Essential items Antiseptic wipes, antibacterial ointments, various bandages, gauze bandages of various sizes, medical tape, moleskin or another type of bladder treatment, ibuprofen (or another preferred pain reliever), insect bite treatment. If you’re in snake territory, don’t forget to throw in three elastic compression bandages and learn how to use them. As a lifelong boy scout and scout leader, I’ve probably designed and carried more than 30 unique first aid kits over the years.. I say “designed” because — in most cases — retail first aid kits aren’t specific enough for backpacking trips — there’s a lack of some essential care supplies and they’re generally not suitable for hiking due to their size and weight..
With that in mind, I wanted to show you how to put together a first aid kit for hikes and backpacking trips that will keep you safe and ensure you’re prepared for your next trip.. You don’t have time to put together your own first aid kit for hikes? The medical adventure. While certain items such as bandages are generally needed, your medical history and general physical condition should be useful when planning your first aid kit.. This may include certain medications or equipment..
For example, if you’re taking blood thinners and are prone to bleeding, extra gauze, bandages, or blood stop may be essential and only included in your kit. Some items in your FAK are packaged for all types of travelers, while others can be added or removed from your next trip, depending on your profile.. For example, if you’re wandering from town to town, you only need items for the core trauma, as medical help is just a few miles away.. If you’re backpacking to remote areas where care may be a day or more away, it’s important that your FAK is prepared for both trauma and sustainable care..
If you’re traveling in a group, larger kits (with double accessories) may be required. Even if each person in a group carries an individual first aid kit, it may be useful to bring additional equipment for the group that they can share, depending on your travel profile and your overall access to medical care.. If you’ve followed my hikes or read my blog posts, you might know that I never hike without my Garmin inReach GPS Personal Rescue Communicator.. In addition to its GPS features, the Garmin inReach Personal Rescue is an indispensable life-saving device. It gives you instant access to emergency and emergency services in every country as well as the option to text message directly with first responders to assess your situation and plan care..
I’ve carried the Garmin inReach all over the world and I highly recommend that you bring a bidirectional satellite communicator for all hiking trips. The life you save could be your own. To learn more about the Garmin inReach GPS Rescue Communicator, check out my full device review blog post. If you haven’t been trained in first aid (or if it’s been a few years since you were trained), I suggest that you take a first aid certification course, such as those offered by NOLS, the Red Cross, the Boy Scouts of America, or adventure retailer REI. From practical advice on treating cuts and scratches to full NOLS certification courses for wilderness first aid, the offerings near you or online ensure that you’re prepared for routine situations and can identify when expert medical care is needed..
Small packages of these first aid supplies are available online to make a DIY kit or to refill a first aid kit. Although no retail set is perfect for all hiking tours, the Adventure Medical. For hikers in the US who may not be familiar with Compeed, it is often available on Amazon or local retailers as a hydrocolloid dressing.. Compeed bandages provide a padded layer to protect skin and bladder areas from infections.
Another unusual item in my kit is my metatarsal pads.. Since I often have painful foot pads after hiking on concrete or stone paths for a long time, I find that these are the best preventative in my kit for stone bruises. To find out more about my recommended gear and the hacks I use when hiking, including my recommended packing lists for the Camino de Santiago or other hiking trails, please visit the EQUIPMENT section of this blog. A big part of being prepared for anything is, of course, keeping your vital supplies safe and handy. That’s why first aid dry bags are the smart option.
You can buy pre-made kits, like the ones from Adventure Medical kits, but you may need to supplement these kits with additional equipment, such as. B. prescription medications that you take and medicines for conditions specific to the hikers in your group (e.g.. B. epinephrine pen for people with allergies to bee stings).. It’s hard not to love these kits for their charm, and the Excursion is an excellent refill for any hiking or backpacking gear.. A first aid kit is not only one of the 10 most important things when hiking and for emergencies along the way, but is also great for treating minor blisters, burns, and cuts that are unavoidable when hiking and backpacking.. Whether you decide to buy a pre-made first aid kit or want to put together your own, it’s important that you follow our hiking first aid checklist below to make sure you have everything you need for a complete kit.
Hopefully, you’ll avoid having to use your day hike first aid kit for wound care, but blisters, cuts, scratches, and minor burns can sometimes be unavoidable when hiking or backpacking.. It’s important to invest in a portable, lightweight hiking first aid kit that you can store in your backpack for big and small trips.. From knowing how to treat a small wound to using equipment correctly and safely, a do-it-yourself first aid kit when hiking is no substitute for proper training. A mobile phone is great for day hikes in popular areas (make sure you have service before you set off on your hike).
In addition to a sophisticated first aid kit, taking a wilderness first aid course is a great idea for people who often hike. Pack for your environment, for example; when backpacking in the desert, bring tweezers with 26 pieces of tape to remove cactus spines.
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