Please critique: Kit, medical, basic, vest

OK...

So, I keep my basic gear in a lightly modded Tactical Tailor chest harness. Right now, I'm experimenting with a configuration built around four nalgene carriers and a pair of SAW ammo pouches. The initial plan was to put my FAK in one of the water bottle carriers, and I've been looking for a hard carrier that I can put in there. First thought, duh, is a Nalgene, but it is too deep and the mouth isn't as wide as the body, so that will make it cumbersome. Second, make something out of PVC- heavy, expensive, not very space efficient. Third thought is the Gear Pod carriers I asked about a while back- expensive, but lighter and more efficient than rolling my own from PVC.

Then ZS had a small kit contest, and someone showed us an emptied Gatoraid powder container. WE HAVE A WINNER!


A little bigger around than a Nalgene, the widest part as wide as an Olicamp cup. Bah, ok, that hope is down, but for about four bucks can I be too picky?And I haven't checked to see if it will slide into a coffee can, so...


As we can see, there is narrowing of mouth ID and bottle ID, so nothing gets caught up. And I can put my hand in it, which is a plus.


OK, contents:
2 packages, each containing 2x 2-packs of J&J Nugauze 4x4 dressings. (my preferred gauze)
1 oldstyle USGI dressing
prep razor and a pair of tweezers
10 butterflies
2 pairs nitrile gloves
4" roller gauze (Curad- I'm on a budget and Kerlix is hard to find around here)
pharmacopia
bandaids (6x 3x1, 2 knuckle, 2 fingertip)
small tube carmex
2x alcohal prep pads
2x iodine prep pads

I have a very little bit more room in there, not sure if I want to pack this tight or not.


That pharmacopia:
8 psuedoephedrine, the only thing that can clear up my sinuses
6 benadryl, for reactions to too many black fly bites, lots of latex, and some other things
12 asprin
2x12 tylenol (what is the shelf life of tylenol?)
1 packet triple antibiotic
2x20 immodium
9 tums

Hmm.. I'm thinking I don't need that much immodium, I might pull one of them and put in 12 motrin. Actually, I might pull one of the tylenol packets, to.


Opinions? As you can see fromthe comparison, the pouch isn't filled by the jar. For the time being, I'm keeping my sun block, a couple hand warmers and hand sanitizer in the same pouch, over the top of this, with the hand warmers coming out in summer for bug spray.

Just a thought, switch tums for ranitidine tablet, doesn't work as fast (good enough) but one lasts all day, and way smaller.

I like kit and the container choice. I have often wondered what I could do with my Gatorade tub.

My thoughts would certainly be to sub in ibuprofen for Imodium. Ibuprofen is so good for inflammation that I feel it's more important in a FAK than either asprin or Tylenol -- though those certainly have their place.

Right or wrong, in my small FAK -- which is smaller than yours -- I have forgone gloves in favor of some additional alcohol prep pads which I plan to use on my hands if the need arises.

Have you considered adding any insect sting relief (pads) or something similar for poison ivy? Though I have never done it, I understand you can pulverize benedryl and use it on insect bites or the spot of other irritants to keep the itching down.

Some other things to consider that might fit in the Meds box: those small Fresnel lens pocket magnifier cards to aid with detail work (splinters, stingers); a needle; Hydro-cortisone cream, safety pins, single dose eye drops (like Thera-tears) and Pepto tablets.

At one point, I had Dramamine in my FAK as an anti-nausea med, but it was expensive and expires too quickly. That made it a lower priority.

A zaney idea: What about a folded sheet of paper to serve as a drop cloth so you can quickly dump the container out onto the paper -- instead of the ground -- to quickly see and access the contents.

Oh. The last bottle of (generic) Tylenol that I bought had an expiration date a little more than a year out. I don't know how critical that date is or if marketing plays a role in a manufacturer selecting an early expiration date.

I think ibuprofen is a better choice than aspirin or Tylenol, if you only plan to carry a single pain reliever/anti-inflammatory. Aspirin is not a good choice if someone has a serious bleeding problem. And more people seem to have negative reactions to aspirin than other OTC pain relievers. Ibuprofen also seems to be a safer choice to use in higher than normal dosages than either aspirin or Tylenol.

Aspirin might be worth bringing on its own in case of heart attack.

Drugs you use on a regular basis are worth having in your kit just because you use them regularly and might need them.

20 Immodium tablets seems like a lot, but its not as if they take up that much room.

I don't use antacids, but do have some generic Pepto Bismal tablets.

JMO.

