The Essential Personal First Aid Kit

Most travellers these days seem to have a story or two about various injuries incurred around the world. I even have one myself. A few years back, (and by a few I mean eight) I tripped over a rock while hiking the Inca Trail and cut the front of my shin and knee open. There I was, amazingly unprepared, in a lot of pain, and not really sure of what had just happened. I had had little training in first aid and had no idea what to do. Luckily for me, our guide had a pretty nice first aid kit and hooked me up with some iodine, band-aids, and ibuprofen and I was ready to hike again.

I’ve put together a list of essentials for a basic first aid kit below. Many places sell first aid kits containing most of this in them so all you have to do is add a few more, and you’re good to go.

• Band-aids (various sizes include butterfly ones)
• Gauze
• Multi-tool (such as a Leatherman Juice)
• ACE bandage
• Multiple Ziploc bags (irrigation, waterproofing, disposal)
• Moleskin (you can add an extra anti-blister kit if footwear is a concern or questionable)
• Duct tape
• Safety pins
• Ibuprofen
• Imodium A-D
• Water purification tablets (such as Pristine)
• Iodine
• Tweezers
• Latex gloves
• Pocket mask
• Krazy Glue
• Some kind of mild non-antibacterial cleanser (like baby shampoo)

It is important to also take into consideration the destination. If you are heading somewhere hot and humid, you’re going to want to have some bug repellant, if you’re venturing into the desert, you’ll want to bring some oral re-hydration salts, and if you’re heading to the mountains, it’s a good idea to pack some altitude sickness pills. A good thing to keep in mind while packing your kit is the flexibility of the contents. The more multi-purpose the contents are the better the kit will be.

Another good step is to take a first aid course. Having a sound knowledge of first aid will only help you out in unpleasant situations. For adventure travel, a good course to take is Wilderness First Aid. It’s offered in most places and is an excellent way to prepare you for the unexpected in pretty much any situation imaginable.

Enjoy the weekend,
Meghan G