There are benefits to buying a ready-made first-aid kit: it鈥檚听cheaper, and you鈥檒l have everything听you鈥檙e likely to need in a small convenient package. But building out your own kit allows you to tailor the contents to whatever activity you鈥檙e embarking on and ditch items you probably won鈥檛 use.听Here’s our guide for doing just that.
Preparation
First and foremost, the best first-aid kit you can have is one you know how to use. If you spend a decent amount of time in the backcountry, we highly recommend investing in . It鈥檚 only a weekend of your time and could save a听life one day. Having every type of Band-Aid under the sun doesn鈥檛 matter if you don鈥檛 know when to use them or what wounds they鈥檙e best for. Dig deep in an informative first-aid guide鈥攍ike the 鈥攁nd learn how to use first-aid tools correctly.
With some education under your belt, you should gather what you need for the beginnings of a basic first-aid kit.
- A waterproof, durable bag, like , to stash everything
- for organization
- A and tape to label each Ziploc
Compiling Your Kit
Once you鈥檝e got all that, it鈥檚 time to put everything together. Organizing your kit by category makes everything quick and easy to find when you need it. Good general categories are: wound care, medications, bandages, and other听items. Separate your supplies into these categories听and label a听Ziploc bag with the black marker and tape for each. The听听recommends considering the following items:
Wound Care
Medications
- , for reducing inflammation听
- , for听pain听relief and听fever reduction
- , for reducing allergic听reactions
- , for bug bites and small rashes
- , for dehydration
Bandages
Other Items
If you鈥檙e going to be out for a longer period听or in situations where you鈥檙e more liable to suffer a big injury, consider adding these items to your kit:
Keep in Mind
To get the most out of your first-aid kit, design it for your specific trip.听For example, if you鈥檙e going climbing, bring extra medical tape and climbing balm to treat finger injuries.听Ask your trip mates if they have any allergies听you should be aware of and pack accordingly. 听
Get into the habit of听making听sure your kit is fully stocked before every trip鈥攁 laminated checklist with everything you need will help you keep tabs on what needs restocking.