Gear Ideas: First Aid Systems, Not Kits, Part 1 of 3

It doesn’t matter if I’m out for a trail run, an alpine climb, or a backcountry ski. If my mountain adventure is big enough to deserve a backpack, it’s big enough to deserve first aid system. But how much do I need to take? How remote am I going? What level of care am I trained to and comfortable giving?

I like to think of this as a system and not a kit. My system has four levels, each meant to build on the previous:

#1 The Boo Boo Kit - just what it sounds like, the first level is for the small things, blisters and cuts.

My Boo Boo Kit is wicked basic, just a handful of blister pads, a handful of moleskin strips, a handful of bandaids, and a handful of alcohol prep pads to help clean up around a wound or blister. There’s also a 5 foott / 1.5 meter strip of Gorilla Tape to help secure bandages. Missing is a bottle of iodine tablets for water treatment.

#2 The Blow Out Kit - the Blow Out Kit is intended for one major accident - a bad cut or break.

My Blow Out Kit is equally minimal: a 4 inch Emergency Trauma Dressing, a Quick Clot sponge, a tourniquet, and another 5 feet / 1.5 meter roll of tape.

Other Considerations

• Drugs. I

I’m going to save Part 2 of this thread for level #3, the Overnight Kit. Part 3 is going to address the extras.