First aid kits & Solo multiday trips

[westofIreland]

Solo trips.... What do you include in your first aid kit.... I ask as the kit I have built up is for group spins. I'd say I have too much in it. For example

3 triangular bandages. Will I be able to apply if needed.

Elastic bandage yes or no

Assorted dressings. Would a few 3 inch with wound antiseptic spray. Suffice.

Sticky tape ???

Scissors?
Etc

[In Reverse]

Usually just a medium sized dressing and an antiseptic wipe. Plus a bit of duct tape wrapped round the pump I suppose.

Beyond stopping heavy bleeding I'm probably not going to be attempting too much first aid on myself.

[Steezysix]

Same here, also carry some plasters, ibuprofen and a pair of tweezers for little stuff but rarely more than that.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Unless you have the knowledge to use it, carrying much in the way of first aid is fairly pointless. Something to stop bleeding and some type of painkiller is generally enough.

[whitestone]

There have been a few First Aid related threads but these are related:

minimalist first aid kit: show me / describe your's please - http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB ... aid#p84705

Kit: "want" vs "need" - http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB ... =first+aid

Generally I'm in the "There's a limit to what I personally can do out in the wilds" camp. More knowledge in the form of a first aid course would be better but in reality might just better define the limits of my abilities. Someone made the point that carrying some extra kit may well help someone who does have the knowledge to use it.

There's the cuts and grazes type of injury that even the most basic FAK will deal with. Bigger/deeper cuts would need a bit more.

Fractures and dislocations: if on the upper body then you are walking wounded and once you have stabilised the break should be able to get yourself to some form of third party help. I've done this myself, having broken a wrist and dislocated an elbow having fallen when rock climbing. If it's lower body or you suspect internal damage then get emergency services out and try and do your best for the casualty, there's no way you will be carrying the kit to deal with this.

[Bearbonesnorm]

Ooh yeah, dislocations - probably the thing I dread most. Had to deal with quite a few over the years and the potential for nerve damage always worries me.

[whitestone]

My accident was on Stanage Edge (at the furthest point from the road). I walked back to the car and my mate drove me to Northern General in Sheffield. While they were x-raying the elbow, the recording plate fell against it. My mate said everyone outside the x-ray room went white at my scream I asked for some morphine after that

Conversely I was with a group of mates riding in Borrowdale when the guy in front of me just fell off the track at the worst possible point and instead of landing in bracken he landed head first in a boulder filled beck. He had some concussion - "Where are you?", "I don't know!" so we called 999 despite him being only 50m from a road. It must have been a quiet day as the ambulance, MRT and the air ambulance turned up!

[Mariner]

Field dressing 3
Antiseptic wipes small packet 1
Wound closure things 1 card
Tick hook
Boots Spray On Plaster 1 small (this stuff is amazing it sets like a giant scab. Hours of picking to get it off )
After that improvise - clothing, duct tape, guy lines etc.

[sean_iow]

Here's mine



Only stuff to sort out things that are irritating or a nuisance really, tick tweezers, pain killers and gel, some bits for cleaning and dressing minor wounds. The thing that looks like a small gun is one of these

http://www.lessmosquito.com/online-shop ... -ease.html

It's like a mini piezo ignitor, the small electric shock reduces histamine production and stops the itching. The wife got it in a supermarket. I was skeptical but it actually works. I usually have some anti-histamine tablets as well, need to replace those as the wife took them.

If I had a more serious injury I'd improvise and abandon the ride, this kit is only for things that would irritate during the ride.

[westofIreland]

Thanks to all contributors on this, much appreciated the shared knowledge and experiences.
Cheers
Tom

[psling]

How often do you guys check the use by dates on various bits in the First Aid Kit?
My tip (learnt from an A&E doctor I used to ride with) : a good squirt from a water bottle can be good for cleaning grit and stuff out of a wound rather than rubbing it in with an antiseptic wipe.

[Mariner]

How often do you guys check the use by dates on various bits in the First Aid Kit?
My tip (learnt from an A&E doctor I used to ride with) : a good squirt from a water bottle can be good for cleaning grit and stuff out of a wound rather than rubbing it in with an antiseptic wipe.

A&E cleaned out my knee using foot pressure on a saline bag with long tube.
Water would be my first go to don't suppose Hi5 solution would hurt.
Dates - same as passport driving license etc only if I remember - dam now I will have to check them.

[MarkW]

I have no first aid training, but I know a few basics. I carry the following:
Bandages
Wound dressing
Pain killers
Alcohol wipes
Tick tweezers
Small tube of saline solution (for cleaning out eyes or wounds)
Suncream (if there's sun)
a small plastic whistle
foil blanket (if I don't have my sleeping bag)

[PeterC]

Kit varies, but I nearly always include a good pair of small tweezers and a sewing needle for removal of thorns, skelfs etc. Some cotton buds can also be useful for getting grit out of eyes.
Yes, I have had skelf get infected which curtailed a trip as well as having a foreign object removed from the eye with a hypodermic needle which left me without the use of my eye for 24 hours

[Scattamah]

How often do you guys check the use by dates on various bits in the First Aid Kit?...

I did this earlier in the year and found most stuff was out of date, so it was replaced. I guess I check roughly once a year (most things have a 2-3 year date on them) so I probably could do with a bit more diligence on this front. Touch wood, I haven't had to break out the medkit on a ride for quite some time.

Greetz

S.