Putting together a First Aid Kit & hiking/go bag

[Jamesbern]

I'll have photos soon. Promise I'm just starting to get into being prepared for the outdoors and possibly hiking and camping as well as making sure I have a "GO" bag handy. Before the hurricane I picked up a Kelty Coyote 80 Backpack to have on hand with some other supplies (i.e. clothes, water, fire starters, basic first aid kit, rain gear, food, etc). After realizing how much better I felt knowing I had supplies on hand I decided to get to work on my first real first aid kit. I want it to be complete but hopefully fit in the Neatfreak bag which can then either be taken on its own or put into the backpack or car. So far i've orderd:

Maxpedition Neatfreak Organizer, Green
ADC ADSAFE Pocket Rescusitator
Uncle Bill's 19074 Sliver Gripper Tweezers
Prestige Medical Fluoride Scissor, Black, 7 1/2 Inch
Heat Factory Large Size Hand and Body Warmer - 20+ Hours Heat Each (10 Warmers)
STORM All-Weather Safety Whistle-Orange
Israeli Battle Dressing, 6-inch Compression Bandage
KENDALL VERSALONTM All-purpose Sterile Sponge, 4 Ply, 4" X 4", 2/pk - Pack 25
BD Alcohol Swabs Thicker, Softer, 100 Individually Foil Wrapped
Doan Genuine Issue Magnesium Survival Firestarter
Water Jel Burn Jel, Pain Relief 25 ea
Rothco 550LB Nylon Paracord 50ft. Coyote Brown
The Essential Wilderness Navigator: How to Find Your Way in the Great Outdoors, Second Edition
Suunto M-3DL Compass
Emergency blankets

I plan to pick up:

QuickClot Gauze
Duck tape
Nexcare Band-aids
Neosporin
Rubber Gloves
Immodium
Ibuprofen
Advil
Ace bandages
butterfly closures
Hand Sanitizer
bandana
liquid bandage
needle and thread

Looking at that list I think that is a pretty good first aid kit to have. Outside of normal cuts and stuff i've never needed any of this, but i'd rather have it in case. I'm also considering taking a first aid class at least to learn CPR and other basic first aid.

For my go bag it mainly consists of items for basic survival. Incase I needed to get up and go or was stuck somewhere without help for a day or two. Currently the items inside are:

Folding saw
knife (two smaller fixed blades; one 3" blade and one 2.5" blade) I'm looking for a good blade about 4" as any fixed blade over that is illegal to carry here :thumbdn:
mess kit
Mountain house food
Ramen
Beef Jerkey
Water
Protein bars
Poncho
Fire starters
Blanket
jacket
Spare socks/boxers
tshirt
Boonie hat

I'm trying to figure out what type of tent/sleeping bag I can get that will fit inside and not take up too much room for camping alone. I also originally thought I needed a small stove of some sort to boil water, but I guess I could do that with a fire as well.

One thing not listed, is a means of self defense. I would also include a box or two of ammo and my Wather PPS 9mm. I could swap this out for my Dan Wesson 1911 Heritage .45 except i'd probably add a cleaning kit. 1911 would need to be cleaned more often than the PPS would.

Looking this over what are your thoughts? Anything I should be considering that i've forgot? This is new to me so i'm learning as I go.

 

[TacticalBlade]

As a firemedic, I would say you are about as prepared as any "Civillian" can be.
I would add:
-steri Strips
-Saline Solutions or a few bottles of "Bottled Water" that can be used to clean burns, scrapes, flush eyes etc. At least 3 is my reccomendation.
-Thermometer useful for monitoring body temp in a situation where potential heat exhaustion can be a problem.
-Nitrile Gloves (in case you come upon someone else who needs help)
-Flares if you're stranded somewhere and help is en-route but cant find you and you cant get to them
-super glue although my chief wouldnt be happy, it is very useful if you cut yourself to "stitch" back up
-instant cold packs

Take a First aid class and CPR class. You will learn everything to use all of this stuff and learn to become proficient. I actually just had a CPR RE-Cert class tonight. 3 years on the job and using CPR at least once a week and we still keep up with things.

just my .02

 

[blademaster01]

friars balsm it makes band aids really stick, many other uses cheers

 

[Nickelsig229]

James, I'm pretty much in the same position as you are. A few things I might have that you don't and a few you do that I don't. I look forward to your future posts so I can keep tabs on my progress in relation to yours.

As for the ct carry laws, I have never had any problems with EPA in state parks with larger knifes. They know what's going on and realize that its a situational thing. I just wouldn't get caught on the street with a 10 inch strapped to your leg is all.

How do you like that kelty so far? I'm heart set on an external frame and have been looking at kelty. They seem to have the quality at a price I can afford right now. Although I'd really like to try on a kifaru I know that I can't invest that much in a bag as a novice hiker.

