I ask this because I just finished packing a pocket sized mini first aid kit, using supplies from our full size home kit. I’m sure people will mostly agree with the contents I packed, but does anyone have any other suggestions?
This is the kit I packed today, should I try to add anything else? There’s not much space left, but I can probably stuff a couple other flat packet items in there, so am I like missing anything obvious that might fit?
A fresh tube of super glue. Cyanoacrylate glue was initially developed as field sutures. That’s why it’s so easy to glue your fingers together. It’s a great fast and durable way to stop bleeding.
Is it actually safe? Cyano in cyanoacrylate doesn’t fill me with joy and sense of wonder
Just FYI, a lot of chemical names don’t really work like that.
Norco (opiate painkiller) is HYDROcodone and acetaminophen. TONS of medications start with HYDRO but have nothing to do with opiates.
METHylphenidateMethylprednisolone is a common steroid often prescribed to kidsCYANoacrylate is to CYANide as GRAPEfruit is to GRAPE.
Edit: methylphenidate is in fact related to meth. I had my names mixed up. My bad!
It’s important to note your location/purpose.
I’m in Australia so I always include multiple compression bandages for snake bites.
A whole roll of athletic tape is always a good choice. If you have to splint things or affix larger bandages, it makes the task far easier. Also, throw in an emergency blanket. And if this is in the glove box, more pills.
All awesome advice, but this is a pocket size kit that’s practically full already. I think I might be able to fit a 2 Alka-Seltzer packet in there, but that would be a pretty tight fit…
Edit: I already have some medical bandage tape in there, probably only about 2 feet or so though, re-rolled section to be flat to fit in the box…
I actually have some experience with this!
I travel a lot and always have an IFAK and a somewhat extensive “boo boo” kit.
The IFAK covers serious trauma, car crashes, GSWs, whatever. Haven’t had to use this thank fuck. Standard stuff though, take your Stop The Bleed. I carry a tourniquet (I like snake staff systems), compressed gauze, pressure dressing, chest seals, trauma scissors, gloves. You can safely reduce this to the tourniquet and the gauze for 90% of use cases though.
The boo boo kit contains more comfort items, stuff to turn a moderately bad day into a mild inconvenience. It has a bunch of stuff but by FAR the most used items are these in order of frequency:
Ibuprofen - carry many doses
Small bandages - 3M Nexcare are the good ones
Moleskin - helps with shoe blisters, friends use it a lot
Deviant ollam folding scissors - for cutting moleskin, hangnails, whatever. TSA doesn’t care about them.
Pseudoephedrine - the behind the counter stuff, NOT phenylephrine from the aisles. This is the good stuff, helps with allergies, mild colds etc.
Moleskin is also a great way to fix pokey underwire bras
What scissors? I’m not getting anything particular tied to Deviant Ollam
The smallest size Swiss army knife is also a good option for tiny scissors that TSA doesn’t care about, then you also get the bonus of knife, tweezers, toothpick, etc.
TSA took my Leatherman Squirt PS4 when I forgot to check it. Only like a 1.5" knife. Smaller than that? I didn’t think there was any compliant knife
I’ve never had a problem with it. Doesn’t necessarily mean it’s compliant, I guess, since it’s all security theatre.
Domestic and international air travel, as well as things like bringing it into court, sport stadiums, etc.
Sorry lol
Gloves!! A pair or two of nitrile gloves takes almost no space. If you’re patching up someone who isn’t in your immediate circle, you have no idea what’s swimming around in their blood, so always use gloves before handling it.
Similarly, another thing that I like to keep handy - but never actually see in things like commercial 1st aid kits, is a CPR sheet with a 1-way-valve: https://www.redcross.org/store/first-aid-supplies/cpr-keychains
Giving rescue breaths without it risks picking up things like oral herpes.
Despite being flat this might be too big to fit in, but if you can–emergency blanket. I once helped a disoriented senior who had fallen and injured themselves and accidentally left their keys in their apartment. I wish I’d had something to keep them warm while we waited for the FD to get them in.
Oof, I just realized our full size kit that I got most of the items from didn’t even come with a thermal blanket.
Ever used hydrocolloid bandaids? They are the best! Yeah, they’re more expensive, and as usual, Band-Aid brand is by far the best. I’ve used them in the field dozens of times.
Would not use them on puncture wounds and they seal the bacteria in quite nicely. But for surface wounds they’re antibacterial and a bandaid all in one.
I actually have used such bandages before, and they’re fantastic!
Except one thing, they don’t have a good shelf life, the paper wrapper apparently degrades a lot faster ☹️
Not good to store in a first aid kit…
Tried actual Band Aid™ brand? Hate to sound like I’m shilling, but I get beat up a lot in the woods and on the water. Never had a hydrocolloid fail, even if it was mushed in my tiny aid kit for months. Again, Band Aid™ brand works way better. Easier to get out the package, sticks way better, comes off better.
Hate buying the brand name because it costs so much more, but, get what ya pay for.
Meh, I ain’t stressing it too much, I’m mostly using select supplies from our home first aid kit, 140 items. All too many are just average size bandages, Equate brand, almost like they just simply dumped a 50 box of them in there to pump up the item count…
Just using what I got ya know, not like I’m in a hurry to have to even test different bandages…
I have a leatherman squirt multitool, has a blade and scissors. And yeah, paracetamol, Codeine, loperimide. Bandages, glue. I keep some electrical tape in there as well, not necessary first aid, but so useful.
Diphenhydramine or hydroxyzine is good to have in there as well as ondansetron, lorazepam and some opiate or opioid.
Aspirin can also save a life (heart attack/stroke)/day from a hangover.
