Backcountry First Aid & Survival Kits, By Travis Bertrand

[Mike7]

This is a great point. Personally I don't view the items on your list as mutually exclusive to carrying a tourniquet.

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Agree...just looking at the numbers and from personal experience working in rural ERs which just further supports the statistics, for the ounce counters who skimp on sleeping bags and a GPS for instance, then doing that but also bringing a tourniquet makes no sense to me.

 

[fwafwow]

Agree...just looking at the numbers and from personal experience working in rural ERs which just further supports the statistics, for the ounce counters who skimp on sleeping bags and a GPS for instance, then doing that but also bringing a tourniquet makes no sense to me.

Agreed. I am an ounce counter but have all of those items. My buddy asked me what's the worst case scenario - I said Mountain lion attack (infinitesimal chance) or falling and breaking a leg (most likely bad outcome) - but I've never gone and am just guessing.

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[Rob5589]

I carry a tq, quikclot pad, and an Isreali bandage. Also have the basics as well. I can say in 27 years as a medic, the opportunity to use a tq came once, a gsw to the upper leg which caused arterial bleeding. We didn't have them back then so it was direct pressure and gas pedal. That was working many years in the hood, too. Even with that experience, I still will lean on the side of caution.

 

[All American Boy]

Had a close call while gutting a muley last year. Knife nicked inside of leg pretty good. A little more umphh and it would have hit the femoral and had big problems. Now... carry tourniquet, Israel bandage, clotting bandage, and additional knowledge... along with all the standard survival gear.

 

[Phillip Hathaway]

What pullouts do you use? I wouldnt carry as much as you obviously since mine would just be in my edc bag.

 

[Travis Bertrand]

What pullouts do you use? I wouldnt carry as much as you obviously since mine would just be in my edc bag.

I’m using a kifaru pullout. There’s a lot of options though and if it was in my edc, I’d look at not the lightweight model but the 500d just to give it more shape. Maybe a tombstone pocket or fhf gear pocket. Tons of options!


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[223varminter]

Great information

 

[mtwarden]

backpacking most of the year, I don't carry a tourniquet (or a combat dressing), but during hunting season I do- too many sharp things, things that go bang and simply too far in to have any hope of a quick response

the cat t weighs 2.8 oz, the combat gauze 0.8 oz, so my rather thorough first aid kit grows from ~ 4.5 oz to ~ 8 oz in the fall, that's 3.5 oz I can pretty easily justify

my typical fire starting kit backpacking is around a little over an ounce, for hunting (and winter outings), my fire kit is much more robust- closer to 4 oz

I also carry enough kit to get me through an unexpected night out even if a fire is an impossibility- a lightweight Apex quilt, a decent bivy and a small section of ccd pad- the quilt has a poncho hole so I can pull it over my worn clothing when glassing when it gets really cold, the ccf pad doubles as a sit pad for glassing/breaks

 

[Tcsmith09]

Great article

 

[walleye26]

@Travis Bertrand You had mentioned satellite communication in the article. Is there a system that you recommend or have positive, reliable experience with?

 

[Travis Bertrand]

@Travis Bertrand You had mentioned satellite communication in the article. Is there a system that you recommend or have positive, reliable experience with?

@walleye26 sorry I missed this post! I really suggest the inreach. It uses the iridium network, and allows for 2 way communication unlike the spot. They are proven...

A sat phone on the iridium is the ultimate however it is also very costly!


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[Rich M]

I find these kinds of articles to be helpful - I'm not in the medical arena, just some first aid and life guard training years ago, and around the same time had a girlfriend who was an EMT.

Stuck a circular saw in my leg once - craziest thing but it happened. 64 stitches and an impressive scar.

Anyhow, the best preventative medicine is prevention itself. How does one stick a circular saw or knife in their arm, leg, belly or sit on a broadhead needs to be addressed as much as how to handle the situation itself. Simple fixes such as cutting away from ones-self and situational awareness may or may not help the next guy - diff situations = diff results... I'm not judging anyone here, things happen, accidents do happen. I could have avoided mine several different ways, it mostly came down to the wrong tool for the job.

If that had been something someone encountered on the mountain - what if they did use a tourniquet or blood clotting agents when it really wasn't necessary just cause they had an accident and freaked-out, which is really easy to do when you see any volume of blood - What are the potential ramifications of over-treating a wound??

What are the potential issues arising out of folks having equipment but not training?

Might be a good article for those of us who aren't in the know - when do we use the tourniquet, clotting agents, etc. vs just putting some pressure on it and maybe some super glue to hold it shut til we get off the mountain?

Also - what are the most common injuries? Cuts to hands? Injuries from falls? ????

 

[Beckjhong]

I find these kinds of articles to be helpful - I'm not in the medical arena, just some first aid and life guard training years ago, and around the same time had a girlfriend who was an EMT.

Stuck a circular saw in my leg once - craziest thing but it happened. 64 stitches and an impressive scar.

Anyhow, the best preventative medicine is prevention itself. How does one stick a circular saw or knife in their arm, leg, belly or sit on a broadhead needs to be addressed as much as how to handle the situation itself. Simple fixes such as cutting away from ones-self and situational awareness may or may not help the next guy - diff situations = diff results... I'm not judging anyone here, things happen, accidents do happen. I could have avoided mine several different ways, it mostly came down to the wrong tool for the job.

If that had been something someone encountered on the mountain - what if they did use a tourniquet or blood clotting agents when it really wasn't necessary just cause they had an accident and freaked-out, which is really easy to do when you see any volume of blood - What are the potential ramifications of over-treating a wound??

What are the potential issues arising out of folks having equipment but not training?

Might be a good article for those of us who aren't in the know - when do we use the tourniquet, clotting agents, etc. vs just putting some pressure on it and maybe some super glue to hold it shut til we get off the mountain?

Also - what are the most common injuries? Cuts to hands? Injuries from falls? ????

Over treating a wound: we have good data that tourniquets are safe up to two hours, and anecdotal data of up to six with minimal residual nerve damage. I still teach compression and wound packing—but if it falls in that grey area and it seems a concerning amount of blood, you’re better off over treating than under treating.

Check out bleedingcontrol.org, and you can find a free class near you. No class near you? Hit me up and you can get instruction from me online—again, for free.

Agreed, prevention is the best medicine.

As always, PM with comments/questions.


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[Rich M]

Over treating a wound: we have good data that tourniquets are safe up to two hours, and anecdotal data of up to six with minimal residual nerve damage. I still teach compression and wound packing—but if it falls in that grey area and it seems a concerning amount of blood, you’re better off over treating than under treating.

Check out bleedingcontrol.org, and you can find a free class near you. No class near you? Hit me up and you can get instruction from me online—again, for free.

Agreed, prevention is the best medicine.

As always, PM with comments/questions.


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Thanks - I looked and there are classes in my area. It is a 90 minute class.

Will look into this further - would only need to use it once to make a huge difference.

 

[fwafwow]

+1 to the advice above to look into the resources available at BleedingControl.org. You can make your own decisions on what to carry and when, but I think the goal is to have the training as common as CPR or the Heimlich maneuver

 

[mejohll]

Great info here. Thank you.

 

[kboger]

Great article! Very helpful!

 

[Eligessner]

Great article.

 

[Jakeemt]

Great article!

 

[cowboy300]

https://combatmedical.com/shop/prod_march/prod_massivehemorrhage/prod_massivehem_itclamp/

Another option to add into a kit. Pretty much the best option imo to survive a groin femoral artery cut or anywhere you cant apply a tourniquet. The testing they did on these on pigs was pretty eye opening. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3786550/