 

[pilgrimuk]

Just a few thoughts:

A Mirror can be useful; lets you check your eyes, places you can't usually see, people's breathing and can be used for signalling.

Also a small torch, perhaps a Photon.

Super glue.

Rehydration sachets.

Hope that's of some use. John

 

[Jamesbern]

Thanks guys so far.

James, I'm pretty much in the same position as you are. A few things I might have that you don't and a few you do that I don't. I look forward to your future posts so I can keep tabs on my progress in relation to yours.

As for the ct carry laws, I have never had any problems with EPA in state parks with larger knifes. They know what's going on and realize that its a situational thing. I just wouldn't get caught on the street with a 10 inch strapped to your leg is all.

How do you like that kelty so far? I'm heart set on an external frame and have been looking at kelty. They seem to have the quality at a price I can afford right now. Although I'd really like to try on a kifaru I know that I can't invest that much in a bag as a novice hiker.

Yeah, I have a Jake Hoback Chopper that if going camping I would consider bringing that along. I was looking at a Becker BK2 to keep in the pack for hiking and camping. It has a 5.5" blade.

Having never owned a real nice backpack i'm not sure about the bag yet. I got it on sale for $140 and so far the few times I threw it on to check out comfort it was pretty good. Plenty of storage for a lot of items. Once I get my kit complete i'll be sure to post up photos of it all.

Just a few thoughts:

A Mirror can be useful; lets you check your eyes, places you can't usually see, people's breathing and can be used for signalling.

Also a small torch, perhaps a Photon.

Super glue.

Rehydration sachets.

Hope that's of some use. John

Good tips. I actually have a torch already, but just forgot to metion it. I have two Fenix PD31s. One is always on me wherever I go and the other is currently in one of the small zippered pockets on the sternum strap of the Kelty along with my Gerber Suspension multi-tool.

 

[Foilist]

I keep a similar bag in my car trunk for emergencies, although it gets used for impromptu hiking more often than not, which is fine by me. The bag is a Marmot Aspen 35, which is intended for winter climbing and skiing.

For sleeping gear, I quite like the Hennessy Hammock. It is more comfortable than a tent and its packed size is about equal to a loaf of bread. For insulation, I use a windshield sun reflector. It can also be used bivy style on the ground if there are no trees.

I also have an old Slumberjack bivy shelter, which is also bread loaf size, but less comfortable.

My sleeping bag is an old, cheap rectangular bag, also Slumberjack. I just can't bear to leave one of my good bags in the car.

 

[Jamesbern]

Alright I got what I wanted and was able to put it all together. Not sure how it all fit but it did. There is even room for a few more smaller items.

All of that needs to fit into this: Maxpedition Neatfreak

Pretty large task if you ask me. Looking at it all laying out I didn't think I could do it. Some how I managed. The contents all inside. The only thing I didn't fit was the whole roll of duct tape. I spooled some duct tape onto a plastic dowel I had to save space.

Knife sits perfect on the back straps and if I don't want it visable I can put it inside.

The contents of the inside are as follows:

Band-Aids and Nexcare bandaids and Butterfly closures in the front flap
x10 2"x2" gauze squares in front flap
x1 Josiah Gravelle knife on back
x4 Heat Factory large warmers
X1 Teflon coated 7 1/2" shears
x2 3" Ace bandages
x1 2" Ace bandage
x6 Burn Jel
x12 Immodium
Bottle of Advil
First Aid tape
Gorilla tape
Storm whistle
Uncle Bill's tweezers
Doan Magneseum fire starter
x10 Nitrile gloves
Suunto compass
Repel 40% DEET
Blistex
Chapstick
Neosporin
Hand Sanitizer
Fenix PD31 flashlight
50' paracord
Mirror

Only thing not shown in bag is the CPR Mask which when bag is zipped half way it goes on top then the bag is zipped closed. For such a small bag this sure seems like a lot of items for it to hold! I can also fit a few baggies with more pills/medicine if needed.

I'm very happy with the outcome.

Thanks Foilist. My birthday is next week and I think my girlfriend has agreed to get me a Hennessy Hammok. I am looking at the Explorer Deluxe. I'm 6' so the extra room should make for a comfy place to rest.

Next, i'm going to pickup the Coleman Max Peak 1 Micro Stove and a few cans of the Butane/Propane canisters for it. Looks like the perfect companion in my backpack.

 

[Owlhoot]

You have a squad sized first aid kit. My personal kit is much smaller than yours, but having spent much time in wilderness country of all kinds, I would like to suggest a few items that I didn't see included in your list. Insect repellent. Few things are more aggravating or debilitating than chiggers. Spider bites are no fun. In most areas mosquitoes can also be a real pain. And I dread ticks with a passion. All of these can lead to serious medical conditions. A good repellent is a must.

