Looking for recommendations to throw into the bottom of my pack in case I or a riding buddy come a cropper. I'm thinking that I'll need plasters, bandages and antiseptic wipes, but what else?
dressings to go with bandages, scissors and compact foil blanket (like they give out at the end of events).
I've been a nurse for 20 years, I ride with other nurses and doctors, and we never take a first aid kit.
Take some duct tape.
If you can't fix it with duct tape, call an ambulance.
Antiseptic wipes do nothing at all.
Foil blankets are a waste of space.
Duct tape will cover your wounds, stop your bleeding, splint your broken bits and can be used to fix your bike too.
A pygmy goat
if your sticking one in your bag I bet you end up fixing other people more than you fix you and your mates! In which case make sure you have some sexy rubber surgical gloves! You never know what these mountain bikers have contracted!!!
I like that spray 'skin' from Boots that forms an instant scab. I tested it on myself recently and the gashes healed up really well. It stings 'a bit' when it goes on!
tested it on myself recently and the gashes healed up really well.
It's like a modern day chastity belt 😯
Is it recommended to kill the pygmy goat for meat, or do you just milk it??? With or without wearing rubber gloves??
make sure you have some sexy rubber surgical gloves
Interestingly I was at an incident on Tues where the guy had an open fracturs of the left elbow and 50% of the attending paramedics did not wear gloves?
Not exactly first aid but how about a whistle for when on a solo ride and your mobile is out of range. Even if no one can hear you you can play a tune!
water
tick remover
In my guide pack 1st aid kit I carry:
2 whacking great big dressings (military ones)
Duct tape to hold them on
Tick tweezers
Triangular bandage
Handful of smaller dressings
Steri-strips
Rubber gloves
Most of it's been used at one time or another.
I definitely agree with the above posts that antiseptic wipes and foil blankets are a waste of space. Minor cuts and grazes (that might want an antiseptic wipe) are best left until you're back at base as any dressing will just come off and/or the injury will get full of sweat/mud if you continue the ride. Foil blankets are useless in a mountain environment (especially a typically wet/windy UK one). What IS useful is to take the classic orange survival bag, cut it open (you'd never get a seriously injured casualty into one anyway), then duct tape a foil blanket onto it.
I also carry a SAM splint, I haven't made much use of it myself, but I have seen them used effectively.
The "if it's bad, call an ambulance" approach is all very well, but what if you don't have reception and it's going to take hours to reach a phone?
I always carry a hand full of emergency gummy bears/ Haribos et c.
+1 for the tick remover
A
picture of a loved one. note paper and pen.
Tick Remover? Where do those little suckers live then??
Mobile phone! when I broke my ankle on a solo ride, that was the only thing that was any use to me.
most often on your scot
iodine and ambulance dressings. That's all your need imho.
I don't carry one but if I did I'd go for stuff to stop my blood coming out. Duck tape and a some padding sound good. I can live with everything else till I make my way to civilization.
French horn. whistles are for wimps. Trombone at a push.
yes duck tape's a good idea cos the thought of having to remove it later will lessen the pain felt prior to application 😆
[i]Interestingly I was at an incident on Tues where the guy had an open fracturs of the left elbow and 50% of the attending paramedics did not wear gloves? [/i]
They bloody should have done for the patient as much as them.
[i]iodine[/i]
No, just no.
Foil blanket isn't as brilliant as most people think, but neither is it as useful as some people say- you often hear "Ambulances don't carry them any more" but why would they? They're not all that useful in reasonable conditions but if it's raining or windy then they can make a difference- you can be waiting a long time for help if you're away from road access. They're also pretty useful for visibility, more so if you're alone but if you're up on a hillside waiting for paramedics or a ride in a helicopter a big shiny sheet is a handy thing to have.
Thanks for the advice, all!
Based on your suggestions, my next trip into the Chilterns will see me accompanied by a Pygmy Goat, Rubber gloves, and some Duct Tape ... oh, and a tick remover. Let's just hope I don't get stopped by the police then ....
I take a first aid kit mainly for the kids - gives them a bit of reassurance with a plaster applied, and makes it easier to encourage them to carry on.
Also some very strong pain killers - may make the wait for assistance a bit more pleasant.
Similar to above. Second the orange blanket cut open with foil duct taped inside, try it out and you can feel the warmth.
I do carry antiseptic wipes. I know they're not much use and I don't waste them on myself but they are great for reassurance of people with cuts!
I always carry a small tube of nappy bum cream. I've rescued two people's rides with this! When it gets hot and people sweat their nethers can disintegrate pretty fast!!! The rule is that they get one squeeze into their hands and once it's applied they aren't allowed to touch the tube to get more and they are banned from any communal sweeties that I might be carrying! 🙂
[i]Also some very strong pain killers - may make the wait for assistance a bit more pleasant. [/i]
If your waiting for help then try to avoid these, it may hinder what we can then give, me make them puke and are you sure they can take them?
having seen a fair number of mainly minor casualties in the hills over the years surprised by the "no foil blanket" comments - seen a few people where exposure combined with shock is biggest problem not the original injury
so i take my whistle and foil blanket tape and dressings
antigee, the foil blankets don't provide enough protection and have you ever tried getting someone into one with all their kit on without ripping it to shreds? Hence why a lot of people carry an orange survival blanket, cut open with a foil blanket taped inside. It's warm and being cut open it's easy to get the person inside it.
