After a family outing the other day I was brainstorming on my first aid kit.

I wanted to pack some Benedryl in the smallest way possible and when you pack a 2 oz tube of this and another of that pretty soon you're carrying a pharmacy.

I also wanted some Triple anti-biotic, and it wanted it small enough to pack in a PSK suppliment.

My primary "walk around" container when on a trip is a photographer's vest. For a day-hike it's either a butt-back or small day-pack.

So, first pass: Put cream into 1/2 oz plastic jar. Jars formerly contained decorator icing colors. Good for a "bag kit" because it takes up much less space than the tube and is easier to work with. Not comfortable in your pocket. Not suitable for the PSK suppliment.

2nd pass: Take the "Euro Sealer" that my mother-in-law gave me (yes, she tends to do "little junk gifts"). Form a zip lock bag into 1" sections, squeeze in cream, seal, cut into 1"x1" packets. Messy, and I get a 25% loss rate (bags I can't seal). Acceptable and I use it, but I'm afraid it won't stand being packed like a sardine in a tin (though it seems reasonably strong).

3rd pass: While trying to load the bags more neatly I put the cream into a drinking straw. Hmmm. Can I just seal the ends of this thing? Yep, it takes some effort, but you can. Very easy to load and reasonably strong.

1/2 of a regular drinking stray will hold enough Benedryl for easily 10 insect bites and takes up effectively no space in my first aid kit. The kit itself is a bunch of useful every-day-first-aid things vacuum packed (by FoodSaver) into a 5"x6"x1/3" pack that goes into one of the lumbar pockets of the vest and still leaves room for 48oz of water. PSK supplimental kit still under development, but at least it now has a topical anti-biotic.

Hi dewey,
Trusbx once posted a link to a webpage that had excellent instructions for sealing straws for use and reuse as small containers. Unfortunately, the website no longer exists. It was written by someone calling herself Kekawaka.
For our immediate usage, I've posted a copy of her page here. I've done a search and cannot find a new location for her site with all of its tips. I'm hoping it'll show back up on the web eventually, and, when it does, I'll change the page I've posted to redirect to her new page.
Stay safe,
J.T.

Excellent! Thanks for keeping a copy around for us.