There are several good poison ivy/oak gels on the market. I would certainly include one in any kit. I wouldn't go anywhere without a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide, good for many things. You should have a couple of needles and a little thread, not just for making repairs but for picking out thorns and splinters too. A small bottle of bleach is handy as a water purifier.

A small magnifying glass is useful to have around. Also toss in a couple of Bic lighters and some waterproof matches. (your magnesium fire starter is last ditch) A candle is also a good thing to have. A candle is all you need to brew a hot cup of tea on the trail. Keep a nice large silk bandanna in your bag, good for a multitude of things, and a couple of large cotton handkerchiefs. I also keep about 3 or 4 feet of HD aluminum foil folded into a smallish square. It is handy for a lot of things. I can cook game or veggies in the ashes of a fire. I can make a reflector for my fire to throw the heat in my direction when I bed down, I can make a bowl or basin, I can use it for signaling, etc.

When you have an opportunity, go into the woods while it is raining or there is snow on the ground and try building a fire. And remember, when you are cold and wet is when you need a fire the most. Take your bag with you and use whatever you have or can find. My guess is that you will fail. You need to include an effective fire starter of your choice in your bag. And your first inpulse of including a small folding stove and a can of sterno was a sound idea. Keeping warm is a key element of first aid.

Finally, do take a first aid class or at least purchase a good first aid manual. You've done well. Good luck.

 

[Triq]

I have been a medic for years, one of the things i always throw into our jump kits is a few of those light sticks kids play with on halloween. Its easy to just crack one and drop it into your kit. If you need to use it in the dark; It helps to let you find what you need without having to worry about a flashlite in your hands. I pack tincture of iodine in my kit as well. I love duct tape in a kit as long as it hasnt been opened its pretty sterile and can be used to make band aids and used a a steri strip etc. I would add a 3/9 ABD pad and some more 4/4 pads as well. One onther thing, not saying its a bad idea to have a pocket mask in your kit but if this is a personal first aid kit, you cant give CPR to yourself so you might want to drop it in order to full your kit with other supplies that you can use on yourself.

 

[Nickelsig229]

Looking good there.

I've been using the FRS-1 maxpedition bag which I think is bigger but with less pockets.

I have a question for you, and I ask becuase I made the change myself. Would it be beneficial to make this a straight first aid kit and not a survival/first aid/bob? When I took out my knives and tools and gadgest, it gave me room for some big guaze, large wraps and alot more first aid type of gear. I can grab the first aid bag and attach it or stuff it in whatever bag I'm using. I can take it anywhere regardless of hiking, camping, shtf or whatever without having unwanted redundant items weighing me down..

I'm not totally sold on it for hiking though. I wonder if its too much weight at times. I'm still trying out different things for myself.


As for your hammock. I'm a big boy at 6'4 310. Let me know how roomy and comfortable your hammock is. Thats another item I'm contemplating instead of a sleeping bag/tent.

Keep the posts coming.

 

[Jamesbern]

You have a squad sized first aid kit. My personal kit is much smaller than yours, but having spent much time in wilderness country of all kinds, I would like to suggest a few items that I didn't see included in your list. Insect repellent. Few things are more aggravating or debilitating than chiggers. Spider bites are no fun. In most areas mosquitoes can also be a real pain. And I dread ticks with a passion. All of these can lead to serious medical conditions. A good repellent is a must.

I have insect repellent: Repel w/ 40% DEET

There are several good poison ivy/oak gels on the market. I would certainly include one in any kit. I wouldn't go anywhere without a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide, good for many things. You should have a couple of needles and a little thread, not just for making repairs but for picking out thorns and splinters too. A small bottle of bleach is handy as a water purifier.

Something for poison ivy/oak and hydrogen peroxide is a good idea. Needles and thread were on the list I just didn't get them yet. I plan on some water purification tablets as well.

A small magnifying glass is useful to have around. Also toss in a couple of Bic lighters and some waterproof matches. (your magnesium fire starter is last ditch) A candle is also a good thing to have. A candle is all you need to brew a hot cup of tea on the trail. Keep a nice large silk bandanna in your bag, good for a multitude of things, and a couple of large cotton handkerchiefs. I also keep about 3 or 4 feet of HD aluminum foil folded into a smallish square. It is handy for a lot of things. I can cook game or veggies in the ashes of a fire. I can make a reflector for my fire to throw the heat in my direction when I bed down, I can make a bowl or basin, I can use it for signaling, etc.

I have lighters/water and windproof matches too. They are in my camping pack, but it is a good idea to move them over to the kit so everything is together. A candle and bandanna are on the list as well. Aluminum foil will be added.

