The Ultimate First-Aid Manual: What to Pack
Construct a solid emergency kit with these medical must-haves.
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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.