*updated 3/3/24* 2 oz that might be worthing adding to your first aid kit *updated 3/3/24*

[Bighorse]

Two words : Shit Happens

I'm a 20 yr CT and xray technologist.....I know

I find this to be an interesting conversation. We are engaging in risk by choice and discussing how to mitigate failure. I personally take great care to not fail. I prefer to accept the risk, as serious as it is, and make choices to avoid failure. I've been hunting wilderness areas in Alaska for a very long time. I've harvested four Roosevelt elk out of the S. Etolin island wilderness. I've been dropped off Solo in the Tebenkoff Bay wilderness with a Kayak on Kuiu island. I've hunted the coastal brown bear in the Admiralty island national monument. I've ran a boat deep up the Chickamin river almost to Canada in the Misty Fiords. I've been dropped in the S. POW wilderness with an inflatable and backpacked deep into the mountains. I've hiked deep into the Brooks after Dall sheep. All these trips are DIY and there's more. I've never carried all this catastrophic failure medical equipment because I make decisions based off the fact that failure happens.
I'm always doing risk analysis.
It's easy to sit back and call me a fool. It's much more difficult to maintain the level of skill and proficiency that staying focused and injury free has required. I will continue to take risk as I see fit. Rock on gentlemen and I hope that your journey is a safe one.

Remember, Styles make fights!

My style is as outlined above and it's my choice and someday I may enjoy a good death be it a glorious plane wreck or brown bear chomp

And I just completed a long difficult remote chainsaw milling job of two yellow cedar, no tourniquet or clotting stuff. All my appendages are intact.

 

[twall13]

Meanwhile in Alaska.....I'll complete my 17th Mt goat hunt without it. Respect for whatever endeavor you choose and the gear you select. I'll jump on an airplane this spring on Kodiak for a DIY Brown Bear hunt without it in April.

I don't think anyone is trying to force you to bring one along, everyone has to weigh the risks and decide if it's worth packing for themselves. Sounds like you don't feel the risks are big enough, for you personally, that you will justify the weight. Great, that's your decision. Doesn't mean it's not worth considering for others. I think that's the point of the discussion, getting everyone to look at their own situation and make an informed decision for themselves.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

 

[Rokwiia]

This valuable discussion made me realize that I was woefully unprepared to deal with severe blood loss from a deep wound. I'm out often by myself and can be many miles from humanity much less a trauma center if things go south.

I've since bought:

Celox Rapid Hemostatic Gauze
QuikClot Combat Gauze
Israeli bandage 6"

The three together are only 5.2oz and now provide me with peace of mind. Thanks everyone!

 

[TimothyJ]

Interesting to see how widely differing everyone's opinions are. I am in the camp of carry a few extra ounces, but can understand why others might make the decision not to.

 

[mtwarden]

there have been a few different stories posted from this hunting season with folks and some really nasty cuts- the two I read were very deep deep cuts- one to an arm, one to a hand- fortunately both were able to stop (or at least slow) the bleeding and get to a ER for stitches

 

[Travis907]

Don’t forget superglue and moleskin/blister kits!

 

[TheGDog]

Don’t forget superglue and moleskin/blister kits!

Damn, ya know what? That superglue is a darn good idea. Could have used that my first deer when I sliced across back of my middle finger with the Havalon. Wasn't too bad. Only like 2mm deep I'd say. But could have avoided a bit of mess w/ superglue I bet. Also could probably use that to repair lots of little things. Like plastic parts that crack off or fracture.

 

[TheGDog]

I'll add my two cents on the tqs/bandages. Im not a doctor, but I am an ER/Flight nurse and may have been My personal kit is pretty much the same as wyoslam's. I carry a few more drugs (immodium, anyone?), but I feel confident in that set up.

Oh Hellz yes to carrying the immodium. That and Zrytec. Tylenol #3's w/ Codeine for when things go sideways or when my back trauma flares up bad. And unfortunately I need Acid-Blockers. Lotta the trail food snacks and dehydrateds invoke it.

 

[TheGDog]

RE: carrying a few extra ounces. The whole point, if you're successful, is that you're going to be carrying a big ol bunch of weight. So what's a few ounces? Especially stuff that can give you relief. I think the weight savings can be had elsewhere. Most of this stuff isn't very heavy anyway.

 

[Jrussell]

Thanks for the link! Great idea

 

[11boo]

It’s all good, till it’s not. Good find OP, I’ll be replacing my Israeli combat dressing With one.

 

[mtwarden]

quick update- might be old news but recently found this tourniquet - it's the EDQ wide (from SnakeStaff; weighs a mere 1.4 oz and is very compact

https://www.snakestaffsystems.com/buy-now/etq-wide



the CAT is the gold standard and no arguments from me, but this one is much more likely to be carried (by me) than the CAT- half the weight and less than half the volume

 

[Jayhat]

I also suggest everyone adding a tourniquet to their kit. A lot of things you carry are to make you more comfortable, tourniquets will save your life, and if you even need one, you REALLY need one.

I recently added one of these to mine to replace a CAT (I know that's often sacrilege) https://www.snakestaffsystems.com/buy-now/etq-wide

 

[JohnB]

I just got a 1" wide one. It's way more packable and fit right into my first aid kit. I'm way more likely to bring this than a CAT.

 

[mtwarden]

I’ve read a few criticisms of the snakestaff; folks that are paramedics. If I was a paramedic, in a combat zone, etc- I’d carry a CAT. BUT I’m not and this one I will carry.

 

[flotech79]

Cell-ox hemostatic gauze is also light and a lifesaver if needed.

 

[Johnny_Yemon11]

I’d caution against any tourniquets that are narrower than CAT. The width really helps to decrease that blood flow, to the point that it’s taught to apply a second tourniquet right next to the first if bleeding isn’t controlled. Weight and compactness can be slimmed down, but careful on the width and a solid windless.

 

[Jayhat]

I’d caution against any tourniquets that are narrower than CAT. The width really helps to decrease that blood flow, to the point that it’s taught to apply a second tourniquet right next to the first if bleeding isn’t controlled. Weight and compactness can be slimmed down, but careful on the width and a solid windless.

Prep medic does a pretty extensive overview of the snakestaff TQ. He also addresses the fact that on the CAT the nylon band that you crank around the windlass is actually only 1” wide: that’s what is putting the pressure on and occluding blood flow. Obviously TCCC is cool with it and it’s going to be less painful still than the 1” main and 1” internal pressure webbing of the snakestaff narrow TQ. There are TCCC approved TQs that are true 1.5”.

 

[ni7ne]

On group backpacking trips the only first aid I bring is a SAM splint and tape. Nothing else.
If you did a group dump of medical items, there would be massive redundancy in treating lacerations and blood loss. The same as seen in this thread.
Breaks and sprains are the most common backcountry injury that will put the victim directly into a dangerous situation.

"Just improvise a splint."
No thanks. SAM splints are nice.