What Items Belong in My Backpacking First Aid Kit?

July 23, 2016

Bennett_Barthelemy-126664-edited.pngGareth Tate has been a wilderness first responder and NOLS Wilderness Medicine instructor for more than a decade, so he’s treated countless backcountry accidents. I called him up to find out how to pack a proper first-aid kit. “My approach is pretty minimal. So many of these products are sold to you, and so few of them are actually important,” Tate says. “Many of the items become comfort items. You need to differentiate between comfort and essential.” What follows is the gear he thinks is absolutely necessary to have in your car or pack. 

The Bag

“My favorite kind of customized homemade first-aid kits are toiletry bags because they are compartmentalized and often small and durable,” Tate says. “A bad first-aid kit is all thrown together in one plastic bag.” 

Read the full story here. 

Topics:

Written By

Kim Freitas

Kim is a Wind River Wilderness and Wilderness First Responder graduate who works as the NOLS Writer and PR Specialist. She enjoys vegetarian cooking, warm yoga, and drinking lots of coffee!