I carry the same tape as back-up. Bandages are also great for treating blisters that have already formed - strapping up the foot seems to provide soft but firm padding that alleviates the pain. I've had to strap up many knees and ankles due to strains due and this has enabled many to complete the hike, so don't skimp on these.
And a small role of duct-tape is always in my kit too. It's really good strapping tape and can also be used to fix broken hiking poles, broken boots (where the soles are coming off), and ripped seats of hiking pants - all real life scenarios.
The space blanket is only handy for day hikes, or if you intend stashing most of your gear and doing a side trip somewhere as part of your overnight hike. Because if you have your full pack on you all of the time, then you have warm clothes and sleeping bags with you and the space blanket is redundant.
My kit is typically arranged into an essential/critical day trip component which always goes with me, and an overnight component which stays with the rest of my gear if I stash it somewhere. The overnight component has more quantity of items which are already in the day trip component, and several other items, extending the usefulness. For groups bigger than my usual size (4-6) I simply increase the amount of existing items but store these in a separate bag as a supplement.
Hope this helps.
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
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