Published September 12, 2025 05:43AM
5 Trail Hacks That Turn Your Gear Into a First-Aid Kit (and One You Should Never Use)
Stay calm, assess the situation, and use what’s in your pack.
Knee injuries are a common hazard on trail (Photo: Robert Pavsic / iStock via Getty)
Backpacking emergencies are like riddles in real time: Hurt in the woods, armed with only a stick, a flashlight, and a strap—what’s your move? Every hiker should be ready for survival scenarios like this, where a little creativity and resourcefulness can make all the difference.
We talked to avid hikers and first-aid experts about how to use common items that are probably already in your backpack to help you rig a fix that keeps you or your hiking buddy moving—or at least feeling more comfortable—until you can make it off the trail for further care.
You’ll get hands-on practice with these different uses in a Wilderness First Aid or First Responder course, which we highly recommend. This story is not a substitute for that important training—it’s meant to highlight the many ways everyday items in your backpack can be put to use.
Splints and Braces
Twisted an ankle or broke a finger? You’ll want to stabilize the joint to prevent further damage with a splint or a brace, something that’s rigid enough to provide support but adjustable enough to accommodate swelling. Bailey Batchelor, who teaches wilderness first aid, says trekking poles and ground pads can be used as leg splints. Add padding with extra layers like a puffer.
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For smaller joints, such as an ankle or a finger, look around you. When Kylie Yang broke her finger on the Wind River High Route, she needed something softer than a stick because her finger was so sensitive but she needed to keep it stable to use her hand. “Saw a bush root sticking out of the ground and was like, wait a minute,” she recalls. “So much softer, less nubby.”
Wrap it with gauze, duct tape, or medical tape to keep it secure against your skin.
Bandages
An open wound in the wild invites all sorts of bacteria. After cleaning it with water and a disinfectant, which you hopefully have on-hand in your first-aid kit, protect it from the elements. Batchelor recommends small fabrics such as bandanas or pack towels. For blisters, they recommend duct tape because it will provide a barrier against friction and pressure. It’s best to apply it as soon as the blister starts forming, otherwise it’s going to be more painful peeling it off.
Slings
Carrying a heavy backpack makes shoulder, elbow, and arm injuries all the more painful. In the event of something like a dislocation, sprain, or break, a sling can prevent further movement and pain. Fashion a sling out of a jacket, pack towel, blanket, bandana, or even a soft empty pack tied around the neck. If you’re hiking with a friend, have them carry your pack.
Warm Compress
In lieu of a willing hiking buddy giving you a massage, a warm compress can be used to relieve muscle pain. After Natalia Lutterman carried a friend’s gear while backpacking in Nepal, she needed to ease the pain in her shoulder. “I used my backup socks dipped in boiling water, wrung out, and placed in a Ziploc baggie as a warm compress,” she says. Dirty socks, underwear, or light layers will work just as well. Might as well put the weight to good use.
Hypo Wraps
When someone is immobilized in the backcountry, they’re at a greater risk of getting cold. Whether you’re just trying to keep them warm while you wait for a rescue or you’re fighting more serious hypothermia, you can make a hypo wrap out of many things in your pack. Batchelor suggests laying out a tarp and ground pad to elevate the person off the ground and slow heat transfer—which can happen even on a warm day.
The most basic strategy is the burrito method: First wrap the person in plastic or foil sheet (like an emergency blanket) as a vapour barrier, with a warm water bottle or chemical heating pad against their chest. Next wrap them in a sleeping bag, then wrap the tarp around the whole bundle.
Not Recommended: Improvised Tourniquets
In almost every class Batchelor teaches, students ask about improvising tourniquets to control bleeding. However, Batchelor doesn’t recommend them. “People want to use belts and ropes or torn fabric with sticks to create tourniquets, but those create tissue damage and even amputations because of the unequal circumferential pressure,” they say.
