Comments on Gear Talk with Jason Klass: My First Aid Kit

Thanks for the video, I just discovered your site ...

2010-01-16T20:52:11.346-08:00

Thanks for the video, I just discovered your site and you have some very interesting stuff.

I don't think calling this a First aid kit is correct, perhaps "minor medical inconvenience kit" would be more accurate.

I'll admit I'm the type that likes to be completely prepared, and I'm also biased because of my EMT and WFR training- currently my field First aid kit weighs about 2 pounds, and believe it or not it took effort to get it that light.

I've never needed to use the kit on myself in the field(though I have used it to help others), but the whole point is to be prepared for an unexpected, and perhaps severe injury. Furthermore, unless I have a life threatening injury, I want to have enough supplies so that I can continue hiking without needing to cut a trip short. That means having enough bandaging material so that I can change a dressing for a large wound once or twice a day for a few days. 2 4x4s are not enough for even a single dressing, you need a teflon dressing otherwise the gauze will stick to the wound and you will cause more damage when you pull it off. Also some kind of roll gauze or ace bandage to create a pressure bandage can be life saving, and really cannot be improvised easily, especially without destroying your gear.

I realize few people are willing to carry a large first aid kit, but at least adding some non-stick dressings, more 4x4s, a roll or 2 of stretch gauze, and some pills of diphenhydramine(benadryl) and loperamide(immodium), as a previous poster mentioned, would drastically improve your kit with minimal increase in weight and size. Also a small tweezer like "Uncle Bills sliver gripper"[www.slivergripper.ca] is very useful for splinters and thorns and will never come off if attached to your pack.

Hey Mark,Sorry, I should have mentioned that in th...

2008-12-28T08:21:23.039-08:00

Hey Mark,
Sorry, I should have mentioned that in the video. The size is 4.5" X 7". The volume is 25.26 cubic in. Hope that helps.

haha, I liked your mountainhouse dried meals comme...

2008-12-27T23:28:07.332-08:00

haha, I liked your mountainhouse dried meals comment! Hey Jason what size is your Aloksak bag? Thanks, Mark

The most important first aid kit ingredient is a t...

2008-12-27T23:19:57.845-08:00

The most important first aid kit ingredient is a trained mind and body. You get that with good hands-on training, refreshed frequently. Highly recommend the 3 day WFA or 10 day WFR courses from WMI http://www.nols.edu/wmi/ You will learn to think and improvise.

Think about common scenarios that might kill you directly, or by keep you in the back country too long, that can be fixed with stuff you can't improvise - as in "d*mn, I wish I had X".

Jason's kit is a good start.

I would add Benadryl. A severe allergic reaction to stings, bites, plants, or foods, can kill quickly and unexpectedly.

I would also add Imodium tablets. Diarrhea can disable you quickly, kill you in a few days, and is common in the back country.

And I would add a few mini-packets of antibiotic ointment. A staph-infected tick bite almost put me in the hospital, and the hike out was slow and very painful.

Antiseptic towelettes etc are overrated for first aid kits. Flush wounds with copious amounts of drinkable water. Use soap if you carry that for dish and body washing. Clean your hands with soap and water, or those towelettes, or alcohol-based hand sanitizer, before working on wounds.

-- Rex

Hi patrick,Actually, I carry some antiseptic towel...

2008-12-11T17:39:13.838-08:00

Hi patrick,
Actually, I carry some antiseptic towelettes that I use to keep my hands clean but I keep that in another part of my pack.

I carry one about that size for day hikes, but a p...

2008-12-11T15:22:05.138-08:00

I carry one about that size for day hikes, but a pretty big one for longer trips.

I did notice you don't have an antibiotic wipes or alcohol pads. Is this because you use and alcohol stove and would use the fuel if needed for cleaning?

For a mini survival kit might I suggest http://www.equipped.com/psp/index.htm it's a really nice kit for the money.

Hey Mark,I don't carry a survival kit per se--it's...

2008-12-10T19:09:31.599-08:00

Hey Mark,
I don't carry a survival kit per se--it's kind of scattered around my pack. But, that's a good idea. Maybe I'll do an expose on what I carry for emergency gear. Thanks!

Hey Jason,I carry pretty much the same as you, but...

2008-12-10T18:06:07.318-08:00

Hey Jason,
I carry pretty much the same as you, but I also carry a small tube of superglue for deep lacerations. I have used this succesfully on my left thumb which I cut to the bone. I pumped it full of superglue and pushed it together. Its not a pretty fix, but it works and it is safe. The active ingredient is used in vet offices on animals. I also carry a small pouch of quik clot rapid blood coagulant, in case i'm loosing blood fast. Do you carry a survival kit? Do you mind doing a video blog on that if you do? Thanks, Mark

Almost the same, only, I do have 2 foil packets of...

2008-12-08T18:40:24.149-08:00

Almost the same, only, I do have 2 foil packets of antibiotic ointment like jw. I have been known to carry an ACE bandage also.

Mine isn't too much different. I have some prescri...

2008-12-08T13:01:13.632-08:00

Mine isn't too much different. I have some prescription items (epi-pen, albuterol inhaler) for my individual needs, and some over-the-counter stuff like benedryl and claritin, again, to deal with allergies.

For the generic, allergy-free individual, I'd also add Tylenol PM. It can help make an uncomfortable night much, much, much more comfortable, which makes for the next day being much, much, much more comfortable.

My one concession to comfort is a small tube of antibiotic ointment (generic neosporin); gives me some assurance that my small cuts are less likely to be infected than otherwise.

Hey Jason, I really appreciate your posts. They'...

2008-12-03T23:08:49.111-08:00

Hey Jason, I really appreciate your posts. They're all super helpful. Thanks for contributing to the community.