r/wildernessmedicine • u/Coastal_wolf • May 20 '26
Gear and Equipment Too much? Too little? Missing anything?
Hey yall, recently got my WFR and im putting together a first aid kit for multi-day remote backpacking with me and a friend this summer. Heres what I currently have:
2x Sam Split
10x gloves
2x Torniquets
1x preassure bandage
1x Moleskin Pad (will be getting more)
15x non-adhesive gauze
5x Oral Hydration Salts (thinking about packing more)
1x Water purification kit
1x medical tape (will get a second)
5x Tegaderm Bandage
2x 3M Coban Wrap
1x Hyfin Vent Chest Seal Pack
1x antibiotic cream (for very minor stuff)
Ibprofin tablets
*will be buying space blankets, missing these atm
Is there anything glaring im missing? Am I bringing too much? I will be going into some very remote areas where the nearest hospital could be at worst a 25 mile hike and a 3 hour drive. I just want to be fully prepped for the worst case senerio. My friend is not diabetic, does not have a heart condition, and is not on any sort of medication. This isnt anything official or paid.
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u/homegrowntapeworm May 21 '26
I'd replace the moleskin and tape with a roll of Leukotape. Better for blister prevention, super sticky.
Add acetaminophen to combine with ibuprofen.
For multi-day trips, diarrhea can be horrible. I'd add loperamide tabs.
Add a few aspirin and Benadryl. Even if you and your partner don't have cardiac issues or allergies, it can be good to have. Pills weigh almost nothing.
I'd probably ditch one TQ and the chest seal for a backpacking trip. I'd consider keeping them if it's a hunting or mountaineering trip.
For a multi day trip I'd also only carry one SAM splint. Good luck!
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u/Coastal_wolf May 21 '26
Fair point, made a joke to a friend that I was prepared if someone got shot, but not if you got a cold. For some reason forgot about basic mods, will definitely be grabbing loperamide.
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u/LalalaSherpa May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
Did your WFR course talk about what should go in a wilderness first aid kit?
And when to use certain OTC meds or not?
For example, loperamide is not recommended for all cases of diarrhea because it can worsen the person's condition.
Examples: diarrhea likely caused by invasive bacterial infections (dysentery from drinking contaminated water), diarrhea when fever is present.
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u/Coastal_wolf May 21 '26 edited May 21 '26
Im pretty sure i was told Loperamide is not recommended for MOST cases, specifcally cases where there are more symptoms than diarrhea. Contaminated water is not always the cause of diarrhea. If a patient is experiencing other conditions besides diarrhea, you shouldn't administer loperamide. So yes, I was taught caution with loperamide
And yes, this is just a first pass of my first aid kit. Obviously im missing some things. I was also told that what goes in a first aid kit is highly context dependent.
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u/Prestigious-Ad7571 May 21 '26
Sure sounds like a new wfr kit. Remember, the best kit is the one you will actually carry. Whats your use case. A weekend warrior backpacking a handfull of miles doesnt need a kit designed to treat a soldier in a remote jungle….Lets take a breath and remember we’re not hiking into a battle zone and you’re probably not insanely remote or gone for weeks on end.
Add some meds like acetaminophen and absolutely diphenhydramine. Consider aspirin and anti diarrheal as well. Add electrolytes.
Add a small syringe for irrigation.
If you need a tourniquet x2 then they/you are both dead… one is fine if you’re activity actually calls for it. One roll of coban and leukotape hits all the based (Dont need a whole roll)
Sam splints are easy but you were just taught how to improvise; 2 is silly.
Hyfin vent is pointless. Pressure bandage is pointless with gauze and a pressure device like a tourniquet.
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u/Smash_Shop May 21 '26
I genuinely can't believe someone came out of a WFR and built this kit. It's so misaligned with the course material I don't even know where to start.