Dramamine is basically a longer acting version of Benadryl. You can get the same relief from motion sickness by using Benadryl at closer intervals.

JMO.

I would forego the CARMEX and get a lipbalm with sunscreen.You can still get sun burn in winter.I would also toss in a tube of antibiotic ointment.You did include a small packet,but there could be times more is needed.If you have room a large femanine sanitary pad for large heavy bleeding wounds.Tampons are good for large puncture wounds or bullet holes.A good substitute for Kerlix is vet wrap.I get it from Tractor Supply Company.They are a chain store in rural community's.Farm supply stores usually charge around $3.00 per roll of vet wrap.

BOATMAN
John

I assume they're still used only as an external dressing, right? You don't try to actually insert them into the wound?

Yes, I know it may a stupid question, I just want to be sure.

This was advice from some friends in USMC and was only a very temporary fix.Idea is plug the hole to keep the RED STUFF in until EVAC and proper medical treatment.They say "everyone" carries them "over there".Would I use one if a hospital or EMS was within an hour away,probably not.If one was way out and had nothing else,maybe.They are handy for other things(improvised water filters,fire tinder,etc.)as well as their intended purpose.

BOATMAN
John

Not a stupid question-

No, as their name implies, they are used to tamponade (plug–up) the bleeding by inserting into the wound and applying pressure.

Pete

Vet wrap is a nice alternative to using an elastic bandage to hold gauze pads or cold packs in place. And of course, no tape required.

Instead of a piece of paper, get a tyvek envelope from FedEx to use as a drop cloth/improvised seat.

Well, this goes into a pouch that also contains my sunblock and hand warmers or bug spray. So sunblock is covered.

I thought about vet wrap. I WANT vet wrap, but I can't think of a way to rewrap it that will work well. I love the stuff, I use it medical, DIY putties and for bundling long skinny parts together. Maybe I'll look at how to get it in the vest as is- I buy the blaze orange and hot pink rolls of it from TS, I've even used it for marking stakes and the like.

But it isn't absorbent. In no way shape or form would I say vet wrap is a subsitute for rolled gauze (I know a lot of people who worship Kerlix.), but to an ACE bandage.

Just one question about the gatorade jar.
Is it waterproof?

I guess it was when it was new, full and sealed, but I find a lot of these plastic jars don't reseal very well.

Red electicians tape to the rescue.

Or regular ol' duck tape? It'd be ironic to use it for its original purpose!

Hello everyone!



It definitely works. Amazing how quickly Benadryl works topically and internally. Although they tend to have a short shelf life, I like carrying these Benadryl strips in my wallet to supplement the pills in my FAK.

http://www.americarx.com/Admin/ARXPRODUCTIMAGES/BImages/Benadryl/995829.jpg

Although I'm not severely allergic to anything, I also carry an EpiPen, just in case I or someone else should suddenly "discover" a potent, unfamiliar allergen out in the middle of nowhere.

-Jack

How many people depend on it, and how long to definitive medical care are the questions you need to ask BEFORE putting a FAK together.

Build your medications and supplies around that.

For example

The maximum dose of ibuprofen is 800 mg three times per day. Do you want 24 hours worth? 72 hours? For one person, or five?

That round container looks like a PITA to carry unless in a pack. In a vest? No way!

Butterfly bandages are a one trick pony, and not a good one at that. Duct tape is more versatile, and steri strips are what every ER uses. Butterfly bandages are only found in cheap FAK at Walmart these days.

Kerlix is much easier to pack than enough 4X4s. Do you know what you get when you cut off 4" of Kerlix? A gauze pad.

A nice long needle is good for picking out splinters.

Get some sliver grippers or whatever flavor is near you. Cant see your 'tweezers' well enough to know if any good.

Dedicated tick removal tool is nice to have as well.

Waaay too much immodium.

From the pic, the GI dressing you have is just a cravat, ie bandana. Easy to improvise in an emergency from clothing etc. It doesnt seem to be a pressure dressing, but I may be wrong.


No bandaids?

No tape?

Ditch the carmex.

Ditch all but one or two of the aspirin. Good for chest pain, not much else if you have ibuprofen and tylenol.

What are the prep pads for? Way overrated in most FAK IME/O.

Need more antibiotic ointment.

Gloves are bulky. Do you really need them in a small kit?

Also, ditch the metal box for meds.

Use an Alosak with smaller ziplocks for each med.


you can wrap meds in foil to protect from light if you like.

Slipstream first aid sells a variety of first aid kits for great prices. Kits are an essential thing that i bring with me on every hike and camping trip. www.wildernessfirstaid.ca