Wilderness First Aid Kits Should Provide Maximum Help

When heading out for a hike through the wilderness, first aid kits should be examined to make sure they have everything you might need in the wild. Most hikers try to skimp on some items they cram into their backpack to keep the load light, but one of the things that should never be left behind are wilderness first aid kits. Having the appropriate medical needs in the event of an emergency can be the difference between survival and death.

You can choose to go to a wilderness camping store and buy preassembled wilderness first aid kits, put together by companies with experience of hiking in the wild, or you can draw on your own experiences and fill the kit with the items you believe will be more important, based on your own experience. The key thing to remember about packing wilderness first aid kits is to plan for the worst and expect the best. It’s better to bring some of the items back home than it is to need them and not have them available.

If you are headed into the wilderness for the first time it would be wise to get information on what to pack in wilderness first aid kits so you do not forget anything important. Additionally, experienced hikers can tell what is not necessary to carry with you to help keep the pack weight to a minimum.

Length Of Trip Will Determine Size Of Kit

How long you plan to hike in the wild will determine how much you will need in wilderness first aid kits. Many kits may include splints in the even of a broken bone, but experienced wilderness hikers forego carrying them, pointing out that a couple of broken tree limbs can serve the same purpose if they are needed. Insuring you have something available to attach the splints to a broken bone however, is important to remember.

While many use gauze to perform this function, bands of material with Velcro fasteners can do the job easier, especially if has to be done one-handed. Consider the environment in which you will be hiking, and if it expected to be cold, exposing your bare skin to the elements event for a short time, can have devastating effects. Plan your wilderness first aid kits to contain items that only require one hand so as to reduce the potential for frostbite.

Small puncture wounds are probably the biggest risk faced on wilderness trails and having an adequate supply of Band-aids to last the length of your journey is possibly the most important part of packing wilderness first aid kits.