The Ultimate First-Aid Manual: What to Pack

Basic Kit (Genny Fullerton)

Group Kit (Genny Fullerton)

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Minor Wounds |
Heavy Bleeding |
Muscles & Bones |
Animal & Insect Bites |
Gastrointestinal Illness |
Dental Emergencies |
Environmental Threats |
Stay or Go: Calculating Your Risk |
Extreme First Aid |
First Aid Improv |
What to Pack |
Evacuate or Wait? | Risk Factors

Basic Kit
Suitable for two people on a weekend trip

• 4 sterile, 3×3-inch or 2×2-inch gauze pads to clean and cover wounds
• 5 1×3-inch adhesive strips to cover cleaned wounds
• 2 blister dressings or moleskin
• 1 roll tape (1/2 inch x 5 yards) to hold dressings on wounds
• 6 200mg tablets ibuprofen for pain, inflammation, and fever
• 2 packets antibiotic ointment to cover wounds before dressings
• 1 swab tincture of benzoin to make adhesive bandages stickier or hold wound closure strips in place
• 3 antimicrobial hand wipes to clean hands and around wounds
• 2 safety pins

Group Kit
Suitable for four people on a weeklong hike

• 4 sterile, 3×3-inch or 2×2-inch gauze pads
• 1 sterile, 3-inch roll of gauze to cover cleaned wounds or hold larger dressings or splints in place
• 1 3-inch roll of elastic wrap (such as an ACE bandage) to compress sprains or hold splints in place
• 8 1×3-inch adhesive strips
• 2 blister dressings or moleskin
• 1 roll of tape (1/2 inch x 10 yards)
• 8 200mg tablets ibuprofen
• 4 tablets aspirin
• 2 antihistamines for allergies, swelling, or stuffiness of a minor cold
• 4 tablets antidiarrheal medication (such as Imodium AD)
• 1 irrigation syringe to clean wounds
• 3 packets antibiotic ointment
• 3 swabs tincture of benzoin
• 1 pair tweezers for removing splinters and ticks
• 1 pair medical gloves to protect you and the patient from contamination
• 6 antimicrobial hand wipes
• 2 safety pins

LEARN MORE
The Ultimate First-Aid Manual
Wilderness Medicine Institute cofounder Buck Tilton boils down a lifetime’s worth of experience into 62 tips

Photo Tutorials: First Aid Center
From splinting a broken leg to duct taping a bloody wound, the BACKPACKER First Aid Center is an invaluable resource for backcountry first aid.