First Aid

According to guide, Keith, if you can't fix it with tape and gauze you're probably going to die or you’re going to need a professional. Fox claims that "duct tape and a sewing kit can fix anything." Heather suggests alcohol and mole skin since blisters will be the biggest problem. Thru-hiker, Red said that some hikers discard their 1^st aid kits, however, it is listed as one of the top 10 essentials according to, whitblaze.net. So the burning question is what to put in your first aid kit? 

“According to one 2005 thru-hiker, “You’ll find the more you know the less you need to bring (whiteblaze).”

One person will bring an expensive, store bought medical kit equipped with the eggs to apples of 1^st aid along with a lengthy book of directions, while another will get by with tape, a bandana and a knife.

The difference between the two is knowledge, which luckily does not take up any tangible space in your pack!

Below I have listed the 1^st aid items for some of the thru-hikers I interviewed:

M.J.Fox

·         mole skin

·        butterfly bandages

·        band aids

·        afterbite

·        alcohol prep pads

·        surgical sponges

·        extra lighter

·        sewing kit

·        amodeum

·        duct tape

·        tweezers

·        safety pins
*   Vitamin I

Red’s

·         Band aids

·        Neosporin

·        Wound closure strips

·        Duct tape

·        Sewing kit

·        Alcohol pads

·        Foam donuts in place of mole skin

“It's amazing how much medical care can be given on the trail with duct tape, a bandana, and a sharp knife up to and including brain surgery on a few people I met out there (Whiteblaze.com).” How about that for a statement? Now I need to find the incident when brain surgery was conducted on the trail. (I will get back to you.)

A first aid kit serves to repair both you and your gear. I have decided that I am definitely bringing dental floss because it can be used to clean the teeth, repair a pack, or close a suture.

This is a preliminary list of my 1^st aid items:

·         floss

·         needles

·         alcohol pads

·         mole skin

·         tape

·         gauze

·         razor blade

·         matches

·         bandana

·         duct tape

Feel free to give suggestions.