Mountaineering First Aid Kit | |
stanhope2003
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What do you carry in your mountaineering first aid kit? I am looking to improve mine. I assume most items would be used for pain management, sprains, and trauma. The reality of some emergency situations I understand cannot be dealt with in the mountains and need further care at a hospital etc.
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climbhigher
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Hey,
Why don't you post up what you currently use and then people can comment on addictions subtractions they have.
Matt
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dogonfr
 | Posted: December 13th, 2009 Edited: December 13th, 2009 | Quote, Reply |
For Mountain Biking I went with a pretty simple one that was light and small enough to fit my Camelbak. With a starter you can add the extras you may need like zip ties, spare link, air pump, Cliff-Luna or PayDay bars, for MTB as needed to your bag or pack. You hope you never need the kit and I rode for about 5 years till it turned into a every weekend event putting somebody together. Gauze was great for bruised/broken ribs & broken wrist, white tape for broken or sprained fingers oh ya and when folded in half turns into string. Brave Soldier is great for trail rash, mini tweezers for removing pebbles and debris from a hole in the elbow, alcohol prep pads are awesome at numbing after they burn pain.
This product doesn't exist.
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brettbrown
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Most first aid kits down right suck for mountaineering. I just made my own. I started with my old kit and threw out the knuckle band aids and crap you will never use in the mountains. (I'm 45 and I never used a knuckle band aid in my life yet all first aid kits come with them) I don't think you will get a splinter on a glacier so you can get rid of the tweezers also. I added:
1 - small quick clot. You stick an artery with your ice ax and you will wish you had one.
1 - blister pack Imodium
1- pack of 1/4x4 Steri strips
1 small krazy glue (single use tube is about 1" long) I use krazy glue to glue cuts all the time.
Exedrin packs
Small pill box of Aleve. These are great for sprains, back pains, etc.
I blister pack sudafed or other snot medicine for when you get that nasel drip that gives you a sore thoat
Halls cough drops for a sore throat
You should have the usual tape, gauze, etc.
Try to think of what you will really need. A first aid kit is not just for bleeding. If you get a bad sore throat the first day you will be miserable. I also add an allen wrench and duct tape in my repair kit. I figure I can always remove the pick from my second tool and duct tape the shaft to splint a broken ankle.
Hope this helps.
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stanhope2003
| Posted: December 13th, 2009 Edited: February 2nd, 2010 | Quote, Reply |
I have two First Aid Kits.
Adventure Medical Ultralight:
*Includes: (8) 2 x 2 in. sterile dressings, (2) butterfly closure bandages, (5) 1 x 3 in. adhesive bandages, (3) knuckle adhesive bandages and (1) 0.5 in. x 10 yard roll of tape
*Medications include: (4) ibuprofen (200mg), (2) antihistamines and (2) After Bite Sting Relief wipes
*Wound management includes: (3) After Cuts and Scrapes towelettes and (2) triple antibiotic ointments
*Plus: (1) moleskin for blister treatment and (2) safety pins
My Second First Aid Kit:
I also carry a SAM Splint in place of my back support on my 30L pack. And I sometimes take my Arm sling with me because of shoulder dislocations in the past. Have never had to use it though.
I think most issues would be with pain, sprains, trauma. Good point though about Sudafed, Halls, Cough drops I didn't even consider that. I have not carried the 2nd Medical Kit with me because of it's wide range of medications and weight. But I would like to narrow down my kit. The second kit is an older style Outdoor Research Medical Kit although it is heavier then the Adventure Medical kit the organization pouches, neoprene loops etc. are great for organization and I believe that's important if you do have to use your First Aid Kit.
Also I bring a bivy sack, strobe light, 3 flares, shovel, and glow sticks.
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lonegreeneagle
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Hello All,
I carry tampons for punctures as they swell in side to block bleeding and are sterile. I didn't see ace wraps for your sam splint. I carry fewer pills and meds, unless these are medically prescribed. I carry my medic tape with duct tape on a pencil. The pencil is for recording emergency info for WFR and WEMTs.
I have two supplies of first aid. A first aid kit and an emergency survival kit vacuum sealed. They are both carried in my portage/chest pack-pictured at right. I carry a mouth to mouth mask, tweezers (for metal shavings from ice pick cuts) and 30' of rope with locking carabiner along with my 10 essentials. Even though with mountaineering gear ropes are a given.
Granted I snowshoe and winter camp while generally staying below tree line. But I carry extra eye protection (for snow blindness prevention) , sunburn cream, heat packs and dry socks also vacuum sealed.
Good Luck
Van
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stanhope2003
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Great suggestions everyone.
I'm redoing my First Aid Kit today. It will consist of ace wraps, sam splint, quick clot, steri strips, krazy glue, gauze, Medi Lytes (electrolyte packets), Vicodin + naproxen sodium, Immodium, Sudafed and Halls, SAM Splint, a small golf pencil w/duct tape wrapped around it.
Look good for a one day ascent?
Thank you again.
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brettbrown
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I notice you have Flexeril in your first aid kit. Let me warn you about prescription drugs on the mountain. A friend of mine played football in school. A player had gotten hurt on a previous game and sat on the bench unable to play because of the injury. He was on Flexeril. It had gotten cold out and the Flexeril stopped the natural shiver action that your body uses to protect itself. The player had to be taken to the hospital for hypothermia. Who would have thought?
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stanhope2003
| Posted: December 17th, 2009 Edited: December 17th, 2009 | Quote, Reply |
Brett,
That is very interesting. Something I never would have considered as well. It will make me reevaluate a lot of the meds I have. A lot of the medications were for a Relief mission to Honduras for small communities without any health care. That is the reason for the extensive list. Thank you for the heads up though I appreciate it.
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