What is the ONE thing in your Backpacking First Aid Kit you would never go hiking without? Let me know in the comments below. Planning an overnight backpacking trip? Need help getting organized? Download my FREE Backpacking Gear Packing List: bit.ly/3TUMaBK
I love the SWAT-T. I definitely have one, it's the one piece of medical gear i recommend when I teach WFA. Only downer is the struggle of self application, hence no TCCC certification. Otherwise quickstop adhesive bandages.
As an avid outdoorsman and registered healthcare professional, I approve this message 😁. This video should be mandatory to watch before anyome ever steps foot into the back country. Well done. Thanks for clarifying that you carry what works for you and your specific needs. People get up in arms about this kind of thing, but any kit is always better than no kit. Couple additions that work for me. - Pack lite emergency blanket (I live in a cold climate, but they are good for shock, too). - Triangle bandage - Burn dressing - Chest seal dressing Thanks again for the video! Got yourself a new subscriber!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed this video. After taking my WFA (Wilderness First Aid) training last year, I realized that as a hiking and backpacking UA-camr who is hoping to inspire more people to want to get out on trail, it would be super important to make a video about the importance of carrying some sort of Backpacking First Aid Kit. I also wanted to share my journey of how my own kit came to be over the years with all of my own experience of being out on trail. I carry a space blanket too, but I consider that part of my Repair/Tool/Toiletry Kit, which could be its own video. Spoiler Alert! Thanks for subscribing!
Leukotape! Which you taught me about. Blisters, securing a dressing when I fell and busted up my knee on trail (3 stitches for that one), and its intended use. Love this stuff!
I won't hike without Leukotape either and I learned my lesson about not bringing the whole roll with me. The first time I tried not bringing the whole roll, I ran out. Never again!
@@TheHungryHiker One of the instructors at our sierra club wilderness basics course had it wrapped around their hiking poles. We've been doing that ever since.
I also carry a clean bandana (so many uses!), a small mirror (two if I’m alone so I can see areas of my body solo), a chem light, and a chemical cold pack (for heat exhaustion).
I personally pack medicins in their original packing strips. That way they are never compromised and the type and dose is usually printed on the back. Often the expiry date is on it as well. As my wife is allergic to the adhesive of normal bandages and leukotape I carry blisters with silicon adhesive and leukosilk. It is not easy to find stuff for that but it makes you realise that not everybody can have the “standard” contents in their first aid kit. If it is the one thing that you should always bring then it is personal selected content. The standard packs usually contain bad quality stuff and you pay top dollar for it.
Very good video. The key thing is being flexible to make changes depending on the trip. It is good advice to take a first aid course. I'm lucky because I had multiple coursed in Boy Scouts and in the Marines. I'm continually amazed at watching ultralight backpackers scrimp on their first aid kit. A couple of band aids isn't going to cut it and could be dangerous. My favorite thing to include in my kit is Tylenol with codeine. I've never had to use it but I've had to share it with a friend who severely sprained his ankle when we were far from the trailhead.
Being flexible and willing to make changes depending on the trip is solid advice all around. This is one of the first lessons I learned when thru-hiking the PCT back in 2018. I'm not willing to scrimp on my first aid kit so if that means I'll never be ultralight, I'll be a-okay with that.
Adding a dessicant to the pill packs will help keep them from getting damaged from moisture. I like to keep superglue and gold bond powder as well (the foot powder really helps keep from getting trench foot).
Regardless of gender, a useful add-on to 1st aid kits is 1-2 maxi pads for larger cuts, scrapes, and abrasions. They’re antiseptic, anti-fungal, and are designed to adhere to moist, curved surfaces.
My boyfriend put bladder leak pads I had left over from kidney stone surgery and stent placement in his fire pack for when he responds to wildfires. Great input!
I would also add a piece of flat plastic to use a clean dry field . It could be placed under a wound before cleansing or to put the contents of your opened first aid kit on. It is light, clean and dry and only weighs a few grams. Life is hiking is messy and sometimes muddy. Also a ziploc bag to put used swabs, old bandages or dressing in.
Great video. Never want to use the kit but glad you have it when needed. Something I found handy in a first aid kit was dental wax. Use that to deal with a lost filling or cracked/chipped tooth. Never needed it for myself but was sure considered a hero when a companion lost a filling.
Thanks for watching and great suggesting on the dental wax! I'm like you. I don't mind carrying the additional weight of my Backpacking First Aid Kit, especially if I don't have to use it.
Good kit, I will definitely be adding the ankle brace! Personally I would add compressed gauze, emergency foil blanket, small tube of hydrocortisone cream, mole skin for blisters, and small pair of medical scissors. Nitrile gloves would be an upgrade to avoid latex reactions. Being cold reduces the blood’s ability to coagulate. Trauma patients are at a huge risk of hypothermia.
She has the Leuko tape for blisters, and it’s much better, tho it is much more effective to be applied on the hotspot before the blister forms. Leuko tape is amazing, and will last longer than moleskin, and can be used also to immobilize joints, secure bandaging, and as bandaging as well for light scrapes and cuts.
