Wilderness first aid kits, lets here what ya got

[fillthefreezer]

i think alot of people go way overboard on emergency kits. its important to keep the items packed relevant to issues likely to occur and within your skillset to address. also items than could compromise the mission at hand.
my kit contains suunto compass, storm matches, bic, 3 zip ties, pills (aleve, advil pm, claritin), tape(duct, lueko), crazy glue, mylar blanket, potable aqua, 2 trioxane tablets, spare waist buckle, petzl e-lite, 25' 550 cord all in a kifaru KU medium pull out.
this kit is always in my pack, dayhunting, hiking or a week long backcountry hunt. total weight 13.75oz.
additional items not in this kit, but relevant to the topic would be zebralight headlamp, kershaw folding knife, another bic in my pocket, and longer trips i will throw in a spare lithium battery for my headlamp.

[Hunter mike]

As a paramedic, I'll say there are things you can fix and things you can't in the back country (and mostly, things you can temporarily help but will need more treatment when you get out).  Carry what you're comfortable with, but I would never have 2 lbs for just first aid.  That said, I will have to be Macgyver for certain situations.  Practice making a tournequet out of an old shirt, same with bulky dressings.  You can have 6 oz of gauze or an extra pair of underwear - I know what I'd choose 3 days in

Here's what I carry:

1) Benedryl (about 15-20) - as mentioned above, will do you better than an Epi-pen (should have both if you are known to have severe reactions IMO).
2) Ibuprofen (duh)
3) Immodium (new addition after last season , don't know why I didn't think of it sooner).
4) Bandaids
5) Transpore IV tape (about the only thing that sticks for a decent amount of time even when you sweat a bit)
6) Zip ties (can be first aid for you, your pack, or other gear.  Will secure a bulky dressing or make a crude tourniquet with something bulkier/soft beneath)
7) Liquid bandage (could be super glue as well but liquid bandage eliminates need for neosporin if you get the disinfectant type)
More than adequate sleep/clothing system (and keep extra clothes with you!  You're more likely to die of hypothermia/exposure than anything else you can help.  I also carry a reflective emergency blanket).
9) Personal Locator Beacon (this covers the "everything else." 5oz. but makes my wife feel better and nice to know I don't have to lay out with a broken leg for 3 days if something happens the first day.  I prefer the beacon over a SPOT or Inreach to preserve the wilderness spirit and not just sitting up there texting).


For me, it's more about knowing how to improvise with the stuff you're bringing anyways than carrying a lot of first aid specific stuff. 

[NWBREW]

I had a heart attack in November (in between hunts thankfully) and I now carry a small bottle of chewable baby aspirin. Could give you just a little extra time when you need it the most.

[longwalker]

you need to be realistic about what you can actually treat in a true wilderness. and honestly its not much. anything really really serious your not going to have the stuff or ability to treat anyway.

i carry pain killers (perks and oxy) so if i brake something i can dope myself up enough to walk out on it if need be.
8oo mg ibuprofen for day to day aches and pains if needed
blood clot powder
duct tape
Imodium
benidril
mole skin
contact solution.

the whole kit weighs like 10 oz and fits in a small pull out. ive got para cord in other areas of my full kit so i don't count that. lets face it your not carrying a defibrillator around with you. if your gunna go out there your gunna go. its just part of the risk

 

[dscubame]

As a paramedic, I'll say there are things you can fix and things you can't in the back country (and mostly, things you can temporarily help but will need more treatment when you get out).  Carry what you're comfortable with, but I would never have 2 lbs for just first aid.  That said, I will have to be Macgyver for certain situations.  Practice making a tournequet out of an old shirt, same with bulky dressings.  You can have 6 oz of gauze or an extra pair of underwear - I know what I'd choose 3 days in

Here's what I carry:

