First Aid Stuff

gajinoz

gajinoz

Joined
Sep 2, 2003
Messages
11,650
This has probably been discussed a zillion times but I've got a particular angle I want to discuss.

This thread is aimed mainly at those of you who tend to have an EDC bag of some kind that you have with you most of the time and is big enough to hold a small first aid kit.

I have discovered that most first aid kits are packed full of stuff I've never had the need for on a day to day basis. It just sits there and never really gets used, I don't tend to cut my arms off or have heart attacks all that often.

I have decided to go minimalist. I've bought a small plastic box and in it are:

Some alcohol wipes.
Some iodine wipes.
Small tube of antiseptic cream.
Some of those fabric type bandaids.
Some ibuprophin analgesics.

That's it, never really had the need for anything else on a daily basis.

How about you guys, any other minimalists out there?
 
Are you trained/certified in CPR? If so, it would be beneficial to carry a pocket mask.
 
rubber gloves
alcohol pads
antiseptic cream
lip balm
nail clippers/file
tweezers

All fit in a small cloth envelope 3.75 x 5"
 
Well, in my car I have a standard first aid kit that I bought at an outdoor shop. I added a few components to it and since my car isn't very far away from me in daily life, I don't carry a first aid kit with me.

But, what I would put into a small first aid kit:
- bandaid
- cotton wool
- wipes
- antiseptic cream

And in case you don't carry it as EDC, I would choose a small SAK with scissors, a small blade and tweezers.
 
Harayasu said:
And in case you don't carry it as EDC, I would choose a small SAK with scissors, a small blade and tweezers.
Click to expand...

Good idea. I keep a Victorino Classic on my keyring, so it's always with me. But the same size knife or a Leatherman Micra could fit in the smallest First Aid kit.
 
I have a Leatherman Micra, with scissors and tweezers, in my EDC bag anyway so no need for those in the first aid kit.

Obviously I always have a sharp knife with me as well.

I also keep a magnifying glass in my bag too.
 
I picked up one of these magnifying glasses from A.G.Russell a while ago and it's held up very well. The leather cover is Galco. I don't need to bring my reading glasses everywhere, and I can still read small print with it. I carry it in my right front pocket evey day, along with a Com-Tech Stinger. :)
 
Esav Benyamin said:
I picked up one of these magnifying glasses from A.G.Russell a while ago and it's held up very well. The leather cover is Galco. I don't need to bring my reading glasses everywhere, and I can still read small print with it. I carry it in my right front pocket evey day, along with a Com-Tech Stinger. :)
Click to expand...


My glass is of a similar design although of plastic rather than the classy leather.

Must get one of those stingers.
 
I have a smallish FA kit in my back pack:

White monkey balm (like tiger balm but more minty, cinnamony and feels hotter)
Compeed band aids. They are great for cuts and scrapes as well as blisters.
Butterfly stitches for bigger cuts.
Alcohol wipes, small and big ones.
3" wide bandage thats good for dressing as well as a sort of crepe bandage or sling set up if need be.
2 condoms.
Tweezers (the "silver gripper" ones)
ARC LED flashlight
3x 10A sclapel blades.
Ear plugs (for the screaming when I operate)

All that stuff is actually pretty small and fits nicely in a small otter box that I just keep in one of the side pockets on my back pack. :thumbup:
 
When I was an AJ (Army Jerk) one of our medics swore all you need is a bandaid and a pocket knife.

If you can't fix it with the band aid you cut it off with the pocket knife.
I think I'd go for something with a fairly keen edge...
 
Uncle Bill tweezer's combined with your Victorinox pocket knife is a real good piece of kit for splinters, blisters, etc. Nail clippers come in handy as well but, a file or rough concrete can work well in most cases if you snag a finger nail. Add some Naproxen Sodium pain killers which work better IMHO for muscle sprains and similar everyday things. And don't forgot the SPF30 sun block.
 
gajinoz said:
This has probably been discussed a zillion times but I've got a particular angle I want to discuss.