If I’m day hiking, I do always pack an emergency blanket, but don’t consider this part of my first aid kit. I do have some pieces of moleskin in my blister repair kit, in addition to Leukotape. And for scissors, I’ve found the scissors on my Swiss Army Knife work great. You can’t bring it all with you when you have to carry it yourself in the backcountry. So you have to figure out what’s your priority based on when and where you’re hiking and then build your kit for the possible situations you could find yourself out there. Remember, all you need is enough to get you back to the trailhead safely. 😀
I toss in a little first aid for my pack. I always carry spare hip and chest buckles. If either of them ever broke, I’d be miserable carrying my pack… and if I had to carry a broken pack far enough, it would probably hurt my body.
Great idea! Gear repair and having things to repair gear malfunctions is part of the Hiking 10 Essentials. I'll be putting together a video soon showing how I put together my Repair/Tool/Toiletry Kit. That kit I've actually had to use quite a bit out on trail and have tailored over the last few years thanks to some of the gear malfunctions I've had on some of my trips.
ing. They can deal with quite a high bit of moisture, and come in 3 sizes/shapes. They have finger bandages(which are shaped magnificently and secure down amazingly), knuckle bandages which again are shaped wonderfully, and large bandages, that I believe are like 2x3” for larger cuts. I work physical labor and find myself reinforcing normal plasters with some kind of tape to deal with lots of movement/sweating. They aren’t waterproof but are pretty damn close and can get through a couple showers wonderfully. I’ve applied and had them on for 1-3 days with minor curling and unsticking. Like any package of bandages/plasters the quality control isn’t perfect and 20% of them will not perform as advertised but overall they are great. I found them about 3 years ago and refuse to buy another type of Band Aid. These are a generic bandage sold by CVS, and do not know what the name brand is but the only difference being exterior packaging and the name-brand product being slightly more expensive.
Glad this was helpful! I haven't created a video solely on what I include in my Repair/Tool/Toiletry Kit, but I do mention what I carry in my kit in almost every single backpacking gear video I've created: ua-cam.com/play/PL_AmksOve1XSj5XgkgsB_uIu1K7ni0GaI.html
Two minor changes I'd suggest that maybe come down to personal preference... I'd replace the antibiotic ointment with vaseline. People can develop allergies to the antibiotics and a study found that the ointment is barely better at wound healing than vaseline. Next, I'd go with second-generation antihistamines and possibly include both H1 blockers (e.g. Zyrtec) and H2 blockers (e.g. Pepcid, which can also be used for cases of heartburn/ acid reflux).
As an old fart, boy scout, past mt, rescue & ski patrol member, Being Prepared is so important. I currently live in the Central Oregon Cascades, Each year I see so many people who hike in the cascades and have no idea of being prepared. No water, extra clothing, food or first aide supplies & training. I see on local media about people who get stuck, or lost because they do not know what they are doing. If you leave your rig for a day hike to Tumalo Falls or a longer trip on the pct, be prepared to rescue yourself. Search and Rescue personnel take time from their own lives and risk their lives to save people who are stupid and do not know what they are doing in the backcountry. Do not become a statistic. Take some training and be prepared. It could save your live. Is your life worth spending a little time learning about backcountry safety?
This is exactly why I preach to, "Always prepare for the worse case scenario." Also, know your limits when it comes to traveling in the backcountry AND do you research as part of the trip planning process, a lot of this which I talk about in some of my other videos. :)
Medical grade superglue is very handy and can help with deep cuts. Thick plastic liner for your kit is added waterproof insurance, with no noticeable weight gain. They're a must here in typical rainy Irish weather. Always packed in the most accessible place. I seriously want to visit the PNW and had to pass on a recent invitation from a freind there. Next summer though, it's the Cascades, Vancouver Island and the one I'm most hyped about, the channelled scab-lands. Great and varied list you have there.👍
Surprised first aid kit doesn’t have electrical/duct tape in it. As someone who works in a labor environment and cuts himself more than the average person, bandaids are great only if the area does not experience a lot of movement, and find that i have to reinforce bandages with tape very often, especially on the hands if they are to last for more than several hours. Have like 5ft of duck tape wrapped around something, duct tape is 2in wide and can be cut down into thinner strips very easily. Electrical is my all time favorite also, and both are very cheap, and easily replaceable.
I keep duct tape wrapped around my trekking poles for easy access and to see how much I have and when I need to replace it. Since my trekking poles aren’t part of my first aid kit, I didn’t feature them in this video.
Kind of basic, but I always make sure I’ve got a few different sizes of bandaids. I tend to get small scrapes and cuts, and find that some Neosporin and a bandaid are my most used first aid items.
That’s a solid guiding kit! Having taken groups of scouts out, it’s always amazing how often the first aid kit comes out! Regarding tourniquets, thanks for turning me onto the SWAT-T. I carry and practice with CATs, but see that the SWAT-T is designed for small limbs. I’ve also been told by multiple EMS that unless it’s within reach and deploy ready, a tourniquet is much less likely to be applied quickly enough. When an artery is bleeding out, it’s about equivalent to jabbing a hole in a soda bottle. It’ll empty out incredibly fast.
I always bring a "SAM splint" - it can be used for wrist, ankle, or knee support (all of which I've needed before). I try to think about the most likely scenarios for me personally - I fall and scrape something, so I need to clean out the scrape and bandage it; or I sprain an ankle or a wrist; or I get a migraine, so I need my migraine meds. So items to fix those problems are the first things I bring. I don't want to be canoeing 2 days out with an infected scrape, unsupported sprain, or migraine!
