Home made first aid kits, what do you carry?

There's about 20 different threads on this and there will neve be a consensus. For some it's 'everything but the kitchen sink' and for some it's 'an aspirin and some gaffer tape'.

and for some it’s ‘an aspirin and some gaffer tape’

...and a space blanket.

**Edit** - I've always been in the "it's either trivial enough that you can carry on, or serious enough that you need rescue, and nothing you'd carry would/could make much difference in either circumstance" camp, but I'm coming round to being persuaded that a decent field dressing or similar might be worth carrying, for a serious bleed that either could be patched up to allow carrying on, or needs patching up whilst waiting for rescue.

**EDIT 2** - and with kids it's different, as they often need the placebo effect of a plaster/antiseptic wipe and a "there there, all better now" to help them to carry on.

…and a space blanket.
**Edit** – I’ve always been in the ...
**EDIT 2** – and with kids it’s different,...

What did I say about 'no consensus? 😉

What did I say about ‘no consensus?

That's about the only thing that will be agreed on 🙂

I'm of the opinion that knowing how to improvise a jacket, zip tie or spare tube that you are carrying anyway is more useful than most first aid kits, but there are silly things where a plaster or wipe makes a big difference (esp with kids) and so carrying a few bits and bobs is a good idea.

I would go further though and say that having a half decent first aid kit that lives in the car is not a bad idea anyway (especially with kids), and so unless you are going "proper mountain biking" anything you carry really only needs to (a) get you back to the car or (b) save you the inconvenience of going back to the car for something trivial.

To answer the original question. On the MTB in the bag I always have with pump, tools etc
Pair of gloves
Two or three plasters
Two Mepore 10x11 cm dressings
Two Mepore 7x8 dressing
Small fixing bandage
Steri strips
Alcohol wipes
Space blanket
All in about the size of a mobile phone and weighs 100g inside two sealed bags
I have used all of the items over the years on trails apart from the space blanket, although not at once

On the road bike, nothing

This is my approach, it might not be right for you. I'll use the same pack for cycling / hiking / camping / general outdoorsiness which is probably inefficient but less faff.

My starting point is a generic first aid pouch, Trailventure or similar, as much for the actual pack itself as anything. Then I'll swap bits in or out to customise it.

My thinking is, what am I going to need before I get home, either for myself or those with me? As IHN says, "there there" may also be a factor. So,

Something to clean a simple wound. Sterile wipes, some means of getting grit out of a graze. There's a difference between a bit of gravel rash and landing in something that's three quarters sheep shit. Assorted plasters and dressings (also handy for blisters). A tick twister (because frankly they give me the fear). Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, some form of antihistamine. A tenner (no specific reason but takes up no space and can't hurt).

I probably over-pack for simple trips but I'd rather be that guy with a spare chain link than have someone in the party (or even someone we randomly encounter) pushing a bike home.

I don't think much would have helped my mate on Saturday, 4 broken ribs, punctured lung and busted hand. Still managed to ride back to the car after a big OTB on a final descent of the Clwydians near Caerwys. He soldiered on, went out for beers, didn't ride Sunday, then finally went to hospital on Monday !

Firstly, apologies for missing the bright yellow thread about forum search, couldn't see the search box so just ploughed on with a new thread.

As expected there is already a spectrum of answers here. Sounds like I'll make a basic "there there" style pack, probably with something gauze/dressing like and some sort of cleaning fluid. I do already actually have a space blanket in the bag, been sat there for about 5 years and forgot I even had it.

We ended up riding back to the Lookout on Tuesday to get him cleaned up but his nerves were shot after the fall so it was day over anyway.

I think the only thing I've added that you don't really hear mentioned, is a little battery pack with a torch in. Obviously phones all have torches built in now but a separate light, and the ability to charge a phone, seems like a very good idea to me, and it's small enough not to worry about if I'm taking my bigger bag.

4 broken ribs, punctured lung and busted hand. Still managed to ride back to the car after a big OTB on a final descent of the Clwydians near Caerwys.

Ouch! Where was that (Is he local?) [/drift]

I follow the philosophy that if you *need* something, it'll be serious :

Sterile wipes
Steri-strips
Crepe bandage
Large sterile dressing (10cm x 12.5cm Mepilex border).

All fits into a small-ish zip-lock bag.

I do carry small kits around with me, most I’ve assembled using the little tins you can buy mints in, with a bandage, some plasters, ibuprofen and cheap antihistamines, some small one-shot tubes of superglue, although they seem to be difficult to find at the moment, and a roll of micropore tape. I learned that having a first aid kit handy is a good idea when I sliced the side of my thumb right down the edge of the nail to its base, and all I had handy was a tube of superglue and a bog roll. I was around six or seven miles from anything that might be called a pharmacy, so had to make do with that. It did work very successfully, with not even a scar, but honestly, whenever I go out somewhere camping, or even just an extended walk in the countryside, I carry at least a basic kit in a mint tin.

I have a couple of proper first aid kits, one an official St John’s Ambulance one, that someone left in the boot of a car, and another similar one that stays in my car boot, along with foil blankets, for proper emergency use. Thankfully, I’ve not had a situation where either has been needed.

I've got a waterproof pouch with...
- triangle bandage
- decent wound dressings
- some surgical tape
- bandage
- gig melonin dressings
- rubber gloves
- sterile wipes

I NEVER have enough sterile wipes
Because when someone spanners themselves they inevitably have a load of cow shiiite in the.wound.amdnit really helps try reduce the level of shiiiit in the wound.

I,ve had to use all of the stuff at one time or another.
Broken collar bone miles from anywhere in winter.
Huge gashes on legs.
Face plants.
Broken rear mech (fixed to finish a run above Morzine 😎).

It would he a shame to see one of your mates bleed out to death or get a rank infeciom that causes them to have 2 years of repeat surgery and nearly have an arm amputated due to sepsis just because you couldn't be arsed carrying a bit of lightweight kit.

.

Vet wrap is amazing stuff, will stick to itself even if wet, just need something sharp to cut it with. Real handy when your pedal takes a chunk out of your shin, and you wanna keep the sheep muck out as much as the blood in… ( while riding through a bog!)

Vet wrap is brilliant to use for bandaging, quick and easy to use, no tape or pins needed to secure. Works well in the wet. I purchased a box of 12 assorted colours on Amazon, then gave a roll to each of my biking mates, amazingly they were all very impressed with the product and added it to their ride packs straight away. (Also marketed under the name Coban Wrap)

some small one-shot tubes of superglue

Oh, that's an excellent shout.

Vet wrap

That's a new one on me. Ta.