This thread is aimed mainly at those of you who tend to have an EDC bag of some kind that you have with you most of the time and is big enough to hold a small first aid kit.

I have discovered that most first aid kits are packed full of stuff I've never had the need for on a day to day basis. It just sits there and never really gets used, I don't tend to cut my arms off or have heart attacks all that often.

I have decided to go minimalist. I've bought a small plastic box and in it are:

Some alcohol wipes.
Some iodine wipes.
Small tube of antiseptic cream.
Some of those fabric type bandaids.
Some ibuprophin analgesics.

That's it, never really had the need for anything else on a daily basis.

How about you guys, any other minimalists out there?
Click to expand...

If you think there is even a remote chance that you may help out another injured person, then you should have at least 2 pairs of latex gloves. Also get rid of the alcohol wipes and iodine if you are planning on using these for cuts. These really shouldn't be used on any sort of open wound . In place of this add in a pair of tweezers, and maybe a 4x4 or two of gauze if you really want (though this can often be improvised ex: teeshirt, tampons/pads,napkins etc)
 
Last edited:
gajinoz said:
Some alcohol wipes.
Some iodine wipes.
Small tube of antiseptic cream.
Some of those fabric type bandaids.
Some ibuprophin analgesics.
Click to expand...
Delete the iodine wipes, and add a pair or two of latex gloves and a CPR microshield and you've got my EDC bag kit. Of course I've also got an EDC pocket knife and flashlight on me somewhere.
 
israieli(know i spelled it wrong, don't know how to fix)battle dressing
cat(think this is right, plz correct if i am wrong)tourniquet
though if you are not licenced for the above, i would only recommend using them on yourself if need be, due to liability
 
We can keep adding emergency gear, but he's looking for a very portable common use kit. My mini kit fits in a shirt pocket.
 
What you're looking for is what I call an "ouch kit," not intended to deal with any sort of major injury or illness. I keep these around all the time. Typical for one of mine is: a few alcohol wipes for cleaning off the dirt around a minor cut or scrape, a few packets of antibiotic cream since cuts do heal faster with Neosporin (take if from a balisong enthusiast), and a few typical 3/4" strip bandaides (I prefer the 3M Active Strip brand. That's it. That'll get you through the typical day-to-day minor stuff. Of course, it's a given that I've got a knife and some facial tissues with me elsewhere and access to a restroom reasonably nearby. For anything that this can't handle in a typical, day-to-day urban environment, go to a clinic or ER.

In addition, I often have handy, premoistened hand wipes, eye drops, asprin and antacid tablets.
 
Ouch kit is what I thought of when I read the OP.

Anyway, am I missing something when one poster said he kept condoms in the kit? I thought we were dealing with injuries. *boggle* Is there some other use of condoms that I'm not aware of?

The Red Cross offers certified first aid and CPR courses should people want to take them. Certifications need to be renewed yearly. There are things to know like how to wrap/splint an injury properly. Not all injuries are splinted/slinged/wrapped the same, in fact far from it.

In my "kit" I would keep slings, scissors (yes I carry a knife), wraps, gauze, a pocket mask, epi pen, sweets like hard candy (for diabetic emergencies), and, steri strips, second skin, and bandaids for small cuts. I would also keep some folded corrugated card board for splinting purposes as well as some popsicle sticks for smaller splinting needs like broken fingers.
 
Last edited:
Imodium in case you get the green apple two step:o
I've had to use mine several times.
 
Here's my minimalist kit. :p Glad I broke it out too, some of the meds were expired.
P1020277s.jpg


Actually, my minimalist kit is a ziploc baggie with a yellow plastic slipcase (sold by some adhesive bandage manufacturer, can't remember which, same as that in the photo) inside holding bandaids of various sizes, burn stuff, basic meds, tweezers, etc.

The big kit started off as the mil. spec kit sold by 1SKS to which I've added quite a bit of stuff and replaced other things as they were used.
 
No pocket mask?

Does no one know how to do CPR and rescue breathing these days? It's still a good idea to carry one in case someone else knows how to perform the above.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top