| A | B | C | D | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | BACKPACKING FIRST AID KIT | |||
2 | Item: Generic (Common Name) | Description & Purpose | Solo Kit | Group Kit |
3 | DON'T FORGET | |||
4 | The thing between your ears | Research beforehand the conditions, identify risks, make conservative decisions, & respect your limits. Also, be resourceful when a first aid situation occurs -- you can't plan for everything. | Critical | Critical |
5 | MEDICATIONS | |||
6 | Ibuprofen (Advil) | Pain relief and anti-inflammatory; fever and headache reducer. NSAID. Potential allergen. | Suggested | Suggested |
7 | Acetaminophen (Tylenol) | Pain relief; fever and headache reducer. Substitute for NSAID, or combine for extra relief. | Optional | Suggested |
8 | Aspirin | Heart attack prevention. Need correlates to age and health of individual(s). | Depends | Depends |
9 | Loperamide (Imodium) | Antidiarrheal. Can be a trip-saver: improves comfort, prevents dehydration. | Suggested | Suggested |
10 | Herbal laxative | GI back-up is common after long flights & drives to trailheads. Alt: laxative pills or powders. | Depends | Suggested |
11 | Ranitidine (Zantac) | Fast-acting heart burn relief. Usually a known issue beforehand. Alt: Tums. | Depends | Suggested |
12 | Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) | Anti-histamine, for acute allergic reactions. Doubles as a sleep aid - same drug & dosage. | Suggested | Suggested |
13 | Cetirizine (Zyrtec) | Non-drowsy relief from seasonal allergies. Alt: Zyrtec-D or Loratadine (Claritin). | Depends | Depends |
14 | Epinephrine injection (EpiPen) | For known anaphylaxis reaction to bee sting, peanuts, etc. Rx only; use needs physician okay. | Depends | Depends |
15 | Caffeine (No-Doz) | Prefer coffee, but pill is fast & effective. Full pill can be very strong; try quarter or half. | Optional | Suggested |
16 | WOUNDS & INJURIES | |||
17 | Bandages (Band-Aids) | Run-of-the-mill cuts & scrapes. Assorted sizes & finger/knuckle. Breathable fabric longer-lasting. | Suggested | Suggested |
18 | Skin closures (Steri-Strips) | Substitute for stitches. Practice beforehand - need to get these right. | Suggested | Suggested |
19 | Sawyer ChitoSAM Active Dressing | Fast-acting blood clotter for severe bleeding from knife, firearm, fall, etc. Alt: Celox granules. | Depends | Depends |
20 | Krazy Glue | Part of repair kit. Quickly seals cracked skin on fingers & feet. Avoid more extensive use. | Suggested | Suggested |
21 | Roll gauze | Dressings & DIY bandages. 2-in roll is functional, compact. Alt: gauze pads or clothing. | Optional | Suggested |
22 | Triple antibiotic (Neosporin) | Fights infection. Single-use packets or squeeze tube. More critical on longer trips. | Optional | Suggested |
23 | Nitrile disposable gloves | Prevent body fluid transmission and wound contamination, from group member or stranger. | Optional | Suggested |
24 | Leukotape P | More adhesive than med tape. Put 12-in strips on discarded mail label paper. In group, add roll. | Suggested | Suggested |
25 | Cloth tape | Very versatile. Stabilize joints & secure bandages. Alt: Leukotape roll. | Optional | Optional |
26 | Benzoin tincture | Improve adhesiveness of bandages & tapes. Store in dropper bottle. More critical for foot care. | Suggested | Suggested |
27 | Joshua Tree Climbing Salve | Combat chafing, but not a substitute for regular butt-washing. Double-duty for foot care. | Suggested | Suggested |
28 | TOOLS | |||
29 | Scissors | Cut tapes, gauze, clothing, cord, etc. Solo: Victorinix Classic. Group: Fiskars Blunt Tip, 5-in | Suggested | Suggested |
30 | Precision tweezers | For splinters, ticks, cactus needles, etc. For tick-infested areas, consider additional tick ring. | Suggested | Suggested |
31 | Hand sanitizer | For hands, tools, and possibly wounds. Decant into 1 oz bottle. Alt: Dr. Bronner's + water. | Suggested | Suggested |
32 | WORTH CONSIDERATION, BUT DOES NOT MAKE MY CUT | |||
33 | Naproxen (Aleve) | Take this or iburpfen. Need less naproxen, b/c it's longer lasting. Not as fast-acting though. | Unnecessary | Unnecessary |
34 | Sleep aid | Same active ingredient & dosage as OTC med for acute allergy relief, diphenhydramine (Benadryl). | Unnecessary | Unnecessary |
35 | Transparent film (Tegaderm) | Super Band-Aid: waterproof, see-through, barrier. Reundant with bandages & tape, usually overkill. | Unnecessary | Unnecessary |
36 | Irrigation syringe | Clean dirt, rocks, & organic matter out of wounds. Improvise with H20 bottle. Also consider: Q-tips. | Unnecessary | Unnecessary |
37 | Self-adherent tape (Coban) | Stabilize joints, secure bandages, protect skin. Stretchy, reusable. Redundant with tapes. | Unnecessary | Unnecessary |
38 | Triangular dressing | Sling or stabilize bones or joints. Need is unlikely. Can be improvised with clothing & gear. | Unnecessary | Unnecessary |
39 | CPR mask | Protects rescuer. Lightweight but bulky; low chance of use; can be improvised with glove. | Unnecessary | Unnecessary |
40 | SAM splint | A nice-to-have for unlikely injury. Alt: MacGyver one from poles, pads, clothing, cord. | Unnecessary | Unnecessary |
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