SAM Splint- Yes!! We practiced using those in my WFA training. I have one and bring with me then I’m leading group trips. When building your kit, it’s a good idea to think about the scenarios you’re likely to find yourself in. Then pack accordingly. That’s how I pack my kit too. Great minds think alike. 😀
My kit pretty much stays the same except I add things like the same splint and up the quantities for a few things I’m already carrying. The hope is that other people in the group also have their own backpacking first aid kit so I don’t have to carry everything. 😂
After that machete attack on the AT a few years ago, besides a standard boo boo kit, I include a tourniquet, 9x5 sterile pads, 4" cohesive wrap, and a gauze roll. If artery is cut you can bleed out in 2 minutes, but if you need a tourniquet and a hospital is more than 2 hours away, you may lose that limb. Arteries are serious injury.
The one thing that I wouldn't go without in my first aid kit is over the counter medications. Just a bad headache would ruin my day so over the counter is a must.
MAXY PADS.....The one thing I do not hike without is a small Maxy pad and medical tape. Maxy pads can be used with big cuts put the pad on tape around it and it's down. The pad will not stick when taking it off. I learned this trick when I was in the Infantry. Maxy pads are always overlooked when it comes to 1st aid.
Wow, what a First Aid kit - no wonder you're The Hungry Hiker LOL! Seriously though, my kit is almost as heavy: Moleskin Deet pads (or Permethrin/Picaridin/Repel) Knife Lip balm Band-Aids Space blanket Nail clippers Ibuprofen/Advil/Aleve (pain) Excedrin (migraine headache) ---- Trauma shears/scissors Tweezers Bug bite suction kit Bandages Clozex Emergency Laceration Closures (1 oz) Benadryl/Antihistamine (allergic reaction) Sting Relief (topical) BZK antiseptic towelettes (1st step to clean open wounds) Triple Antibiotic Ointment cream (2nd step clean wound) First Aid Burn Cream packets Tick removal tool Neosporin Leuco anti-abrasion tape BSN medical cover roll 2 inch (no-stick tape for Leuco) Athletic wrapping tape Needle, thread, dental floss Superglue Imodium (diarrhea) Tums Pepto-Bismol tablets Nitrile gloves Liquid I.V. (hydration at high altitudes in lieu of Diamox prescription) Ankle/Knee brace compression (took the Arch braces out to make me feel "I'm trying" to reduce weight) (No need to carry an irrigator - just use the Sawyer backflush syringe) I'm still on the fence whether to carry a CAT-7 and QuickClot.
Sounds like a solid first aid kit. For those who don't use a Sawyer water filter and/or don't carry the syringe to backlash the water filter, a syringe would still be a useful item to add to the kit.
Please, please don't pack latex gloves. You might not have a latex allergy, but if the person you stop to help does, you may end up causing serious problems for them. As a veteran Paramedic who has been on a SAR team and taught MRT. I always use nitrile gloves. The purple ones are my personal favourite 💜
Never forget a mirror and pen light so you can see your injury to treat it. There is nothing worse than not being able to see your wound. That being said, a small eye loop/magnifying glass is also good to have for the same reason. Also chewable aspirin for heart attack first aid. Have a lighter in the kit to sterilize the pins.
Great suggestions! I always carry with me a foldable travel hair brush that also has a mirror. I love having multi0use items in my pack! amzn.to/3QAzNrS Good call on the chewable aspirin. Adding those to my first aid kit now. :)
for a scissor, you may want to set up to a good medical safety scissor -- I got my nephew the Leather Raptor Multi-tool when he graduated medical school -- he is an emergency room Dr. this is a tool for 1st responders
Hey what about a nail file or emery board to round off the nails after clipping? I swap out the laytex gloves for nitrile gloves a mild allergy to latex I keep several pairs of gloves in my EDC
While I would always take a Swiss army knife (I have the same one!), I also take a surgical tweezers. It grabs splinters, thorns, insects, etc. that the Swiss army tweezers can't.
Training day hikes with full gear, ...sorry, the word escapes me at the moment, not break down hikes, but...nope, still not coming. Damn aphasia, damn brain tumor, ... Shake down, muhahaha. I was close, but yeah, use a checklist, cuz I'm always forgetting something, always refining the checklist... Not just the stuff ur bringing, but planning, checking the weather, having a backup plan, an exit strategy, and recognizing when it's time to take a break or time to take a zero... What's a nero? I had a shoe problem too, over-training & worn out shoes caused runners knee & a meniscus injury that didn't require surgery, thankfully. My rice crispy knees (Snap, Crackle, Pop) became Captain Crunch! I sang in the church choir Christmas Concert, and going up the risers I was fine, but after our performance I forgot they weren't normal steps, my left knee went "Crunch!" on the way down and swelled up the size of a melon. Yup, worn out shoes & overtraining, don't do it. Why must I learn the hard way?
Yes! I ALWAYS use a packing list for every trip I go on. Not sure if you've had a chance to check it out yet, but I created The Hungry Hiker Backpacking Gear Packing List you can download for free and use to help prepare for your next trip. You can check it out here: bit.ly/3TUMaBK
As a Boy Scout over thirty years ago I carried a battle dressing and the adults said I was carrying to much. That was until another boy accidentally stabbed himself on the forearm. Then they saw it was not so bad to have. Beauty is modern ones are better and more compact.
