Backcountry Med Kit

[Kmnork]

Last thing to pack for rifle season is a backcountry med kit. Heading into the wilderness about 5 miles in, looking for a lightweight yet comprehensive emergency med kit check list, or if someone has a tried-n-true set up I’d appreciate hearing about it. Thanks in advance!


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[mireland62887]

After researching endless posts, I found the main thing I needed to do was take less of everything. Did I really need a hundred band aids? A whole tube of neosporin?

My kit has a handful of single use neosporin, alcohol wipes, band aids, benadryl, ibuprofin, advil PM, and a couple gauze pads. In that same pull out I have mole skin, tenacious tape, and a lighter with duct tape. That's it.

I have used everything in there at some point, but can't think of a time (knock on wood) that I needed something that I didn't have.

 

[katdaddy2013]

2.0 First Aid kit. Everything you may need.

 

[cnelk]

All I carry is some duct tape [wrapped around a lighter], some gauze, neosporin, and a few Aleve.
Anything beyond that stuff isnt 1st-Aid, its called 2nd-Aid and its time for the pros

 

[Wapiti66]

Id add 2nd skin, or similar blister band aides. That's the only item I've ever used out of my kit. If you think you are getting blisters, get on top of them early...hiking mountains with blisters is no fun.

 

[Jqualls]

Mine is similar to cnelk with the addition of super glue, a couple zip ties, and one or 2 pipe bands. The pipe bands were mainly for backcountry skiing to fix a broken binding but I could see some good uses hunting as well.

 

[kevin476]

I feel like a tiny package of "bloodclot" is a good idea. So is a small roll of bandage wrap. I will second the zip ties too.

 

[Ranger185]

I always take an IFAK and then pull some of the less useful stuff out and replace with standard meds and my kids star wars band-aids. But it has everything I need for a just in case

 

[bearclaw]

A roll or two of gauze is light in case you have any need to pack a wound. I also started carrying a tourniquet as I hope to never need it, but god forbid I slip and drive my knife or broadhead through a main vein or artery to save an ounce... But, only carry what you can use.

 

[Whiskey_Fish]

I always take a roll of the stretchy veterinarian grade stretch wrap and a compression bandage. About 3 oz, but you can stop a lot of bleeding between the two. My feeling is that’s the biggest emergency I could come across, stabilize and then find a plan B.

Everything else is Advil and bandaids


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[bearclaw]

Oh yeah, and I started carrying my Delorme text thingy last year on backcountry hunts. I am usually solo so if I break an ankle it is insurance I am not going to have to crawl out of the backcountry. I figure with all the gas, ammo, arrows, food, tags, etc. $100/ year is cheap insurance.

 

[md126]

Add 2 tourniquets. Cheap easy to use and will absolutely save your life. Just make sure they are where you can reach them. I put one on my left belt and one on the right.

Most first aid kits are more for comfort and less for saving you when you’re 5 miles in

 

[eric.goodwin.376]

I usually pack light on it but one thing I always have is a bottle of glue and 1 stitch kit. All the dead fall and knifes would be easy to end up with a bad one


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[Cdpp880]

All I carry is some duct tape [wrapped around a lighter], some gauze, neosporin, and a few Aleve.
Anything beyond that stuff isnt 1st-Aid, its called 2nd-Aid and its time for the pros

This is pretty good. I take some lukotape along with duct tape. The lukotape works great as blister prevention/aid and will stick for days. I do add a small package of quick-clot gauze and a light weight ace bandage like thing to wrap an ankle-knee.... and can make it work as a tourniquet if had too.

 

[md126]

If you’re 5 miles in you can forget about the pros (EMS) and also forget about making a tourniquet out of some other material or gear.

By the time they find you or you can make something you’ll probably be dead. Just a reality unfortunately.

 

[Mike7]

Food for thought when considering backcountry risks vs the weight of packing your own medical kit...

For a comprehensive non-combat medical kit, a tourniquet is certainly something to consider adding, but for those considering adding this to a lightweight solo backcountry backpack kit, something else to consider might be whether you add a life jacket, pack with avalanche safety device, a Farraday suit, aspirin & an AED, benadryl & epipens, trekking poles, helmet, and a rope...because statistically you are much more likely to die from falls, drowning, heart attacks, avalanches, allergic reactions, or lightning compared to overwhelming blood loss from an extremity injury.

 

[hflier]

Here you go for a tourniquet

S.T.A.T. Tourniquet




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[Justin_the_EDG]

Imo, I balance the weight of an item vs its likelihood to either kill you or end your hunt. A couple examples: I don't take Band-Aids, for example, because I feel like the odds of that ending my hunt is virtually nil. Infection has a small, but real risk of ending things early, but grabbing a single use antibiotic cream is a minimal weight penalty.

I see a significant bleed as a pretty plausible risk with 2 firearms, razor sharp knives, and a bunch of mild rock climbing, so I pack a tourniquet. As stated above, waiting for the "pros" to stop a havalon stabbing to the thigh is a bad plan and definitely a legitimate scenario. Also, tourniquets are super simple to use. Hemostatic gauze would be a good option too, as it's very light, but knowing when/how to use it vs a tourniquet takes a bit more education.

 

[AdamW]

I'll add my 2 cents as someone with more medical training than backcountry success. There's a difference between "first aid" and "trauma" or life-saving equipment and some of that has been mentioned above. I carry Leukotape wrapped around a piece of a straw for hot spots and its many tape uses, a couple misc bandaids and assorted meds (ibuprofen, imodium, benadryl). Just a few doses of each. Also an extra chapstick because it fits best in there.

Trauma stuff is where people get all worked up. I carry a CAT tourniquet and 1 Israeli style compressed bandage/dressing. I've been trained in their use (if you're not a good youtube video is better than nothing) and am willing to bear the minute weight penalty. You can makeshift a lot of things out of other gear, but a tourniquet isn't one you want to do that with IMO. Or a pressure bandage. Most people live in a fantasy world about "I'll just use my X".

Concerning tourniquets, there is always some new one on the market. Giant zip tie, giant rubber band, whatever. There's a reason the CAT and the SOFT T are the 2 leading tourniquets out there for people who sadly have to use them often: they work. A good windlass tourniquet is the way to go.

Hemostatic gauze or the old powder isn't useless for sure, but I think you'd find more injuries are solved with the other 2 items.

All of my med stuff weighs 8 oz. I'm happy to carry that weight.

 

[Beendare]

I think the Kits are too "One size fits all" .....I think a guy needs to make it specific to HIM.


Mine is similar to the #2 post with a roll of good tape, beta dyne packs, Sani wipes, a quick clot type bandage and good blister bandaids. I've added Prilosec/antacid and stuff specific to me. All fits in a quart ziploc.

For example, if you have a bad knee....you want one of those stretch wraps along......

REI sells the little foil pack cleaning wipes, Bacitracin, etc