1) Benedryl (about 15-20) - as mentioned above, will do you better than an Epi-pen (should have both if you are known to have severe reactions IMO).
2) Ibuprofen (duh)
3) Immodium (new addition after last season , don't know why I didn't think of it sooner).
4) Bandaids
5) Transpore IV tape (about the only thing that sticks for a decent amount of time even when you sweat a bit)
6) Zip ties (can be first aid for you, your pack, or other gear.  Will secure a bulky dressing or make a crude tourniquet with something bulkier/soft beneath)
7) Liquid bandage (could be super glue as well but liquid bandage eliminates need for neosporin if you get the disinfectant type)
More than adequate sleep/clothing system (and keep extra clothes with you!  You're more likely to die of hypothermia/exposure than anything else you can help.  I also carry a reflective emergency blanket).
9) Personal Locator Beacon (this covers the "everything else." 5oz. but makes my wife feel better and nice to know I don't have to lay out with a broken leg for 3 days if something happens the first day.  I prefer the beacon over a SPOT or Inreach to preserve the wilderness spirit and not just sitting up there texting).


For me, it's more about knowing how to improvise with the stuff you're bringing anyways than carrying a lot of first aid specific stuff.

Hunter Mike.  With your background would you chime in with your thoughts on quick clot?  I looked into it briefly at Cabelas the other day but it seemed bulky and on the heavy side so I wondered if there was a better option somewhere else.  Now I am wondering if it is even necessary.  Thanks in advance.

[dscubame]

you need to be realistic about what you can actually treat in a true wilderness. and honestly its not much. anything really really serious your not going to have the stuff or ability to treat anyway.

i carry pain killers (perks and oxy) so if i brake something i can dope myself up enough to walk out on it if need be.
8oo mg ibuprofen for day to day aches and pains if needed
blood clot powder
duct tape
Imodium
benidril
mole skin
contact solution.

the whole kit weighs like 10 oz and fits in a small pull out. ive got para cord in other areas of my full kit so i don't count that. lets face it your not carrying a defibrillator around with you. if your gunna go out there your gunna go. its just part of the risk

Where did you pick up the clot powder?

[longwalker]

pretty sure sportsmans but i know you can get it on amazon. i have one of the sport packs (small vac packed). ive never used it but i hear it burns like hell

[dscubame]

pretty sure sportsmans but i know you can get it on amazon. i have one of the sport packs (small vac packed). ive never used it but i hear it burns like hell

Cool thanks.  Sportsman has the outdoor show in Spokane next Tuesday and I will take a look.

[danderson]

  Some great ideas thanks guys, keep them coming, like has been mentioned before, this kit should be bare bones minimum, nothing but the most valuable items when the sheet hits the fan, goal of 5 ounces of the most important items a person needs to include in a wilderness first aid kit, a friend of mine once stated that when your packing for an extended hike or back country hunt/excursion your actually carrying your fears on your back, a person could head out unprepared but I'm not willing to take that risk, More ideas please.

 

[Hunter mike]

As a paramedic, I'll say there are things you can fix and things you can't in the back country (and mostly, things you can temporarily help but will need more treatment when you get out).  Carry what you're comfortable with, but I would never have 2 lbs for just first aid.  That said, I will have to be Macgyver for certain situations.  Practice making a tournequet out of an old shirt, same with bulky dressings.  You can have 6 oz of gauze or an extra pair of underwear - I know what I'd choose 3 days in

Here's what I carry:

1) Benedryl (about 15-20) - as mentioned above, will do you better than an Epi-pen (should have both if you are known to have severe reactions IMO).
2) Ibuprofen (duh)
3) Immodium (new addition after last season , don't know why I didn't think of it sooner).
4) Bandaids
5) Transpore IV tape (about the only thing that sticks for a decent amount of time even when you sweat a bit)
6) Zip ties (can be first aid for you, your pack, or other gear.  Will secure a bulky dressing or make a crude tourniquet with something bulkier/soft beneath)
7) Liquid bandage (could be super glue as well but liquid bandage eliminates need for neosporin if you get the disinfectant type)
More than adequate sleep/clothing system (and keep extra clothes with you!  You're more likely to die of hypothermia/exposure than anything else you can help.  I also carry a reflective emergency blanket).
9) Personal Locator Beacon (this covers the "everything else." 5oz. but makes my wife feel better and nice to know I don't have to lay out with a broken leg for 3 days if something happens the first day.  I prefer the beacon over a SPOT or Inreach to preserve the wilderness spirit and not just sitting up there texting).