I took my WFA through The Mountaineers at the beginning of this year. It was part online and then three days in-person. I HIGHLY recommend this type of training if you plan on spending more time in the backcountry.
It always amazes me that the hikers posting gear loadouts on youtube have so little in their first aid kit! You hope you’ll never need it but if you do it could be your life at risk
I agree with you about the First Aid Kit being the one gear system you always want to pack and hope you never need to use. Always prepare for the worse case scenario!
I ALWAYS carry chapstick with me too, but I keep that in my fanny pack because I like to reapply it several times a day and need really easy access to it when I'm out on trail. Love my chapstick. It could easily be considered my 11th Essential!
Going on over night hikes personally I bring enough for a couple fuck ups a day hypothermia, deep wounds, cardiac arrest and most of all a blister pack
100%! That's why I'm so happy my Swiss Army knife has a pair of mini tweezers. Super convenient! Electrolytes have saved me so many times from dehydration and heat exhaustion so I won't ever hike without those either.
Good thing I didn't get stopped and arrested when I was carrying my Diamox prescription while going through multiple airports in multiple countries and through multiple security checkpoints on both my way to and from Nepal!
@The Hungry Hiker I believe it's only a US law but I've heard that some other countries are extremely strict with what drugs that are legal, drugs from one country may not be legal in the country one is entering (in Japan a teenager got arrested because her prescription wasn't legal in Japan so I suggest anyone reading this realize your prescription only counts in the country you are from/got it in while medical issues transcend countries medications do not).
You can let the pharmacy know what you are doing and they will print out extra RX bottle stickers that can be stick to baggies for backpacking OR I use empty Tylenol travel bottles to keep my meds in and put the Rx sticker on that bottle. I also carry a copy of the prescription with me.
@Jennifer Perry My Scraproom Actually, by law, it's illegal to take the prescription out of the container they came in regardless if you have an extra pharmacy label.
I always like to prepare for the worse case scenario and be self sufficient in the backcountry as much as possible. A first aid kit isn’t something I’m willing to skimp on. Good luck to you if you ever find yourself in an emergency out on trail.
What is the ONE thing in your Backpacking First Aid Kit you would never go hiking without? Let me know in the comments below.
Planning an overnight backpacking trip? Need help getting organized? Download my FREE Backpacking Gear Packing List: bit.ly/3TUMaBK
Some sort of TCCC approved tourniquet. Usually a Soft T wide or Cat gen 7. Other than that a pressure bandage for junctional wounds.
Snake bite bandage - a good pressure immobilisation bandage that shows the correct tension to apply. Essential in Australia.
Based on frequency of need, I’d want something to treat foot blisters - Leuco tape or moleskin.
I love the SWAT-T. I definitely have one, it's the one piece of medical gear i recommend when I teach WFA. Only downer is the struggle of self application, hence no TCCC certification. Otherwise quickstop adhesive bandages.
A SWAT-T. Works on dogs, kids and adults to stop bleeding. Also it has other uses
As an avid outdoorsman and registered healthcare professional, I approve this message 😁. This video should be mandatory to watch before anyome ever steps foot into the back country. Well done.
Thanks for clarifying that you carry what works for you and your specific needs. People get up in arms about this kind of thing, but any kit is always better than no kit.
Couple additions that work for me.
- Pack lite emergency blanket (I live in a cold climate, but they are good for shock, too).
- Triangle bandage
- Burn dressing
- Chest seal dressing
Thanks again for the video! Got yourself a new subscriber!
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed this video. After taking my WFA (Wilderness First Aid) training last year, I realized that as a hiking and backpacking UA-camr who is hoping to inspire more people to want to get out on trail, it would be super important to make a video about the importance of carrying some sort of Backpacking First Aid Kit. I also wanted to share my journey of how my own kit came to be over the years with all of my own experience of being out on trail. I carry a space blanket too, but I consider that part of my Repair/Tool/Toiletry Kit, which could be its own video. Spoiler Alert! Thanks for subscribing!
An emergency blanket is absolutely at the top of the list. Even in my day pack.
Yup! And it’s part of the 10 Essentials 😀
Leukotape! Which you taught me about. Blisters, securing a dressing when I fell and busted up my knee on trail (3 stitches for that one), and its intended use. Love this stuff!
I won't hike without Leukotape either and I learned my lesson about not bringing the whole roll with me. The first time I tried not bringing the whole roll, I ran out. Never again!
@@TheHungryHiker One of the instructors at our sierra club wilderness basics course had it wrapped around their hiking poles. We've been doing that ever since.
I also carry a clean bandana (so many uses!), a small mirror (two if I’m alone so I can see areas of my body solo), a chem light, and a chemical cold pack (for heat exhaustion).
Great idea!
Wow! Finally, a video describing a useful backpacking first aid kit. Very good kit and video. Thanks.
Yay! Glad you found this one helpful!
I personally pack medicins in their original packing strips. That way they are never compromised and the type and dose is usually printed on the back. Often the expiry date is on it as well.
As my wife is allergic to the adhesive of normal bandages and leukotape I carry blisters with silicon adhesive and leukosilk. It is not easy to find stuff for that but it makes you realise that not everybody can have the “standard” contents in their first aid kit.