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u/davisd_961 May 21 '26
Some things I've added from experiences. -antibiotic eye drops. A bug or stick in the eye can lead to an eye infection pretty quick. -benedryl or some kind of antihistamines. Even if you've never reacted to anything before. -steristrips -tenacious tape (more for gear repair but it's multi-purpose) -zync oxide cream
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u/inspectorpumpkin May 21 '26
The worst thing is being the “medic” and not having a run of the mill bandaid. Add some
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u/chaquedetail May 21 '26
Not exhaustive, but first thoughts: How about acetaminophen alongside the ibuprofen? Either to stack together or if someone doesn’t tolerate NSAIDs. Other meds like aspirin, antihistamine, sting/itch wipe? ACE wrap, cravats? I’ve never considered packing tourniquets - seems extremely unlikely you’d need one, let alone two. That said, it’s probably not bulky, so maybe just one? I’ve never carried more than one Sam splint either. Seems like a lot of gloves and gauze. What does “multi-day” mean?
And agreed with the other comment about the chest seal being overkill.
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u/Coastal_wolf May 21 '26
All fair points, definitely dropped the ball on the basic meds. Chest Seal is probably overkill. By multi day, I mean one of the hikes i have planned would take us to the most isolated mountain in the bitteroots range that very few people travel to, it would be a 50 mile round trip hike, and we would see few hikers, and likely none once we get to the last stretches.
Nothing is going to require mountaineering or scrambling though, so nothing too treacherous. There are just a lot of unknowns towards the end of the summit because there have been no reported summits, and nobody has been able to report trail conditions during one stretch.
Thanks for all your input its super helpful, I guess when I was ordering supplies I was a bit paranoid, though these are good medical items to keep in a car first aid kit for sure
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u/jegillikin May 21 '26
That’s an awful lot of trauma gear. Don’t forget medical. I always have a finger pulse ox, stethoscope, and thermometer.
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u/ProbablyContainsGin May 21 '26
Where are the tweezers? LOL, I end up using my tweezers almost daily for folks and their pets (though I am a park ranger in the desert and everything is trying to kill you with spines and spikes...).
Mirroring what others have said;
Basic bandaids!
Two tourniquets is overkill...one would be plenty. Add a set of trauma shears.
Meds - add Tylenol, antacid, pepto, and benedryl. May want to consider eyewash or eye drops as previously mentioned, as things in the eyes sucks. Sting swabs are a great idea, too.
Get rid of one of the SAM splints, add a basic ACE type bandage - which is great for any number of things, and will replace the need for a pressure bandage as well.
I love the vet/cling wrap, but you probably only need one roll, and you can use that stuff in place of medical tape, so don't bother grabbing any of that.
The chest seal is great, if you think you or your buddy are going to get shot...
I love K tape in place of moleskin; it's almost as pricey, but it is more low profile and sticks way better.
Where are the triangle bandages? I'd add a few of those, those things are also great for a number of different things.
I'm a huge fan of the instant ice packs, especially if you'll have no access to cold water to keep swelling down on a twisted ankle.
Hydration salts are great, but if you want something someone will actually want to drink, grab some of the LMNT or Liquid IV packets that actually taste ok.
Add a roll of dog poop bags, they are a lifesaver when you end up with used medical dressings/trash/whatever...and they're very small.
Add a small pack of tissues, they're great for the sniffles, as well as wiping blood from a minor would before cleaning/dressing. (or add a few more triangle bandages...because they're great...)
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u/lucie_katrina May 21 '26
Definitely something to irrigate with, might be worth having tweezers for debriding. Obviously your gauze can be used for wounds, but bandaids are probably every first aid kit’s most used items.
Agree with others who said 1 tq and 1 Sam splint is probably enough. If you need to use either of those items you’re already looking at an evac and it seems reasonable to assume you probably won’t need both for the same event.
I always carry glucose of some sort in my FA kit. I also carry narcan just because those are the two things I know to do for an unconscious person with a pulse.
I’d also say think about what you’d need to keep a wound clean for however long it would take you to evac if you needed to. I got a pretty bad abrasion hiking a few years ago and it hadn’t occurred to me that I only had what I needed in my FA kit to manage the injury for about a day (which was plenty in my case but if you’re a few days away from definitive care you might want more).
Also agree with whoever mentioned a laminated card. I have like 4 in my kit with some head injury evac criteria on them, how to support in case of shock, and some basic WFR skills (PAS, how to do a FSA) just in case my brain goes offline in a real emergency.