For me, it's more about knowing how to improvise with the stuff you're bringing anyways than carrying a lot of first aid specific stuff.

Hunter Mike.  With your background would you chime in with your thoughts on quick clot?  I looked into it briefly at Cabelas the other day but it seemed bulky and on the heavy side so I wondered if there was a better option somewhere else.  Now I am wondering if it is even necessary.  Thanks in advance.

Honestly, I've never actually used the stuff.  We carry it in our tactical kits (for mass shooting type events), but on day to day calls it's just standard guaze, direct pressure, and hope for the best.  I haven't had a bleed yet (other than internal of course) that I can't stop or at least significantly slow, but I've definitely had to use pressure and extra sets of hands in ways that would probably not work in the backcountry.  I've heard good things about it though and the military wouldn't be carrying it unless it was a potential life saver.

I really look at things from the viewpoint of what's most likely to happen.  I'm not planning on getting shot - anything's possible when hunting, but I kind of figure I'm probably screwed in that situation, but that's one where quick clot could make a difference.  Falls are a big one - again, could be any type of injury from that but you're possibly just screwed there as well (internal bleeding, major head injury, broken bones).  As I said before, exposure and hypothermia is a big one as well - I keep enough gear on me at any time away from camp to survive if I get injured or lost (may not be comfortable, but I'll make it). 

[ctwiggs1]

I actually just got out of the Army a few months ago.  I was a medic and have some experience in both clinical and combat settings.  Not the most experience, just stating where I am coming from.  On a forum like this I'm sure there are guys with a lot more experience than what I've got.

Here are my thoughts:

Quikclot is basically the cats meow.  The "Tea Bag" and "Combat Gauze" are both great options, but I prefer combat gauze because it's MUCH simpler to train someone to use it. 

I highly recommend you train with bandages (you can pretend one is quikclot, don't waste that stuff on training) and also train with tourniquets.  Checks distal pulses and make sure you're actually losing the heartbeat.  If you can still feel a heartbeat, the tourniquet isn't working which means that if this was real, you're still dying.  The number one issue that I saw with inexperienced people applying tourniquets was not tightening them enough.  If it doesn't hurt, I guarantee it's not tight enough.

Tourniquets are the next best thing.  No, you won't lose your limb because a tourniquet was on it.

I love tourniquets because it basically puts the injury on pause.  If you have a massive femoral bleed or something of that nature, and you can cut off the blood supply with a tourniquet, you essentially just bought yourself time to start thinking about more care options/evac.  I'm not a big fan of improvised unless you've really trained on making them.  Why improvise when you can buy a CAT for $20?

Going anywhere in the woods without benedryl is ludicrous.  Don't worry if you forget it - you can stop at any gas station on the way and pay 10x as much.  Even if you've never had an allergic reaction to anything, you never know when it'll start or when you'll randomly come across someone who is in need. 

Ibuprofen is something I fell in love with during some of our NCO competitions - I would take it during long marches (hikes) all the time.  Not recommended for that use but man did it work ;-).

As others have said, it's easy to go overboard.  One thing I always keep in the back of my mind - there is NO WAY I'll be able to keep an open wound sterile or even very clean in the woods.  Chances are my hands are muddy, the injury is already dirty from the environment or the object that caused the injury, etc.  I honestly just don't worry about infection in the woods.  If the injury is so bad that you need to go to the hospital, focus on life threatening bleeding and airway issues before worrying about keeping it clean.  The hospital can clean it up and will put you on antibiotics anyways.  Shoot, I have personally packed dirt to put compression on a wound and it helped out a lot!  Not saying you should do that.... Just sayin'

More than anything I try to tell people to look at first aid as if it's just like any other skill while hunting - you will work on calling during the summer, hiking all year to stay in shape, you'll practice shooting, you'll do all these things to make sure you're good to go for your hunt.  Why not also spend some time training on first aid?

Sorry, I know this is a kind of unorganized message but I thought I'd pitch in while taking a few moments from work ;-)

Curtis