Here's the contents of the backcountry first aid kit that
permanently lives in the top (lid) compartment of my backpack. The contents of
the first aid kit are split into two ziploc bags, one of which contains
enough trauma and small wound dressings, closures, etc. for a weekend trip, and the other
contains extra dressings and closures I take for extended trips.
Everything packs up into a 20x10x10cm kit. With just the weekend
materials the kit weighs 400 grams. If I add the extended trip ziploc bag
the entire kit weighs 600 grams.
The lid of the backpack converts into a fanny pack, so I can shed the
expedition pack and just take the lid for day trips or dump the lid
inside a summit pack, and always have the first aid kit (and survival kit for backpacking trips) with me.
Note that this first aid kit is not the same as the one that lives in
the truck as part of the Recovery Equipment.
The truck kit is for urban settings where medical help is
typically a few minutes away, whereas this kit is intended for care of
a 3-4 person group in extended backcountry settings where medical
help may be several days away.
| Wound Care |
|---|
| (2) | 4x5cm sterile non-adherent dressings |
| (2) | 10x10cm sterile gauze dressings |
| (2) | feminine Maxi pads (see Note 1) |
| (1) | 25Gx5/8 sterile needle |
| (1) | #11 sterile scalpel blade |
| (15) | 3mmx75mm Steri-Strip wound closures |
| (1) | pkg of 3-0 Prolene surgical sutures |
| (2) | 75mm elastoplast adhesive bandages |
| (1) | 10x14cm OpSite sterile transparent dressing |
| (1) | 10x10cm Aquaphor sterile impregnated dressing |
| (1) | lg (7.5x10cm) 2nd Skin sterile moist dressing |
| |
| Bandages & Tapes |
|---|
| (2) | triangular bandages |
| (1) | crepe bandage |
| (1) | roll hypo-allergenic dressing tape |
| 100cm2 | moleskin |
| 30ml | tincture of benzoin |
| |
| Tools & Equipment |
|---|
| (1) | Flexi-splint |
| (1) | accident report form |
| (1) | pair Sliver Gripper tweezers |
| (1) | pair H/D attendant's scissors |
| (1) | 3cc sterile injection/irrigation syringe |
| (1) | fever thermometer |
| (1) | pair latex exam gloves |
| (2) | alcohol pre-injection prep pads |
| |
| Drugs & Solutions (see Note 2) |
|---|
| 20g | Betadine (antibacterial ointment) |
| (1) | Anakit (injectible epinephrine) |
| 1 course | Bactrim DS (broad-spectrum antibiotic) |
| (6) | Claritin (antihistamine) |
| (6) | Lomotil (antidiarrheal) |
| (6) | Tylenol #3 (analgesic/antipyretic) |
| (6) | Ibuprofin (analgesic/anti-inflammatory) |
| (6) | Diamox (inhibits edema; for treatment of altitude-related illness) |
