So What Do I Carry In My First Aid Kit?

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WRITTEN by CHRIS & ANNE ENSOLL

If you’ve been in the mountains with me, or you’re a regular blog reader, you’ll know that I am a minimalist when it comes to packing a rucksack. Whatever I am doing, from guiding in the Alps to walking in to a crag on a Rock Climbing Instructor course, I don’t want to be carrying any unnecessary weight. And that applies to my first aid kit too. Over the years I have whittled it down to the things I know are absolutely essential, and I’ve ditched everything else. Here’s a sneak peek into what I carry.

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This is what you’ll see in my first aid kit:

2 Melolin-type wound dressing pad 10cm x 10cm

4 Melolin-type wound dressing pad 5cm x 5cm

1 trauma dressing 15cm x 18cm

1 elastic head bandage

4 pairs of disposable gloves

1 pair of scissors with protective cover

an assortment of sticky plasters and a length of strip plaster

1 roll of zinc oxide tape

2 sachets of Dioralyte reydration powder

5 Compeed (medium)

1 blue asthma inhaler

1 CPR face shield

6 aspirin, 6 paracetamol, 6 ibuprofen with zinc oxide tape stuck on to prevent the tablets from escaping from the foil

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I carry everything inside small zippy bags which are inside an Exped dry bag. The dry bag has my name and telephone number so we can be reunited if I lose it. I prefer a dry bag to a plastic box as it squashes nicely into my rucksack. Other safety kit I carry includes group shelter, headtorch, duck tape, super glue, and cable ties.

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Undoubtedly you will find ‘What You Should Carry In Your First Aid Kit’ lists that disagree with my list. If you think I don’t carry something that I should, or if you have any questions, leave a comment below.