When you have an opportunity, go into the woods while it is raining or there is snow on the ground and try building a fire. And remember, when you are cold and wet is when you need a fire the most. Take your bag with you and use whatever you have or can find. My guess is that you will fail. You need to include an effective fire starter of your choice in your bag. And your first inpulse of including a small folding stove and a can of sterno was a sound idea. Keeping warm is a key element of first aid.

Good idea. I have a fire pit in my backyard and some "woods" as well. Not a bad idea to go out in the rain/snow and play around learning to make a fire in those elements. What do you consider a fire starter? Tinder? Steel wool and 9v battery? Some cotton balls?

Finally, do take a first aid class or at least purchase a good first aid manual. You've done well. Good luck.

Looking good there.

I've been using the FRS-1 maxpedition bag which I think is bigger but with less pockets.

I have a question for you, and I ask becuase I made the change myself. Would it be beneficial to make this a straight first aid kit and not a survival/first aid/bob? When I took out my knives and tools and gadgest, it gave me room for some big guaze, large wraps and alot more first aid type of gear. I can grab the first aid bag and attach it or stuff it in whatever bag I'm using. I can take it anywhere regardless of hiking, camping, shtf or whatever without having unwanted redundant items weighing me down..

I think it would. This is why I wanted a smaller bag for my first aid kit. I can put it in my main pack or carry it on its own, toss it in the car, etc.

I'm not totally sold on it for hiking though. I wonder if its too much weight at times. I'm still trying out different things for myself.

Who knows. I've never been hiking/camping since maybe two times when I was younger so this is totally new to me. Hell I don't even know where to go around here. My "day" pack is a Kelty Coyote 80 which is pretty big. I figured I could go with the bigger pack and pack lighter if I needed to. I'd rather have the option to expend and add more gear than have it packed and no room for other stuff.

As for your hammock. I'm a big boy at 6'4 310. Let me know how roomy and comfortable your hammock is. Thats another item I'm contemplating instead of a sleeping bag/tent.

Will do. Everything I read and saw made it look really nice. I'm going with the Explorer Deluxe Zip, Hex Fly, and a Radiant Double Bubble Pad. I think I need to consider a sleeping bag/blanket as well considering it is going to start getting cooler and hammocks are known to be colder than a tent.

This is the one i'm going with. Max weight limit is 300lbs, but I see a few others with a weight limit of 350lbs.

http://hennessyhammock.com/catalog/specs/explorer_deluxe_asym_zip/

Keep the posts coming.

I have been a medic for years, one of the things i always throw into our jump kits is a few of those light sticks kids play with on halloween. Its easy to just crack one and drop it into your kit. If you need to use it in the dark; It helps to let you find what you need without having to worry about a flashlite in your hands. I pack tincture of iodine in my kit as well. I love duct tape in a kit as long as it hasnt been opened its pretty sterile and can be used to make band aids and used a a steri strip etc. I would add a 3/9 ABD pad and some more 4/4 pads as well. One onther thing, not saying its a bad idea to have a pocket mask in your kit but if this is a personal first aid kit, you cant give CPR to yourself so you might want to drop it in order to full your kit with other supplies that you can use on yourself.

I have one light stick already, but a couple may be good. 4/4 pads (i'm assuming 4"x4" gauze pads) are a good addition and I actually just got 25 2/packs in tonight. Pocket mask removal is a good idea. Probably just keep it in the glovebox of my car.

Guys- thanks so much for the questions and tips. I'm still learning as I go and this is all very new to me. I'm ordering the hammock tonight and will get the items I still need for my kit soon.

I actually just picked up a Glock 30SF to carry on hikes/camping trips where I legally can. Just a piece of mind thing. I thought about also getting some bear spray or something to carry as well.

Lastly, i'm going to pickup the Coleman Micro stove as soon as I find one locally. Then i'm going to try and make a fire in the fire pit out back, boil water and eat a Mountain House meal. :thumbup:

 

[Fred A]

I would add Benedryl in case of bad reactions to stings.

 

[Jamesbern]

My girlfriend agrees that Benedryl is a great addition!

 

[Les Snyder]

as Tactical Blade and Triq commented... tincture of iodine or povidone (betadine) has water purification use in addition to topical anti microbial..might trade out one of the ACE bandages for a roll of stretch adhesive (Coban)...and a roll of Kerlix for serious blood stoppage...small syringe for irrigation if you don't have a squeeze bottle available....small hemostatic gauze....

my hobby is competitive shooting so additionally.... I have a couple of Israeli bandages, SF tourniquet, Kerlix roll and gauze, NPA, petroleum gauze, along with the Quick Clot, LED mini mag light, electrician shears, and chem lights in my kit