It’s quite amazing the number of individuals who travel in the backcountry and don’t carry a medical kit. People are too interested in traveling light, saving space, or have the dreaded “what are the chances of that” mentality. People will spend hundreds and thousand of dollars on gear for backpacking, hunting, skiing, or mountain biking, but neglect the tools to keep them or their companions alive in those worst-case scenarios.
Many times, it comes down to a lack of knowledge and medicine is intimidating for some. Not everyone is a medical professional or has the proper training, but with simple tools and basic knowledge, you could save a life or prevent further injury. Your biggest injury threat in the backcountry is trauma. Wild Hedgehog has created a simple medical kit stocked with the basic and necessary items to stop a bleed, splint a fracture, or clean a wound. Building a medical kit can be costly and not everyone knows exactly what they need. The Get Home Alive Medical Kit does that for you and contains the following items:
- 4” Israeli Bandage
- 1 Pair Nitrile Gloves
- SWAT-T Tourniquet
- 2x H&H Gauze
- Aluminum Splint
- CPR Face Shield
- Assorted Band-Aids
- 4x Gauze Pads
- Aspirin
- Tylenol Extra Strength
- 4x Iodine Wipes
- 2x Alcohol Wipes
- Medical Tape
- 2x Tampons
- 4x Anti-septic Gel Packs
- 2x Burn Gel Packs
- Steri-Strips
- 4x Hand sanitizer wipes
- Self Adherent Wrap
- 2x Ammonia Inhalants
I have spent hundreds of days traveling in the backcountry and not once have I had to place a tourniquet or splint on myself or companion. Working as a Paramedic has taught me the value of never saying “never.” The time you need these items are high-risk/low-frequency events. Having the right tools and knowledge can save yourself or a loved one. Although I’ve never had to implement these items or skills in the backcountry, I always carry a kit like the Wild Hedgehog Get Home Alive Medical Kit.
Most pre-stocked medical kits are made of flimsy materials and come packed so tight that when you finally open it, the contents go everywhere. Upon receiving the Get Home Alive Medical Kit, I immediately noticed there was ample room to find all the items and supplement the kit with additional items if necessary.
The Get Home Alive Medical Kit is made from 1000D Nylon Teflon and is MOLLE or PALS compatible. With the additional items, the kit still only weighs 1.5 lbs. Although this may sound extremely heavy for those ultralight junkies out there, how much weight is your life worth? Measuring: H:5″ W:7″ D:4″, the kit easily fits into the top lid of my pack for easy access. The outside zippered compartment is perfect for small items such as drugs, tweezers, an emergency whistle, and a back-up emergency compass.
If you are looking to build your own kit or want a high-quality pre-stocked medical kit, I highly recommend looking into the Wild Hedgehog Get Home Alive Medical Kit. This kit would be a great addition to any soldiers ruck or backcountry enthusiasts loadout. More importantly, get out there and learn how to use these items and practice a lot. Medical skills are perishable and you need to be on your game if the time arises. I highly recommend attending a wilderness first responder course at a local university or at least watch some online tutorials on how to apply the items in your medical kit.
If you happen to use your Wild Hedgehog Get Home Alive Medical Kit during a low-frequency/high-risk survival scenario, they will refill the contents of your kit for free.
You can purchase the Wild Hedgehog Get Home Alive Medical Kit here.
Feel free to comment or ask about what additional items I like to carry in my backcountry medical kit. Stay safe and get home alive.