If it is the one thing that you should always bring then it is personal selected content. The standard packs usually contain bad quality stuff and you pay top dollar for it.
Simple and straight to the point! I love it! Thanks
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed this one.
Very good video. The key thing is being flexible to make changes depending on the trip. It is good advice to take a first aid course. I'm lucky because I had multiple coursed in Boy Scouts and in the Marines. I'm continually amazed at watching ultralight backpackers scrimp on their first aid kit. A couple of band aids isn't going to cut it and could be dangerous. My favorite thing to include in my kit is Tylenol with codeine. I've never had to use it but I've had to share it with a friend who severely sprained his ankle when we were far from the trailhead.
Being flexible and willing to make changes depending on the trip is solid advice all around. This is one of the first lessons I learned when thru-hiking the PCT back in 2018. I'm not willing to scrimp on my first aid kit so if that means I'll never be ultralight, I'll be a-okay with that.
Thank you, did all the list for my own first aid!
Awesome! Glad this was helpful!
Excellent. One of best I have seen. Dr Bob (veterinarian)
Whoo Hoo! Thanks! 😀
The most common issue when hiking is blisters. So I always have a pack of Compeed blister care in my IFAK. Has already saved me so many tours.
Ugh. I feel you with the blisters. Luckily I was blister-free this backpacking season, but I still always carry my blister repair kit, just in case.
Excellent video
Worthy of several viewings, for sure
Thank you! This type of information NEVER goes out of style.
Adding a dessicant to the pill packs will help keep them from getting damaged from moisture. I like to keep superglue and gold bond powder as well (the foot powder really helps keep from getting trench foot).
Great suggestion! I keep single use tubes of Krazy Glue in with my Repair/Tool/Toiletry Kit so I always have them with me, just in case.
Regardless of gender, a useful add-on to 1st aid kits is 1-2 maxi pads for larger cuts, scrapes, and abrasions. They’re antiseptic, anti-fungal, and are designed to adhere to moist, curved surfaces.
Great suggestion!
Awesome suggestion Ed. Adding immediately!
My boyfriend put bladder leak pads I had left over from kidney stone surgery and stent placement in his fire pack for when he responds to wildfires. Great input!
I would also add a piece of flat plastic to use a clean dry field . It could be placed under a wound before cleansing or to put the contents of your opened first aid kit on. It is light, clean and dry and only weighs a few grams. Life is hiking is messy and sometimes muddy. Also a ziploc bag to put used swabs, old bandages or dressing in.
Great suggestions!
Great video. Never want to use the kit but glad you have it when needed.
Something I found handy in a first aid kit was dental wax. Use that to deal with a lost filling or cracked/chipped tooth.
Never needed it for myself but was sure considered a hero when a companion lost a filling.
Thanks for watching and great suggesting on the dental wax! I'm like you. I don't mind carrying the additional weight of my Backpacking First Aid Kit, especially if I don't have to use it.
great considerations and great content ! thanks
Glad you liked it!
Good kit, I will definitely be adding the ankle brace! Personally I would add compressed gauze, emergency foil blanket, small tube of hydrocortisone cream, mole skin for blisters, and small pair of medical scissors. Nitrile gloves would be an upgrade to avoid latex reactions. Being cold reduces the blood’s ability to coagulate. Trauma patients are at a huge risk of hypothermia.
Glad you enjoyed the video :)
She has the Leuko tape for blisters, and it’s much better, tho it is much more effective to be applied on the hotspot before the blister forms. Leuko tape is amazing, and will last longer than moleskin, and can be used also to immobilize joints, secure bandaging, and as bandaging as well for light scrapes and cuts.
If I’m day hiking, I do always pack an emergency blanket, but don’t consider this part of my first aid kit. I do have some pieces of moleskin in my blister repair kit, in addition to Leukotape. And for scissors, I’ve found the scissors on my Swiss Army Knife work great. You can’t bring it all with you when you have to carry it yourself in the backcountry. So you have to figure out what’s your priority based on when and where you’re hiking and then build your kit for the possible situations you could find yourself out there. Remember, all you need is enough to get you back to the trailhead safely. 😀
Love Leukotape!! Discovering that out on trail was a game changer for me.
@@TheHungryHikerwhat's ur uti meds, asking for a friend😅
An aspirin is also a recommended first step if someone thinks they are having a heart attack.
I enjoy your channel. God bless.
This is another reason why I pack aspirin in my first aid kit. :)
I toss in a little first aid for my pack. I always carry spare hip and chest buckles. If either of them ever broke, I’d be miserable carrying my pack… and if I had to carry a broken pack far enough, it would probably hurt my body.
Great idea! Gear repair and having things to repair gear malfunctions is part of the Hiking 10 Essentials. I'll be putting together a video soon showing how I put together my Repair/Tool/Toiletry Kit. That kit I've actually had to use quite a bit out on trail and have tailored over the last few years thanks to some of the gear malfunctions I've had on some of my trips.
Love the channel. I'm glad to see a change in such a male dominated subject.
