[TechBrute]

Ok, there have been plenty of threads about what you'd have in your BOB, and if anyone wants to talk about the BOB in general, feel free to do a search and resurrect one of those threads (or at least read them, as they contain some very useful info.)

What I'm wanting input on is what y'all carry in your first-aid kit. I figure something like a USGI issue is a good place to start:

1 field dressing
1 cotton purified compress
1 bandage gauze 2" x 6 yds.
1 sterile pad 4" x 4"
1 eye pad
5 bandage strips
1 pill bottle
2 aspirin
2 pain reliever
1 first aid cream
1 triple antibiotic
1 tape .5"
3 alcohol wipes
3 iodine wipes
3 antiseptic wipes
3 clean wipes
2 ammonia inhalants
2 antiseptic swabs
1 petroleum gauze
first aid instruction sheet

So far, the only thing I've added is lip balm.

What I'd really like to know is what you'd add or leave home. Also, size matters, the smaller the better. I have no medical or first-aid experience, so it's not like I am going to be performing surgery on anyone, I just need something fairly complete and portable.

This would be carried on my person in a crunch, so I obviously don't want to have a whole medic's bag (besides the fact I wouldn't know what to do with it all.)

[Skunkabilly]

I bought one of those Adventure Medical Kits (commercial first aid kits worth a damn) and added a few of my own items to it. Actually just some cough suppr...er...Calfornia-legal throat brakes. http://www.tadgear.com/x-treme%20gear/first%20aid%20kits%20main/amk_fundementals_kit.htm

It's way big and takes up half my bag. I'm probably going to just leave that in my car and put a smaller one in my bag.

There's this one which I may get to put in my pocket. http://www.tadgear.com/x-treme%20gear/first%20aid%20kits%20main/amk_go_kit.htm Right now I have a 5x7 zippered pouch that I have in my pocket that gets kinda lumpy since it's one big pouch, I want something smaller and better organized.

[TechBrute]

Thanks, Skunk. There's a few of those kits that look like they could work for me.

[Skunkabilly]

One thing to look for is some of their kits also have a small book on wilderness medicine. For those 'uhh...now that I broke my arm, how do I use this SAM Splint?' occasions :evil:

How much room do you have left in your pack?

[TechBrute]

My pack is modular, so I can add/remove as neccesary. I also have seperate vehicle BOBs, so depending on how neccesary it is, it gets a place somewhere.

[Skunkabilly]

During cooler months I'm just going to leave the pack in my car. I spend almost all of my life within 100 yards of my car but much of it away from the house.

During warmer months I'm going to have to figure something out so the drugs and food don't spoil.

[TechBrute]

Holy crapola... I don't know if this is a thread hijack since it's my thread, but I was browsing around Tadgear.com, and they ACTUALLY STOCK STRIDER KNIVES!!! Woo hoo. Finally, some instant gratification. I ordered a Strider from a local dealer a while back and finally just cancelled after it didn't materialize after 14 months.

[TechBrute]

Oh yeah, back to what Skunk said. Leaving anything in the car is only ok for about 4 weeks out of the year here in Texas. The other 48 months are either too hot or too cold.

[Skunkabilly]

Should we take this to PM? :D

[Moparmike]

Get a couple of travel pill bottles. Get the ones that are really small that look like Advil bottles, or ones that look like chapstick. They always pack a smaller amount than what will fit, and if you are going to be taking up valuable volume with something, you may as well use all of it.

If you have room for it, add a standard box of band-aids and compress them in a plastic shower soap-box. You can probably fit 2 boxes in there if you compress it well enough, or add some alcohol wipes and a tube of Neosporin. Rolls of athletic tape (http://cat-sports.net/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=CAT+Sports&Product_Code=ME-84020-C&Category_Code=ADTP) always come in handy. It is the 550 cord of the sports world.:) Add to that the foam pre-wrap (http://www.palossports.com/store/proddetail.cfm/ItemID/972/CategoryID/43/SubCatID/842/file.htm)(compressable, kindof), as well as some Ace bandages and some stretch tape (its like an Ace bandage, but you throw it away). Believe me, if you sprain something and dont have at least pre-wrap and athletic tape (and know how to wrap properly), you WILL regret it. Its cheap and can come in handy for other things too. If absolutely necessary, athletic tape can make a temporary substitute for 550. Strong stuff when made into a rope (take it by the corner, and start rolling toward the sticky side, non-sticky facing out when you are done). Dont ask if they have it in camo or black. I dont know, but you could probably find it for a prohibitive price.

Maybe I did learn something by being a basketball manager.:uhoh: :scrutiny: :eek: