I am not a doctor, nurse, EMT, chiropractor, physical therapist, fireman, veterinarian or anything else concerning the health and medical industry. I am not recommending or endorsing the use of any of the medical products in this post or any medical products of any kind. There are certain products that I carry in my First Aid Travel Kit that I would only use in an emergency when I am away from home. As with any medicines or dangerous items like scissors and knives, keep them inaccessible to children and pets.
The need for a first aid kit
Let’s face it, accidents happen! Having been in the contracting industry for years, I have found it a necessity to carry a first aid kit on a daily basis. It’s not a matter of if I will need first aid… but when. The same thing goes for those who live off-grid, in remote areas or who travel in search of their next great adventure! Unfortunately, in my experience, first aid kits cost too much and are generic. They aren’t tailor-made for specific risks or needs. Obviously, you could buy a generic kit and customize it for your needs but then you are buying stuff that you may not want or need. I have even purchased generic first aid kits with products that were already expired.
Know the difference
Keep in mind, there is a difference between a “first aid travel kit” and a “home based first aid kit.” There can be products in a “home based first aid kit” that are light and temperature sensitive and shouldn’t be transported regularly. There is also a difference between any “first aid kit” and a “medicine cabinet.”
Typically, “medicine cabinet” products should stay in the medicine cabinet and not crammed in a bag for a camping trip or tossed in the back seat of the car. A “first aid travel kit” is great for a day trip, camping, vacation, work or is a great companion for a “Go Bag” or “Bug Out Bag.” In my experience, many people don’t have any of the above mentioned. Their first aid kit consists of a few bandages. Their medicine cabinet consists of some outdated ibuprofen in a kitchen drawer and some old antibiotics under the bathroom sink from a past infection.
However, you don’t have to spend $40 for a travel first aid kit containing products you already have or up to $300 on a kit that has products you don’t need or that surpass your skill set. It was always frustrating for me to buy a kit that had a lot of what I didn’t use and very little of what I use regularly. Just as frustrating are the exaggerated claims made by some of the kit manufacturers! How can a kit with one roll of white medical tape be designed for “14 people on trips for up to 2 weeks” while camping or hiking? I found a solution that meets my potential needs, doesn’t exceed my first aid rendering abilities and works for my wallet.
A customized first aid kit
Any first aid kit is better than nothing, but a customized kit is best. I found that running a chainsaw alone on a mountain, 40 minutes from a hospital and no cell service required different products than someone sitting behind a desk in an office. Hiking the Appalachian Trail for a week requires a different kit than someone who’s on vacation at the beach. A person who has a potentially deadly allergic reaction to bees or certain foods requires a different kit from someone who has no allergies but who has three young children.
In my opinion, a first aid kit is best when customized for the users potential needs. Those needs can change with time, location, projects or people. My point is that first aid kit contents shouldn’t be set in stone. They need to be revisited as needs, circumstances and first aid rendering abilities change.
My kit gets used
My bag gets used often on the mountain. One day, I had an accident while running a chainsaw on the steep side of the mountain. I had just cut a tree that I had tied off with a rope to help it fall uphill. As I finished the cut, the tree forgot to fall the way the rope was pulling! It actually spun on the stump! I took off running along the side of the mountain with the chainsaw in hand. Mistake!
As I reached the driveway, the ground collapsed under my feet and I fell on the driveway. I held the saw and landed on my forearms. I immediately realized that I was still within reach of the tree and began to roll down the driveway! Thankfully, the tree stayed perfectly balanced on the stump and never fell. Unfortunately, my forearms got ground up like hamburger meat on the rock driveway! I used my first aid kit extensively that day and I was very thankful for it! (I now use a different cutting technique like seen above and my tractor to pull on the trees that I cut.)
Keeping it practical
How large of a kit do you need? Well, here on the mountain, practicality always wins! You have to draw the line somewhere. 50,000 band aids and a defibrillator aren’t very practical for me. A personal ambulance would be nice but not very practical and isn’t within my budget! I have also found that you are less likely to carry a large kit.
A cheap first aid kit
You can build a customized first aid kit fairly inexpensively if you know where to shop. The best place that I have found to buy inexpensive first aid products is the Dollar Tree. You guessed it! Every item is a dollar!
My first aid kit list
- Medical tape (white, not pictured)
- Sports tape (brown, water proof/stretchy, not pictured)
- Fabric (bandages)
- Sheer (bandages)
- Gauze pads (various sizes)
- Rolled gauze
- Elastic bandage (Ace Bandage)
- Triple Antibiotic Ointment
- Anti-bacterial wipes*
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Baby wipes
- Hand Sanitizer
- Surgical gloves
- Burn Cream*
- Anti-Itch Cream
- Cotton Swabs
- Safety Pins
- Flexible magnifying glass*
- Tongue depressors
- Rubber bands
- Tweezers
- Scissors
- Nail clippers
- Very sharp pocket knife*
- Chap Stick
- Survival Blanket*
- Pain Killer (Tylenol, Ibuprofen)
- Allergy medicine
- Congestion medicine
- Acid/indigestion medicine
- Dental floss
- Hot/Cold pack
- Face Masks
*Indicates not purchased from Dollar Tree
I carry duplicates of some of the products that I may use more of like band aids, surgical gloves and gauze. I tend to leave most of the products in the original packaging as it helps in keeping things organized. It also helps to keep products from getting damaged or dirty.
A Cabela’s bag
(this post contains an affiliate link)
This Cabela’s bag
If you don’t have a first aid kit, then now is a good time to get one. Spend a little time and a little money building one that fits your needs. Just as important as getting a first aid kit is acquiring some basic first aid education. It’s a good investment in yourself and your loved ones.
Ambitious Feller
“If the women don’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy!” Red Green
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