First Aid

[HaYWiRe]

I've read that post on bikepacking.com, although clearly aimed at worldly travellers with chronic diarrhoea and allergies....

Knowing how to improvise can save your life, but in all honesty, there's no denying how much easier atleast basic supplies make. And certainly more sterile too given how prone I am to infection.

And the legal point is quite a sad truth actually, which is why my kit is only for myself and my partner...
Although my novelty plasters came In handy saving the day when a young kid cut his knee on a trail, parents were grateful too, minion plasters FTW

[dunk090]

Once did some expedition leader training and one of the guys on the course was a paramedic.

Off we trooped on the expedition part of the assessment, all of us dutifully carrying our first aid kits with the recommended plasters, wound pads, bandages etc.

Apart from the paramedic who only had some duck tape and a tube of superglue

[HaYWiRe]

Apart from the paramedic who only had some duck tape and a tube of superglue

Never underestimate the power of super glue, look up why it was invented! Along with the likes of coca cola....
And if duct tape cant fix it....well you're not using enough duct tape!

And here's one for you roadies (or motorcyclists), what is good for burn treatment?
Not the "set yourself of fire making a bru burn" but as in skidding across asphalt at 30mph kinda burn?
Which I also learnt recently, Lycra doesn't like friction....

[Richard G]

Did a two day outdoor course with this lot last year: http://www.firstaid4life.com/home

Was really good, if a bit depressing (we're quite squishy and helpless when it comes down to it). Quite surprised that I couldn't find anything decent n South / Mid Wales though.

[Pyro]

And if duct tape cant fix it....well you're not using enough duct tape!

Duct tape can fix anything but stupidity, and in that case it can at least muffle the sound.

[voodoo_simon]

Thanks to this thread nagging in the back of my mind, I've updated my home first aid kit and resorted through my bike first aid kit too. Realised I haven't touched my bike first aid kit for over a year, so was good to have a sort out.

Just hope I don't need anything until the postie arrives later in the week

Have thought about first aid training and going for one of those 'real world, adventure' type courses but would only do it if I could persuade my usual ride partners to join me. Call me selfish but....

[Adventurer]

I carry mine in a 1l alpkit bag. Folded a few times that it's small.

What's with all the antiseptic wipes?
Pointless

Water poured onto wound to clean then cover. (If small wound)

What do I carry in mine.

Triangler bandage, you can improvise this into anything. Dressing pad, sling, fracture support, collar. Etc.

1 medium wound dressing pad

Some gauze pads - ideal for wounds/cleaning and can cut to size for size of wound.

Some plasters. Different sizes

1 small bandage to secure dressings etc.

Gaffa tape on a bike pump.

Make sure you carry some clean plain water. Good for small wounds but good for emergency eye wash.
Not good washing eye out with energy drink.

Some paracetamol and none steroidal anti-inflammatory tabs.

And lots of knowledge to be able to improvise.
I've had a little experience dealing with trauma.

[Gari]

The superglue for wounds thing is a bit of a myth I am afraid. It was developed as part of a project for clear plastic gunsights in the 40s, unsuccessfuly, as it stuck to everything it came into contact with. Rediscovered by a couple of Eastman Kodak chemists in the 50s, it was marketed as the glue we all now know.

I know 'cos I was a first aid trainer when I worked as a river guide and kayak coach, and I was told the story, all the time!!!

[Adventurer]

Superglue for wounds or wound glue is used for specific wounds and even used for specific treatment of ophthalmic conditions but in a hospital controlled setting.

I can't think how glue would be particularly useful in an emergency care setting.

I would say that steri-strips would be more useful than glue in a none hospital setting. But steri-strips are 'generally' used as a temporary measure in place of sutures in minor wounds.
But saying that they would only tend to be used in a hospital/clinical setting.
Oh and unless you are trained, best not to use them as experience is needed but we could say that about wound glue as well. It's a skill!

I don't think any first aid course, teaches to put glue on?

[HaYWiRe]

I cant see myself wanting to superglue myself back together, though funnily enough I've had more cuts "glued" at a hospital than I've had stitches, though probably the nature of the wounds

As for the quantity of antiseptic wipes? Well mostly to help prevent infection, which i am both prone to, and can be far more serious for me, anyone actually seen the number of diabetics losing limbs to rapid infection and gang green? its in the 140mark....daily, scary thought regardless of the details behind it

I carry both alcohol and alcohol free antiseptic, and also keep iodine and nitrile wipes in my bigger kit at home

[DrMekon]

I have one of those Deuter dry bags that has a first aid bag inside. I got one of the empty ones as I have access to supplies at work. If you have Jones bars and are running a drybag below, it locks beautifully around the straps and sits in the loop just lovely.

Medium sterile dressing x 2
Eye patch
Triangular dressing
2x large hydrocolloid dressings
2x small hydrocolloid dressings
2x medium compeeds dressings for blisters
3x small plaster
1x chamois butter sample
1x tube of Brulidine (antiseptic and antibacterial cream)
4x antiseptic wipes

Because of lung condition I have to carry steroids and antibiotics along with less interesting stuff.

Plus always carry water to wash wounds. Have had a leg wound go ripe quite quickly in the past.

Link to drybag for first aid - first aid http://www.backpacking-united.com/en/de ... dry-m-fire

[RobMac]

I can't help think that if todays injuries required all those dressings, etc then things must have been quite nasty / severe or you went a bit mad ... I'm a firm believer in the 'slap 'n wrap' school of first aid, which usually involves duct tape as the primary ingredient in a first aid kit.

I think a riding skills course might be helpful too.

[Adventurer]

Probably cheaper and you can choose what you want in your kit if you just put your own first aid kit together.

The problem with buying a purpose made waterproof kit is it will have items that you just won't need and you will have to add to it anyway.

This is my waterproof alpkit kit

https://flic.kr/p/wLax3x

And a good place to buy bits to put in is from SP services which is based in Telford

https://m.spservices.co.uk

[HaYWiRe]

Just finished putting together another pocket kit, haven't weighed it yet but its very compact. Has the same footprint as a credit card but 10mm thick so perfect for a back pocket, with my moneyclip and glucose tablets its still smaller than most peoples wallets

Things like painkillers, non essential medication and hygiene can go on the bike or in my pack, but my main priority is having a boo boo kit on my person, incase I'm away from my bags, sugar especially as I've been too low in the past to even walk to the table for glucose

Most of my kits are built from cheap supplies at boots/superdrug/wilkinson as its easy to restock, cheap to build and I can build multiple kits easily for different situations,


although I do have quite a bit of military grade 1st aid around, not the cheap ex issue surplus kind either. Never know when you need to slap on a CAT and some Quikclot Gauze