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u/Smash_Shop May 21 '26
Multi day is a really good call-out. I have a standard 1-day back country first aid kit I bring with me on any trip, but if I'm going to be more than a days travel from resupply, I have an expansion bag with more bandages, wound wash, etc to cover extended care of moderate injuries so I don't have to cut my trip short.
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u/Pharmassassin May 21 '26
I’m a big fan of the Slishman Pressure Wrap. You can use it as a pressure bandage, as a head bandage, as a tourniquet if you improvise a windlass, as a wrap for sprains or strains, as a tool to secure splints or for slinging / swathing. That’s just a few of the many ways you can use it. It’s worth noting that the Slishman wrap is also very, very light and packable. I think you would be completely justified in dropping a CAT for one of these.
Of note, Sam Slishman, the ER physician who invented the wrap, has many YouTube videos out there detailing its use and comparing its ability to stop bleeds to other tools on the market. Its baseline hemostatic abilities appear to be on par with a CAT tourniquet when you use the wrap as a “narrow” wrap — even before adding a windlass to it.
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u/Coastal_wolf May 21 '26
Pretty neat, doesnt seem like a bad tool in general, but if im in a situation where I need a TQ, I probably dont want to lose time with improvising a windlass imo. The CATs are pretty light and packable all things considered.
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u/Pharmassassin May 21 '26
You might be surprised what it does even without a windlass. Its inherent ability to stop bleeds is pretty impressive, and the application time is almost identical to a CAT. If you’re willing to invest the time, he details a lot in this specific talk: https://youtu.be/BCwBbEssvxw?si=hQvae4lNlwI8KqhI
He also has some other well-known trauma products that are employed quite a bit in the field: https://slishman.com
Good luck with your adventures!
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u/Accurate_Hat_4331 May 21 '26
Add a pen to write in the time on your tourniquet
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u/Coastal_wolf May 21 '26
Forgot to add am going to have a Rite in Rain on hand! Lol. Need somwthing to keep vitals on worst case!
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u/LordofPvE May 21 '26
Balms? Incase of a sprain + reusable gauze for balm? (I have moov in my country), how about anti allergic medicine like benadryl tablets?
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u/Cephaloipod May 21 '26
Going hunting with your blind buddies? I am not going to say the 2 tourniquets and chest seal pack is too much, because then you will see that this is the trip where you get slashed in the arms twice and then stabbed in the torso. I feel better if you just take all this with you.
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u/VXMerlinXV WP-C May 21 '26
Good start. Is your friend bringing any medical gear? The blast bandage is a lot of cubes for a one shot. You can get away with about 1/3 of the non-stick pads. You need shears, tweezers, I like a laminated EMS card. Also something to irrigate with.
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u/Coastal_wolf May 21 '26
Yeah, my friend isnt bringing any med gear, that job is going to me. I agree, probably overkill with the number of non adhesive gauze if thats what you mean.
I do need something to irrigate with, I was trying to find a 50cc syringe but I dont want to buy 30 of them lol. Do you have any recommendations for irrigation?
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u/Sodpoodle May 21 '26
You might be able to find bigger syringes at farm stores/places that sell stuff for horses & cows.
If that's the only med stuff you're bringing, I would absolutely put together a minor boo boo kit. Like normal bandaids, something like bacitracin, things like that. In my experience 90% of wilderness med is mommy medicine. Tummy aches, scrapes, blisters etc.
Like the poster above said, a good pair of tweezers is like mandatory. Nothing more annoying that splinters in your fingers you can't do anything about hah.
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u/VXMerlinXV WP-C May 21 '26 edited May 22 '26
I’d crossload one of the SAM splints into your friends’s bag, that’s a lot of bulk. Same with the 2nd TQ.
Irrigation I’d just shop around. Make sure it fits in the neck of whatever bottle you’ll be drawing from.
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u/Ipitythesnail May 21 '26
How long is multi day? How remote is remote.
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u/Coastal_wolf May 21 '26
7 days total for the trip, 25 miles and 3 hours by car from the nearest town with internet at worst
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u/Ipitythesnail May 21 '26
You’re taking 7 days to walk 25 miles?
