In a previous article, I talked about my custom medical kit. This is the kit I have in my pack at all times. When it’s time to hit the trail, the medical kit goes with me in my hiking daypack. However, not everyone wants to piece together their own medical kit for various reasons. For that reason, I’m going to cover a popular off the shelf medical first aid kit. Regardless of what you decide, you need to carry some type of first aid kit – even if it’s a piece of crap like I was issued in the Marine Corps. Our first aid kit consisted of moleskin, a roll of electrical tape, Motrin, and a canteen of water.
The Ultralight and Watertight .7 Kit by Adventure Medical Kits is the perfect choice for people who want one kit for climbing, kayaking, hiking, and every other outdoor activity that they participate in. The .7 is also the 0fficial medical kit of the USARA 24 Hour Adventure Race Series.
CONTENTS of the Adventure Medical Kits Ultralight and Watertight .7 Kit
- 1 – Splinter Picker/Tick Remover Forceps
- 1 – Duct Tape, 2 x 100″
- 3 – Safety Pins
- 2 – After Bite Sting and Itch Relief, Wipe
- 2 – Antihistamine (Diphenhydramine 25 mg)
- 4 – Ibuprofen (200 mg)
- 1 – Tincture of Benzoin Topical Skin Adhesive, Vial
- 3 – Triple Antibiotic Ointment, Net Wt. 0.9 g, (1/32 oz)
- 1 – Gloves, Nitrile (Pair)
- 5 – After Cuts and Scrapes Anesthetic/Antiseptic, Wipe
- 4 – Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, 1 x 3″
- 3 – Bandage, Adhesive, Fabric, Knuckle
- 3 – Bandage, Butterfly Closure
- 1 – Bandage, Elastic with Velcro Closure, 2″
- 3 – Conforming Gauze Bandage, Non-Sterile, 3″
- 2 – Dressing, Gauze, Sterile, 2 x 2″
- 2 – Dressing, Gauze, Sterile, 3 x 3″
- 2 – Dressing, Non-Adherent, Sterile, 3 x 4″
- 1 – Moleskin, 4 x 7″
- 1 – Tape, Cloth, 1 x 10 Yards
I recommend going through the contents of your off the shelf kit and customizing it to your location and medical preferences. You’ll need to beef this kit up if you want a first aid kit that is truly capable of supporting 1 to 2 people for up to 4 days. Below are the changes I made to my personal kit to support myself and family for day hikes and the reasons why.
- removed the Tincture of Benzoin Vial – never had a use for this stuff
- removed the Butterfly Closure Bandage – You can use standard 1″ x 3″ bandaids cut down the center for this and they are stronger than the butterfly bandages.
- removed the Elastic Velcro Closure Bandage – replaced with the SWAT-T Tourniquet
- removed the Antihistamine (Diphenhydramine 25 mg) – I’m only concerned with pain/swelling and dehydration.
- Added (1) SWAT-T Tourniquet – I prefer this over the Elastic Velcro Bandage since it can fill multiple applications such as a tourniquet, pressure bandage, or to secure a splint.
- Added an H&H Compression Gauze pack – These just get the job done for heavy bleeding. This combined with the SWAT-T will give you a pretty damn good defense against blood loss.
- Added Salt Stick capsules for dehydration and heat related illnesses
- Added (1) sam splint finger splint – when I was adding other items to my kits I decided to ask several people what they would like to see in a first aid kit that is not commonly found in them. The common answer I received from them all was a finger splint – especially those who have kids.
- Replaced the ‘Dry Lock’ interior waterproof bag with my Aloksak waterproof bag – The Dry Lock bag seems to be a rigid zip lock type bag. The Aloksak is a proven product and I trust it over anything else.
The Bottom Line
This kit by itself is good for your smaller cuts, scrapes, insect bites, and stings. It’s enough to get you back to the car parked at the trail head and to a doctor if the injury warrants that. For anything above and beyond your basic cuts and scrapes, you’re going to have to beef this kit up with other items or custom make your own kit to suit your personal needs.
