JF ... Even though I\'m a physician and an ex-Boy Scout leader, I\'m not nearly as prepared as you might expect!
Briefly, I have two (sometimes three) levels of first aid kits: One for the pack, one for camp, and one for the vehicle.
In my pack, my usual first aid kit is ... duct tape. It works for cuts, compression, a tourniquet if needed, and you can make splints using arrows, sticks, etc. It\'s also good for blisters inside boots.
In camp, I\'ll have a more usual kit. Mine is made by Adventure Medical Kits and they are all highly recommended. Pick a light one, or a heavy one. Buy it and be done with it. But realize that the most important part of it is the book that comes with it! You can improvise almost anything with very simple materials (duct tape, safety pins, clothing, paracord, water, plastic baggies) but you can\'t improvise knowledge.
I usually say that if someone, say, fell from a treestand and dislocated their elbow, the first thing I would do would be to consult that book. Although I know the principles, in 20 years in Medicine, I\'ve never reduced a dislocated elbow. If it\'s dislocated now, it\'ll still be dislocated in 10 minutes after I\'ve read that section of the book! The patient may be upset, but we\'re going to do this correctly, I say.
So ... Duct tape and a book.
The third level of care is something I\'ll have in a vehicle or camper. There, I\'ll have things that you probably won\'t. Sutures, staples ... that sort of thing.
But ... to be short ... if you were going to start from scratch, get anything from Adventure Medical Kits ... maybe one for your pack, a larger one for camp ... and be done with it. You\'ll be light years ahead of the camp down the road. Make sure that at least the one in camp has their book.
One last thing: You can\'t carry a helicopter, but you can carry communication to call one in.
Briefly, I have two (sometimes three) levels of first aid kits: One for the pack, one for camp, and one for the vehicle.
In my pack, my usual first aid kit is ... duct tape. It works for cuts, compression, a tourniquet if needed, and you can make splints using arrows, sticks, etc. It\'s also good for blisters inside boots.
In camp, I\'ll have a more usual kit. Mine is made by Adventure Medical Kits and they are all highly recommended. Pick a light one, or a heavy one. Buy it and be done with it. But realize that the most important part of it is the book that comes with it! You can improvise almost anything with very simple materials (duct tape, safety pins, clothing, paracord, water, plastic baggies) but you can\'t improvise knowledge.
I usually say that if someone, say, fell from a treestand and dislocated their elbow, the first thing I would do would be to consult that book. Although I know the principles, in 20 years in Medicine, I\'ve never reduced a dislocated elbow. If it\'s dislocated now, it\'ll still be dislocated in 10 minutes after I\'ve read that section of the book! The patient may be upset, but we\'re going to do this correctly, I say.
So ... Duct tape and a book.
The third level of care is something I\'ll have in a vehicle or camper. There, I\'ll have things that you probably won\'t. Sutures, staples ... that sort of thing.
But ... to be short ... if you were going to start from scratch, get anything from Adventure Medical Kits ... maybe one for your pack, a larger one for camp ... and be done with it. You\'ll be light years ahead of the camp down the road. Make sure that at least the one in camp has their book.
One last thing: You can\'t carry a helicopter, but you can carry communication to call one in.
. I\'ve been close to dehydration but not to the point of collapse. But I\'ve heard many horror stories.
