Same AMK UltraLight/Watertight .5 FAK, but a different question. The kit comes with an unspecified length of conforming gauze bandage; what would be the pro’s/con’s of replacing that with an equal volume piece of 2" Cohesive Wrap (generic coban). Maybe also add a couple non-stick pads. Thoughts/comments?

Since the coban is self adhering, it might be easier and quicker to apply. Does your conforming gauze bandage have the same properties?

i would just note that when I have donated blood for the last several years, coban has been in universal use = quick and effective (and the donor gets to choose the color!!)

The gauze appears to be generic with none of the self-adhering properties of coban. The swap makes sense to me; this is the kit I’m actually carrying and there’s limited space. So while I may have a use for the generic gauze in my truck’s FA supply bin/kit, I need to keep contents of the AMK UL.5 at a higher use/cube ratio.

Done. Wrapped an equal volume of the self-adhering wrap and replaced the gauze, then added a second non-stick pad - there was one, now there are two. I’m looking at the 1/2” med tape and wondering if it would hurt to replace with the other half of the self-adhering wrap roll. For now I’ll leave as is, I’m not a fan of skinny med tape, but I’m not sure the rest of the wrap would fit in that space. 1/2” tape is a compromise that fits.

diphenhydramine is the generic name for Benadryl. Occ. useful for systemic allergic reactions. Major side-effect is drowsiness, sleepiness for many, but not all.
It could help blunt a life threatening allergic reaction to say, bee/wasp stings, but if life is threatened the go-to drug is epinephrine injected, followed by diphenhydramine orally or IM.
Many use it help them sleep (Tylenol PM or Advil PM, etc.), but it seems to reduce REM sleep/sleep quality, and increases risk of falling during the night and into the next AM
Keep it around, it's cheap.
Like most drugs (except for nitroglycerin, aspirin, maybe tetracycline and liquid meds) diphenhydramine does not expire anywhere near the "expiration date" the manufacturer has put on the container. The manufacturers can put any date they want on the containers: an earlier date perfectly suits their desire to convince gullible consumers to replenish their stocks decades before their meds actually lose significant potency, so as to reward the company's stockholders and maintain full employment.

In modifying my main kit, I'm putting more emphasis on trauma. I may end up reducing some of the medications to make room.

Jeanette Isabelle

Different kits for different circumstances. I always carry at least a small, very basic kit,oriented toward trauma (one compression bandage and dressings, etc). If I am responsible for a large group, say on a field project of some sort, the kit is expanded; typically a SAM splint is in there somewhere (they make nice padding for the pack itself).

My SAR pack contained a stethoscope, BP cuff, pneumatic splint, and went on from there. There were occasions where the contents were exhausted completely.

The kit I carry and modified is for owwies up to short of serious trauma. This is the FAK I carry on my casual neighborhood walks, all within good cell coverage and I walk right by a fire station (around here every fireman has an EMT cert), so carrying more would only serve to weigh me down.

The truck kit OTOH has two SAM splints, two tourniquets, boxes of 4x4 ... et al.

My bicycle kit has been either an AMK Trauma kit or a slightly modified AMK Weekender — depending. As of now it also has a SWAT-T.
Comment: All the talk of tourniquets in this thread — as soon as I typed “bicycle” I knew where the SWAT-T I bought at REI would go. A friend of mine died while commuting home by bike. He was well lit up and in a bike lane, but it was night and with all the other ambient lights, the driver of a car did not see him and he bled out right there. (Did someone say texting or talking on his cellphone while driving at night? What could go wrong???)

Sorry all but I have been traveling.

I too strongly disagree with this. From my experience, light can be critical to saving a life. Even if it is a red lens, it is better than nothing.

After reconsidering the intent of the largish FAK in my truck, I’ve decided to focus it more on wound trauma that might be encountered at a traffic accident. My bicycle kit needed a tourniquet, but so does my truck kit and there’s room. So it gets two T’s - the C-A-T that was there already and the SWAT-T that was going in my bicycle kit. The second C-A-T in the truck goes into the bike kit for now. I’m kinda liking the SWAT-T.

Around here (and elsewhere) any serious traffic accident will have LE, Fire and EMT’s responding, but that takes time and the first person on-scene is usually someone other than a professional. Any severe bleeding needs to be controlled by the first person there — certified or not — or the accident victim may not survive for the EMT’s.

So two different T’s, one will work better. I think I prefer the C-A-T because of the windlass and its ability to seriously constrict blood flow. But the SWAT-T seems to be fairly versatile and at 4” wide might be better for direct pressure where a “tourniquet” is not required. I’m not sure one is better than the other — different, not necessarily better.

In case you’re wondering, this is my version of life insurance, mine or some stranger’s. Probably cheaper than one month’s payment on the traditional $ coverage. I’m wondering why I didn’t do this before now.