What's In Your First Aid Kit?

[rlown]

+1 Try tying a good square knot with one hand.

[sparky]

Superglue makes suitable DIY stitches. I have seen it work great on large cuts

[RoguePhotonic]

Certainly everything is circumstantial and you are forced to do the best you can. When you might be 3 or 4 days like I was from the nearest trail head you have to look at it different than if you can get out the same day.

I have an unfortunate habit of thinking too much about it when I get injured badly which has more than once sent me into a state of shock. This adds more problems. Hard to sow up a wound when your hearing is going, vision is blurring, sweating horribly, nauseous, dizzy and ready to pass out.

[rlown]

Superglue makes suitable DIY stitches. I have seen it work great on large cuts

I've heard about the superglue thing as well, but I have not personally tried it.

or this: http://www.shopmedvet.com/product/35W-S ... in-stapler" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Probably still requires a third hand unless you tape closed a bit before stapling. Agree with WD that you probably shouldn't close a wound all the way. They need to weep a bit. And you need to get to an ER ASAP after the incident. (Thought we are all required to have medical coverage by now?)

[AlmostThere]

I walked out with someone who attempted to use superglue on a large area - don't use it where layers of the dermis are gone as with a popped golf ball sized blister. Hurts like no one's business. I had to loan her the Tevas I was using for water crossings so she could walk without further damaging the area.

Medical insurance may not cover wilderness emergencies. Check with your carrier about an extra rider on your policy if it doesn't.

[markskor]

First aid kit...?
Pretty minimalistic here - my kit:
Needle and thread, ductape, TP, Excedrin Migraine, Aleve, (a few Percocet), Imonium, Tums... SAR tweezers and scissors, mini-tube superglue, and a few antiseptic wipes.
BTW, the most needed item, the one thing most oft-used - Glide...chafing, scrapes, and burns.

[AlmostThere]

Mine includes:

Prescriptions
Band aids
Gauze
Tape
Vet wrap
Alcohol wipes to sterilize knife edge
Painkillers - ibuprofen, migraine meds
Antibiotic cream
My bite valve, to clean out open wounds
My water filter, to get more clean water quickly
My trekking poles, to use as a splint or with a jacket to make a travois
Bandana, guy lines, other line - make the splint stay on
My sleeping gear, my fire making kit, my stove and tea bags/cocoa, to warm a mild to moderately hypothermic person
Note pad and small pencil to take notes whilst rendering aid
The grey matter between my ears, to keep track of the stuff I learned in wilderness first aid, plus how to make emergency shelters in snow or sticks.
The PLB, and the ability to comprehend that it ain't 100% error free so knowing how to do stuff with what I have is mega-important, so I can keep the patient stable til the end of the trip when that itinerary gets pulled out and used by my buddy at home.

90% of everything that can happen has a recommendation for evacuation in the wilderness medicine books. Knowing what you can do and what's next to be done when something is beyond your scope = antidote to panic and bad choices.

[RoguePhotonic]

Thought we are all required to have medical coverage by now?)

Doesn't mean all of us will comply with the law.

[rlown]

My trekking poles, to use as a splint or with a jacket to make a travois

This only caught my eye because I do not see how you could ever use trekking poles as a travois. Having seen people break them when being mostly vertical, It's not possible to use trekking poles for that purpose. Splint, ok.

Rogue, buck up and join society. See a doctor at least for fun. It'll amuse you. They amuse me everytime i talk to them.

[RoguePhotonic]

I saw a doctor about 6 years ago. It did not amuse me.

Unlike most people I have things I'm willing to die for. I will never join "this" society.