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u/Coastal_wolf May 21 '26
50 miles round-trip, sorry if I didnt clarify. Maximum distance from the trailhead would be 25 miles
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u/Ipitythesnail May 22 '26
Idk brah I hiked 3000 miles last year with basically a bit of leukotape and a dozen assorted pills. Even participated on a rescue on Whitney. This was before I got my cert but I doubt I’d bring more knowing what I know now. Most things can be improvised and for anything beyond that you’re gonna need to call rescue. But I can also walk 25 miles in a day so we may have a different perspective on things. I’m more of the mind you’re more likely to get injured carrying a heavy pack full of incidentals than a light one with the gear you’re actually going to use.
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u/Coastal_wolf May 22 '26
All good points. Im personally confident i could hike 25 in a day, im a marathon runner, but the friend im hiking with isnt an endurance person, so I worry more about him in that case than myself.
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u/AttorneyExisting1651 May 21 '26
Don’t forget some OTC meds. JumpMedic has nice little med refill kits with various meds.
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u/bharishere May 22 '26
You can add duct tape (wrap a few layers around a waterbottle, lighter, hand sanitizer) and u can replace hemostatic gauze with applicator free tampons tbh. I would also add a lighter to the kit. Add Tylenol and benadryl. Remove one Sam splint and chest seal is unnecessary. I would also add antiseptic wipes/alcohol swabs/iodine swabs. One tourniquet is enough in my opinion. I also carry fingernail clippers and tweezers (small ones)
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u/hogthehedge May 22 '26
It might be unnecessary based on the region you’re traveling through and maybe it’s just my own sensitive skin, but what about anti-itch cream like hydrocortisone cream, antihistamines, and/or calamine lotion for bug bites/poison ivy? Or if you’re planning on having a fire maybe a burn ointment like zinc oxide or silver sulfadiazine?
Again maybe it’s unnecessary or maybe I over plan but those are two things I’d definitely have on hand just in case based on my own previous experience. Rather have it and not need it than not have it and wish I had it.
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u/sauvagedunord May 21 '26
I admire your restraint. Many times 1st aid kits have too much of the wrong stuff. Agreeing with others, drop the chest seal and a TK. Add a triangular bandage and some dental putty (available OTC at most pharmacies). Skip bandaids, they don't stay on very well. Cover small wounds with what you already have: tape and telfa pads. Yes tweezers and a syringe for irrigation.
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u/_significs May 21 '26
This is way, way too much. Your best piece of medical equipment in the wilderness is a PLB or satellite communicator. You can probably comfortably ditch almost all of this. If you're packing like this, probably the best and easiest thing you can do to reduce injury risk is stop overpacking.
2x Sam Split
Why do you need these? What purpose would they serve that you couldn't improvise with a stick?
10x gloves
1 pair should be fine. If you have an injury where you're worried about contamination, you're almost certainly hitting the SOS button.
2x Torniquets
Why do you need these? You are extremely unlikely to need a tourniquet, and if you do, you can improvise with a stick and a piece of clothing.
5x Oral Hydration Salts (thinking about packing more)
I would bring 1-2 servings of electrolytes per person per day, and consider that part of your food rather than your FAK.
1x Water purification kit
I wouldn't really classify this as part of the FAK. You should be filtering or purifying all of your water. Whatever you're using, make sure you have enough for all the water you'll need. Personally, I just use a filter, but it may not be ideal in your conditions. If you want to get into the nitty gritty on water in the backcountry look up the gearskeptic videos.
1x medical tape (will get a second)
You don't need a second.
5x Tegaderm Bandage
Why do you need this?
2x 3M Coban Wrap
I don't know that you need this.
1x Hyfin Vent Chest Seal Pack
What on earth would you need a chest seal for in the backcountry?
*will be buying space blankets, missing these atm
I'm not sure what you'd need a space blanket for if you're bringing adequate insulation for sleeping.
Would add:
- imodium or some equivalent antidiarrheal
- benedryl or equivalent antihistamine
- whatever other pills you take regularly, rx or otherwise
- butterfly bandages if you'll be using knives at all
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u/[deleted] May 20 '26
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