Yay! Thanks for being here!
ing. They can deal with quite a high bit of moisture, and come in 3 sizes/shapes. They have finger bandages(which are shaped magnificently and secure down amazingly), knuckle bandages which again are shaped wonderfully, and large bandages, that I believe are like 2x3” for larger cuts. I work physical labor and find myself reinforcing normal plasters with some kind of tape to deal with lots of movement/sweating. They aren’t waterproof but are pretty damn close and can get through a couple showers wonderfully. I’ve applied and had them on for 1-3 days with minor curling and unsticking. Like any package of bandages/plasters the quality control isn’t perfect and 20% of them will not perform as advertised but overall they are great. I found them about 3 years ago and refuse to buy another type of Band Aid. These are a generic bandage sold by CVS, and do not know what the name brand is but the only difference being exterior packaging and the name-brand product being slightly more expensive.
Thanks for a great video.. I’d add one of those single use eye drops.
Glad you enjoyed the video and found it helpful!
Loved the BLOOPER at the end , great video ! 😁😁😁
I was hoping someone would catch that. Good job! 😀
@@TheHungryHiker 😇😇😇
I laughed quite loudly at tge blooper...
@@cassidysummer509 Totally unplanned obviously and hilarious so I knew I needed to keep it in the video.
This was super helpful!
Did you ever put out the repair kit video you hinted in the comments on this one? If you did, I can't find it.
Glad this was helpful! I haven't created a video solely on what I include in my Repair/Tool/Toiletry Kit, but I do mention what I carry in my kit in almost every single backpacking gear video I've created: ua-cam.com/play/PL_AmksOve1XSj5XgkgsB_uIu1K7ni0GaI.html
Two minor changes I'd suggest that maybe come down to personal preference... I'd replace the antibiotic ointment with vaseline. People can develop allergies to the antibiotics and a study found that the ointment is barely better at wound healing than vaseline.
Next, I'd go with second-generation antihistamines and possibly include both H1 blockers (e.g. Zyrtec) and H2 blockers (e.g. Pepcid, which can also be used for cases of heartburn/ acid reflux).
As an old fart, boy scout, past mt, rescue & ski patrol member, Being Prepared is so important. I currently live in the Central Oregon Cascades, Each year I see so many people who hike in the cascades and have no idea of being prepared. No water, extra clothing, food or first aide supplies & training. I see on local media about people who get stuck, or lost because they do not know what they are doing. If you leave your rig for a day hike to Tumalo Falls or a longer trip on the pct, be prepared to rescue yourself. Search and Rescue personnel take time from their own lives and risk their lives to save people who are stupid and do not know what they are doing in the backcountry. Do not become a statistic. Take some training and be prepared. It could save your live. Is your life worth spending a little time learning about backcountry safety?
This is exactly why I preach to, "Always prepare for the worse case scenario." Also, know your limits when it comes to traveling in the backcountry AND do you research as part of the trip planning process, a lot of this which I talk about in some of my other videos. :)
Yes
Medical grade superglue is very handy and can help with deep cuts. Thick plastic liner for your kit is added waterproof insurance, with no noticeable weight gain. They're a must here in typical rainy Irish weather. Always packed in the most accessible place.
I seriously want to visit the PNW and had to pass on a recent invitation from a freind there. Next summer though, it's the Cascades, Vancouver Island and the one I'm most hyped about, the channelled scab-lands. Great and varied list you have there.👍
Thanks!!
Surprised first aid kit doesn’t have electrical/duct tape in it. As someone who works in a labor environment and cuts himself more than the average person, bandaids are great only if the area does not experience a lot of movement, and find that i have to reinforce bandages with tape very often, especially on the hands if they are to last for more than several hours. Have like 5ft of duck tape wrapped around something, duct tape is 2in wide and can be cut down into thinner strips very easily. Electrical is my all time favorite also, and both are very cheap, and easily replaceable.
I keep duct tape wrapped around my trekking poles for easy access and to see how much I have and when I need to replace it. Since my trekking poles aren’t part of my first aid kit, I didn’t feature them in this video.
Great video! Thanks
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the video.
Kind of basic, but I always make sure I’ve got a few different sizes of bandaids. I tend to get small scrapes and cuts, and find that some Neosporin and a bandaid are my most used first aid items.
I use Neosporin/ointment the most out of my kit along with pain reliever. These are the two things in my kit I’m constantly restocking. 😂
That’s a solid guiding kit! Having taken groups of scouts out, it’s always amazing how often the first aid kit comes out!
Regarding tourniquets, thanks for turning me onto the SWAT-T. I carry and practice with CATs, but see that the SWAT-T is designed for small limbs.
I’ve also been told by multiple EMS that unless it’s within reach and deploy ready, a tourniquet is much less likely to be applied quickly enough. When an artery is bleeding out, it’s about equivalent to jabbing a hole in a soda bottle. It’ll empty out incredibly fast.
Glad you enjoyed this video 😀
I always bring a "SAM splint" - it can be used for wrist, ankle, or knee support (all of which I've needed before).
I try to think about the most likely scenarios for me personally - I fall and scrape something, so I need to clean out the scrape and bandage it; or I sprain an ankle or a wrist; or I get a migraine, so I need my migraine meds. So items to fix those problems are the first things I bring. I don't want to be canoeing 2 days out with an infected scrape, unsupported sprain, or migraine!
