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Your
Ultralight Backpacking First Aid Kit – Include a Lot in a
Two-Ounce First Aid Kit When you tell a friend or family member
you’re going on an overnight hike, one of the first pieces of
friendly advice you might hear is, “Be sure to take lots of first
aid equipment.”
Of course, you need to be
ready for emergencies, but an ultralight hiker can do that with just a
few ounces of gear. Remind your friends,
and yourself, that you’re more likely to be injured driving to
the trailhead.
One of the lightest first
aid kits available is the little yellow one called a “Pack
1” that weighs only 1.1 ounces and includes 23 items. This is a good start. It
includes a first aid guide with a surprising amount of information, a
needle, 10 small bandages, 3 larger bandages, a knuckle bandage, 2
adhesive strips (4”), a gauze pad, an alcohol pad, an antiseptic
pad, a small piece of moleskin, and a moist travel towel.
The plastic it comes in
weighs .4 ounces, so you can throw that away and put the contents of
the kit and some of your own additional items in a zip lock that weighs
almost nothing. A couple of extra sterile
gauze pads, such as the common 2” x 3” size are a good
addition. Butterfly bandages are a must. Pick a couple of sizes. Add
a few cotton swabs, and remember that the style with hollow tubes are
the lightest. A partial role of the small,
surgical tape is light and can bandage large wounds.
Extra moleskin, or a similar product, is necessary for
many hikers. Wide athletic tape can be
applied before you start hiking to keep blisters from forming. If you switch from the needle in most first
aid kits to a few small safety pins, you’ll have some additional
repair items without adding any weight. Since
the points of the safety pins are tucked away, you avoid the
possibility of the needle poking a hole in you or your equipment. Triple antibiotic ointment packets are good to
add. They can help a wound heal, and
they can greatly reduce the discomfort of jock itch.
It’s difficult to say what an ultralight first aid kit should weigh because some of your first aid items are also normal pieces of gear. Some of these can include: aspirin, ibuprofen, antacids, anti-diarrhea tablets, sunscreen, lip protection, biodegradable soap, knife, toothpaste (a mild antiseptic), matches, benadryl or benadryl tablets, water purification gear, and insect repellent. Your extra cord, tooth floss, and duct tape can be first aid items or used for repairs. Your cleanest clothing or large ziplock can be used to stop bleeding. Even your hat can be thought of as a piece of first aid gear that keeps you from getting sunburned. Your signal mirror and whistle are emergency items that can help you avoid the need for your first aid kit. Your paper and pen can be used to leave emergency notes on your physical condition and changed plans such as a new exit route. You can improvise a lot
of first aid equipment. To make a cold
pack, use water and a bandana or towel. If
you need heat, you have your cooking gear.
Your best first aid
equipment, planning and knowledge, are better than ultralight. They’re weightless.
Effectively planning how to stay warm and dry avoids the
common wilderness emergency of hypothermia. Knowing
emergency exit routes can be helpful. Knowing
how to apply a tourniquet or slow blood flow by applying pressure to
the correct points is invaluable. Keep in
mind that handling your stove and hot water are times you need to be
alert, especially when you’re tired. On
unsteady ground, plan how you might fall to your hands and knees to
avoid an ankle sprain. Simply making sure
your hands are washed with water and a little biodegradable soap,
especially after defecation, will help you avoid some of the most
common physical ailments that backpackers encounter.
Training hikes will help you avoid many aches and pains.
Carry a first aid kit
that fits your style, skill level, and the conditions you’ll
encounter. With just a little planning,
you can reduce the weight of your first aid kit and make it more
effective.
Click here to see our first aid kit and other ultralight gear About the
author: Steve Green of www.hikelight.com is an avid hiker who
has enjoyed trimming his backpack weight for over 40 years. Contact |
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"Helping hikers lighten up with lightweight backpacking gear"  |
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