Having a proper medical kit with you on any trip can make all the difference, and the reason is because you never know what can happen to you. Whether you’re sailing the Caribbean, climbing some great mountain, road tripping the States, or simply backpacking across Europe, having the ability to act quick can save your life.
Being prepared for anything is no more important than if you’re traveling abroad or in some wilderness area, where it may be impossible to reach civilization for some time. Whenever I camp, I always have a medical kit with me.
If you’d like to make your own medical kit, I suggest speaking with a medical professional to ascertain exactly what you may need. Sure, there are loads of blogs and tutorials online, and many are fine resources. But to be honest, when I first started traveling and packing my own med kits, I found some differing information, particularly a lack of information as to instruction/how to’s, as well as several resources which suggest unimportant items, which tend to miss something important. Perhaps it was due to my early inexperience, but I have since learned well.
Prior to every trip, I make sure I at least have the following items… (Note: This is not a complete list, as each location/environment and weather, as well as each person’s needs will dictate what items to bring versus ones that may be more of a hindrance/waste of space and weight.)
-Sterile dressing in assorted sizes
-Gauze and a variety of bandages
-Sterile trauma pad
-Antiseptic wipes
-Antibiotic ointment
-Alcohol swabs
-Sterile gloves
-EMT shears
-Medical tape
-Moleskin
-Forceps
-Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen
-Antihistamines
-First aid manual
It is inexpensive to pack your own medical pack, though time consuming and sometimes difficult to pack everything you need with weight and space in mind… But if that seems like a daunting idea, it’s certainly not a bad idea to purchase a kit that has all the basics set out ready for you. It’s even better to have one that comes with instructions and easily labels what does what, so if you encounter a particular situation, you are ready to act as quickly as humanly possible. One of the great features of a pre-made kit is that you’ll be sure you have the right cure for the right ailment.
I started out by carrying too little of what I really needed and too much of some other items. Since, I’ve found a happy balance for my own medical kit. However, more recently, I’ve gravitated more toward the pre-made kits… If that sounds like something you’re interested in, I suggest checking out what Adventure Medical Kits has to offer. AMK has medical kits of all sizes: Packs for # of adults for # of days to # of adults for # of days. They typically include all of the items I listed above, and more. I found their kits to be a solid balance between necessity, size and space. Plus, they include a very helpful booklet, entitled “A Guide to Wilderness Medicine,” which is a detailed 160 page guide to treating most common ailments and injuries. For me, someone who has little medical training, I found the guide invaluable.
If you’d like to find out more about Adventure Medical Kits, click here.
*INFORMATIONAL NOTICE: Please understand that this article is for entertainment and promotional purposes and is not intended to be medical advice. Always consult a medical professional prior to leaving for any trip, or if you’re requiring medical attention.
(Main photo by hikr via Flickr)
Article written by Brandon Scott / Eye & Pen
If you’d like to make your own medical kit, I suggest speaking with a medical professional to ascertain exactly what you may need. Sure, there are loads of blogs and tutorials online, and many are fine resources. But to be honest, when I first started traveling and packing my own med kits, I found some differing information, particularly a lack of information as to instruction/how to’s, as well as several resources which suggest unimportant items, which tend to miss something important. Perhaps it was due to my early inexperience, but I have since learned well.
Prior to every trip, I make sure I at least have the following items… (Note: This is not a complete list, as each location/environment and weather, as well as each person’s needs will dictate what items to bring versus ones that may be more of a hindrance/waste of space and weight.)
-Sterile dressing in assorted sizes
-Gauze and a variety of bandages
-Sterile trauma pad
-Antiseptic wipes
-Antibiotic ointment
-Alcohol swabs
-Sterile gloves
-EMT shears
-Medical tape
-Moleskin
-Forceps
-Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Acetaminophen
-Antihistamines
-First aid manual
It is inexpensive to pack your own medical pack, though time consuming and sometimes difficult to pack everything you need with weight and space in mind… But if that seems like a daunting idea, it’s certainly not a bad idea to purchase a kit that has all the basics set out ready for you. It’s even better to have one that comes with instructions and easily labels what does what, so if you encounter a particular situation, you are ready to act as quickly as humanly possible. One of the great features of a pre-made kit is that you’ll be sure you have the right cure for the right ailment.
I started out by carrying too little of what I really needed and too much of some other items. Since, I’ve found a happy balance for my own medical kit. However, more recently, I’ve gravitated more toward the pre-made kits… If that sounds like something you’re interested in, I suggest checking out what Adventure Medical Kits has to offer. AMK has medical kits of all sizes: Packs for # of adults for # of days to # of adults for # of days. They typically include all of the items I listed above, and more. I found their kits to be a solid balance between necessity, size and space. Plus, they include a very helpful booklet, entitled “A Guide to Wilderness Medicine,” which is a detailed 160 page guide to treating most common ailments and injuries. For me, someone who has little medical training, I found the guide invaluable.
If you’d like to find out more about Adventure Medical Kits, click here.
*INFORMATIONAL NOTICE: Please understand that this article is for entertainment and promotional purposes and is not intended to be medical advice. Always consult a medical professional prior to leaving for any trip, or if you’re requiring medical attention.
(Main photo by hikr via Flickr)
Article written by Brandon Scott / Eye & Pen
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