First Aid Kit for the Outdoors

Individual first aid kit for walkers and climbers in the outdoors

Here I look at what you should reasonably consider carrying as a first-aider in the great British outdoors. I haven’t suggested something for every conceivable situation since often you will have to use your initiative, or simply make do. And anyway, if you end up packing your fears, you’ll simply pack a first aid kit that is so large you’d just leave it at home!

First aid kit for walkers and climbers

1 x half roll mat
1 x survival bag / blizzard bag / group shelter (depending on group size)
2m of Gaffa tape rolled around a water bottle
1 x mobile phone (kept inside a plastic wallet)
2 x pairs of protective nitrile gloves
several low adherent pads (different sizes)
1 x sterile trauma dressing
2 x packs of steri-strips
1 x crepe bandage/cohesive conforming bandage
10 x plasters
3 x antiseptic wipes

Since about 1991 I have been responsible for people in the outdoors in one guise or another: that’s decades! In all those years I have dealt with many first aid incidents with several that have needed the assistance of the emergency services. And you know what? In all those years, and in all those situations, from fallen climbers to hypothermic walkers to the chap who suffered with a heart attack on Great Gable … I can’t remember when I have ever used a single bandage as a first aider. What I almost always have needed, was a calm head, a reassuring voice, something to keep my casualty warm, and a plan. So if you cover nothing else, make sure you know what to do, and have something to keep your casualty warm and off the cold floor.

It is cheapest to buy these as individual items of first aid kit from the chemists / pharmacy or online and seal safely in a plastic lunch box.

If you don’t think you would know how to deal with an emergency first aid incident whilst out on the hill then maybe this is the time to book one of our outdoor first aid courses.

*As a first-aider you should not be giving any medication to a casualty, other than an aspirin for a suspected heart attack. I carry these medications for personal and family use.

First Aid Kit for Mountain Bikers & Cyclists

I’m a keen cyclist (mountain & gravel biking) and also a MIAS Level 2 qualified leader. I’m really conscious that on a winter day hypothermia is potentially the greatest risk and so here I have described what I might realistically carry on a winter day’s ride as well as a summer’s day.

1 x half roll mat (90 x 55cm – winter)
1 x survival bag / blizzard bag / group shelter (depending on group size – winter)
1 x spare warm layer & buff (winter)
2m of Gorilla tape (kept in tool roll)
1 x mobile phone (kept inside a plastic wallet)
1 x pair of protective nitrile gloves
1 x low adherent pads
1 x sterile trauma dressing
1 x spare inner tube which can be used as a tourniquet (in extreme circumstances)
2 x packs of steri-strips
2 x antiseptic wipes
1 x triangular bandage
1 x packet of paracetomol*
1 x pencil / write in the rain pen
1 x tweezers
1 x combi tool/knife (kept in tool roll)
2 x casualty cards
hypo-treatment – packet of sweets/glucogel