Antiseptic wipes stop the blood clotting apparently, not ideal for extensive bleeding....
[i]Antiseptic wipes stop the blood clotting apparently, not ideal for extensive bleeding.... [/i]
If you disturb the wound it'll effect clotting, there's no need to clean the wound at the scene unless your going to close the wound. Even then anti-septic wipes are no better than a good clean with tap water.
yes, because there's plenty of tap water in the hills.
Does anyone know of a good outdoors emergency 1st aid book? I think that would be a hell of a good suggestion every time these type of threads appear. As above, antiseptic wipes just move blood around rather than clean it off. I would rather look like a man and let the blood clot and seal the wound till i get back to clean it out properly. Thats what happened to me twice this year. The wipes were a complete waste of time.
A phone & knowledge are the most important things i reckon you can have with you.
Oh, i was a little suprised at how low people rate the foil blankets. I havent used one before but do tend to have one with me on winter rides.
[i]yes, because there's plenty of tap water in the hills.[/i]
Did you bother reading what I wrote?
Lots of people now carry things called hydration packs with them, many carry tap water in these. It's a new gimmick to mountain biking and may never catch on but if fancy trying one I think you can get them from a few shops now.
Patronising as ever Drac.
Most folk I ride with have some form of juice or energy drink in their backpack.
Why don't you tell use about all the hidden nasties we might have if we dress our own wounds and don't let medical professionals such as yourself feel superior by doing it for us?
As Drac says, there's no need to clean it while you're out, just cover it up if you want. Tap water is fine for cleaning wounds; anything fancier tends to interrupt the healing process.
[i]Why don't you tell use about all the hidden nasties we might have if we dress our own wounds and don't let medical professionals such as yourself feel superior by doing it for us? [/i]
Depends on the extent of the wound if it needs medical assistance to clean it. The risks I think most people or aware of tetanus and infection, common sense really needs to be applied if you unsure then go to a minor injuries unit and have it cleaned and dressed thoroughly.
Bearing in mind how common shoulder / collar bone injuries are a triangular bandage is always useful for an elivated sling.
[i]Bearing in mind how common shoulder / collar bone injuries are a triangular bandage is always useful for an elivated sling. [/i]
Duct tape; just stick the hand of the affected side to the opposite shoulder.
It fixes so much stuff, can even be used to hold wounds until they get stitched, and apply pressure to stop bleeding.
Or just use your other arm to hold it in place, it's the easiest way as people find they need to move them a few times.
Flask of tea and a stiff upper lip will see you right
Oh, i was a little suprised at how low people rate the foil blankets. I havent used one before but do tend to have one with me on winter rides.
The thinking is that a foil blanket doesn't help in typical hill (esp. UK) conditions, for 2 reasons:
1. They are good at preventing heat loss due to radiation. This is fine in somewhere like, say, the Alps in winter on a sunny day where the air is clear, still and very cold. However in the UK, typically you're going to lose heat through convection, not radiation, because it's wet and windy. Foil blankets don't help, the old-school orange survival bag is much better because it keeps the wind and rain off.
2. If you try to use one in the hills, it WILL get utterly shredded, from your own efforts as well as the wind. Seriously, has anyone even unwrapped one indoors? They're hopeless.
The survival bag with foil blanket taped-on that Doug and I refer to is the recommended method on all the outdoor leadership courses (hill walking, climbing, etc. as well as biking) because it solves both of the problems above.
All that said, I carry a group shelter most of the time when I'm guiding, which is far better than either option above!
I've got a gigantic old Dixons plastic bag - the size you can climb into - and a tinfoil blanket. The Dixons bag lives in the boot of my car, but I think I'll take it with me on big rides now.
My first aid training is waaay out of date, and specific to being a dinghy instructor, but the advice back then was to use a jib as a survival blanket - heavy (especially on a sailing school boat) and windproof. We also were advised to use duct tape for big gashes, preferably cut into butterfly stitches. I've used this last a couple of times, and if you have the time to cut it into butterflies, it does come off a load easier than a big old strip, with less damage to the edges of the wound.
I'm doing a 2 day adventure first aid course this weekend. I'll have the full SP on monday
Mountain bike injuries fall into 3 categories IMo -
1) - properly broken - call for help asap. Strong painkillers if you want - keep em comfy and stop bleeding. All the kit can be improvised. Knowledge is the key thing here
2) - minor wounds - MTFY and carry on riding. First aid kit might make it more comfy but will make no real difference to outcomes
3) trail side repairable - this is the only category where a first aid kit will make a significant difference. Stuff like moderate full thickness cuts that can be steristripped back together where having the kit and the skills might make the difference between being able to contine the ride or have to cut it short.
I carry steristrips, film dressings for this and a bandage as it makes improvising slings easier. I also carry a foil blanket as a full bivvy bag is cumbersome but I am aware its usefullness is limited.
Knowledge is absolutely the key thing.
+1 for the knowledge, but I prefer my algorithm;
Is the injury fixable with duct tape?
if yes, fix it.
if no, call for an ambulance.
2 small dressings
Small roll of Micropore tape
8" Strip of fabric plaster
Scissors
Tweezers
Vitamin N (neurofen)
Safety pins
Floss and needle
Foil blanket
2 antiseptic wipes
Inner tube*
Gaffer tape*
Hip flask*
Buff*
SSP
*not strictly 1st aid kit but can be used 🙂
Not so great on technical singletrack:
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