SAM Splint- Yes!! We practiced using those in my WFA training. I have one and bring with me then I’m leading group trips. When building your kit, it’s a good idea to think about the scenarios you’re likely to find yourself in. Then pack accordingly. That’s how I pack my kit too. Great minds think alike. 😀
@@TheHungryHiker Oh that would be interesting to see - what do you add when you are going on a group trip?
My kit pretty much stays the same except I add things like the same splint and up the quantities for a few things I’m already carrying. The hope is that other people in the group also have their own backpacking first aid kit so I don’t have to carry everything. 😂
Sam splints can also be used as a makeshift windshield.
great info......i have lots of what you said in my pack....
Awesome!
My multi tool. I find so many different uses for that I keep it attached to my belt at all times
Yes!!! A multi tool is a GREAT piece of gear!!!
After that machete attack on the AT a few years ago, besides a standard boo boo kit, I include a tourniquet, 9x5 sterile pads, 4" cohesive wrap, and a gauze roll. If artery is cut you can bleed out in 2 minutes, but if you need a tourniquet and a hospital is more than 2 hours away, you may lose that limb. Arteries are serious injury.
Great suggestion!
The one thing that I wouldn't go without in my first aid kit is over the counter medications. Just a bad headache would ruin my day so over the counter is a must.
Same! The pain reliever tends to be the one thing I restock the most in my Backpacking First Aid Kit.
Great video
Glad you enjoyed it
MAXY PADS.....The one thing I do not hike without is a small Maxy pad and medical tape. Maxy pads can be used with big cuts put the pad on tape around it and it's down. The pad will not stick when taking it off. I learned this trick when I was in the Infantry. Maxy pads are always overlooked when it comes to 1st aid.
Great suggestion!
Thanks well done!!!
Thanks for watching!
Wow, what a First Aid kit - no wonder you're The Hungry Hiker LOL! Seriously though, my kit is almost as heavy:
Moleskin
Deet pads (or Permethrin/Picaridin/Repel)
Knife
Lip balm
Band-Aids
Space blanket
Nail clippers
Ibuprofen/Advil/Aleve (pain)
Excedrin (migraine headache)
----
Trauma shears/scissors
Tweezers
Bug bite suction kit
Bandages
Clozex Emergency Laceration Closures (1 oz)
Benadryl/Antihistamine (allergic reaction)
Sting Relief (topical)
BZK antiseptic towelettes (1st step to clean open wounds)
Triple Antibiotic Ointment cream (2nd step clean wound)
First Aid Burn Cream packets
Tick removal tool
Neosporin
Leuco anti-abrasion tape
BSN medical cover roll 2 inch (no-stick tape for Leuco)
Athletic wrapping tape
Needle, thread, dental floss
Superglue
Imodium (diarrhea)
Tums
Pepto-Bismol tablets
Nitrile gloves
Liquid I.V. (hydration at high altitudes in lieu of Diamox prescription)
Ankle/Knee brace compression (took the Arch braces out to make me feel "I'm trying" to reduce weight)
(No need to carry an irrigator - just use the Sawyer backflush syringe)
I'm still on the fence whether to carry a CAT-7 and QuickClot.
Sounds like a solid first aid kit. For those who don't use a Sawyer water filter and/or don't carry the syringe to backlash the water filter, a syringe would still be a useful item to add to the kit.
Please, please don't pack latex gloves. You might not have a latex allergy, but if the person you stop to help does, you may end up causing serious problems for them. As a veteran Paramedic who has been on a SAR team and taught MRT. I always use nitrile gloves. The purple ones are my personal favourite 💜
Thanks for the suggestion!
It is good to have knowledge of medicinal plants, while backpacking, as well.
That would be great knowledge to have!
@@TheHungryHiker Let me know when you go on your next trip! I can recommend some plants for you!
@@briannayoung5412 Awesome! Thanks!
@@TheHungryHiker No problem!
Mole skin was my #1 , as a hiker.
Moleskin is awesome!!
Never forget a mirror and pen light so you can see your injury to treat it. There is nothing worse than not being able to see your wound. That being said, a small eye loop/magnifying glass is also good to have for the same reason. Also chewable aspirin for heart attack first aid. Have a lighter in the kit to sterilize the pins.
Great suggestions! I always carry with me a foldable travel hair brush that also has a mirror. I love having multi0use items in my pack! amzn.to/3QAzNrS
Good call on the chewable aspirin. Adding those to my first aid kit now. :)
Thanks!
Thank you!
Electrical tape, carried on my trekking poles. Use it just under my knee as support, if a lot of steep downhill is in my day.
Same! I wrap either Gorilla tape or duct tape around my trekking poles as well. It's come in handy quite a bit!
for a scissor, you may want to set up to a good medical safety scissor --
I got my nephew the Leather Raptor Multi-tool when he graduated medical school -- he is an emergency room Dr. this is a tool for 1st responders
Great suggestion!
Hey what about a nail file or emery board to round off the nails after clipping? I swap out the laytex gloves for nitrile gloves a mild allergy to latex I keep several pairs of gloves in my EDC
I do have a nail file in my Backpacking First Aid Kit. It's part of my Swiss Army knife that I featured in the video.
The only thing I'd add would be four triangular bandages. Good for making slings and securing dressings.
Great suggestion
While I would always take a Swiss army knife (I have the same one!), I also take a surgical tweezers. It grabs splinters, thorns, insects, etc. that the Swiss army tweezers can't.
Good idea!
One thing missed, A Snake Bite Kit.
And a small first aid book..
You can ALWAYS add something to a First Aid Kit. It's impossible to carry it all, but great suggestions!
Training day hikes with full gear, ...sorry, the word escapes me at the moment, not break down hikes, but...nope, still not coming. Damn aphasia, damn brain tumor, ... Shake down, muhahaha. I was close, but yeah, use a checklist, cuz I'm always forgetting something, always refining the checklist... Not just the stuff ur bringing, but planning, checking the weather, having a backup plan, an exit strategy, and recognizing when it's time to take a break or time to take a zero... What's a nero?
I had a shoe problem too, over-training & worn out shoes caused runners knee & a meniscus injury that didn't require surgery, thankfully. My rice crispy knees (Snap, Crackle, Pop) became Captain Crunch! I sang in the church choir Christmas Concert, and going up the risers I was fine, but after our performance I forgot they weren't normal steps, my left knee went "Crunch!" on the way down and swelled up the size of a melon. Yup, worn out shoes & overtraining, don't do it. Why must I learn the hard way?
Yes! I ALWAYS use a packing list for every trip I go on. Not sure if you've had a chance to check it out yet, but I created The Hungry Hiker Backpacking Gear Packing List you can download for free and use to help prepare for your next trip. You can check it out here: bit.ly/3TUMaBK
The two things I've found the most useful while backpacking are medicine for an upset stomach and insect relief
Those would be very useful to carry out on trail.
Moleskin
That's probably the most important thing in a first aid kit the other two would be Benadryl and suture kit
Israel bandage battle dressing 👍🇳🇴
Bandages are always a good idea! So many of them to choose from. :)
As a Boy Scout over thirty years ago I carried a battle dressing and the adults said I was carrying to much. That was until another boy accidentally stabbed himself on the forearm. Then they saw it was not so bad to have. Beauty is modern ones are better and more compact.
Ty
You're very welcome!
I always carry an extra mini bic lighter in my med kit
Great idea! I also carry two of the mini Bic lighters with my cooking system/backpacking stove because if one doesn’t work, I know I have a backup.
Where did you get certified for your Wilderness First Aid?
Nevermind... I got to the end of the video... ;-)
I took my WFA through The Mountaineers at the beginning of this year. It was part online and then three days in-person. I HIGHLY recommend this type of training if you plan on spending more time in the backcountry.
It always amazes me that the hikers posting gear loadouts on youtube have so little in their first aid kit! You hope you’ll never need it but if you do it could be your life at risk
I agree with you about the First Aid Kit being the one gear system you always want to pack and hope you never need to use. Always prepare for the worse case scenario!
I always have Chapstick with my kit.
Rainmaker
I ALWAYS carry chapstick with me too, but I keep that in my fanny pack because I like to reapply it several times a day and need really easy access to it when I'm out on trail. Love my chapstick. It could easily be considered my 11th Essential!
Are you wearing a senchi hoodie here?
Nope! I’m wearing a Melly melanzana.com/product/micro-grid-dress/
My old skin is so thin in always need bandaids. ; )
My bandage bag is pretty stuffed. I feel like you can never have enough of those things in all of the different sizes.
Going on over night hikes personally I bring enough for a couple fuck ups a day hypothermia, deep wounds, cardiac arrest and most of all a blister pack
Tweezers! Ticks are no fun or splinters. Electrolytes for sure as well!
100%! That's why I'm so happy my Swiss Army knife has a pair of mini tweezers. Super convenient! Electrolytes have saved me so many times from dehydration and heat exhaustion so I won't ever hike without those either.
Blood pressure medication and tylenol
Great suggestions!
Tbh, you cannot legally remove prescriptions from their original container. You could get arrested if a cop stops you and finds it this way.
Good thing I didn't get stopped and arrested when I was carrying my Diamox prescription while going through multiple airports in multiple countries and through multiple security checkpoints on both my way to and from Nepal!
@The Hungry Hiker I believe it's only a US law but I've heard that some other countries are extremely strict with what drugs that are legal, drugs from one country may not be legal in the country one is entering (in Japan a teenager got arrested because her prescription wasn't legal in Japan so I suggest anyone reading this realize your prescription only counts in the country you are from/got it in while medical issues transcend countries medications do not).
Good reason for anyone to do their research before traveling internationally
You can let the pharmacy know what you are doing and they will print out extra RX bottle stickers that can be stick to baggies for backpacking OR I use empty Tylenol travel bottles to keep my meds in and put the Rx sticker on that bottle. I also carry a copy of the prescription with me.
@Jennifer Perry My Scraproom Actually, by law, it's illegal to take the prescription out of the container they came in regardless if you have an extra pharmacy label.
Oh camera abuse! Shame on you Kathleen 🤨🤣🤣🤣🤣
Hahahaha! It was so windy when I was shooting my video. I barely caught it before it fell on the picnic table. That would have been so bad.
Way too excessive. You don't need everything you showed 🤦🏻
I always like to prepare for the worse case scenario and be self sufficient in the backcountry as much as possible. A first aid kit isn’t something I’m willing to skimp on. Good luck to you if you ever find yourself in an emergency out on trail.