While no-one wants to think about it too much, you need to plan for the worst to happen and getting the best first aid kit will allow you to do exactly that. It will give you the supplies that you need to treat cuts and bruises, whether you are out there camping or simply sat at home.

Choosing the best first aid pack can be tricky though as each kit will have a different selection of first aid items, so you have to know exactly what you need in order to match the purpose that you have. You need to look at the list of items and see how they match up to your situation.

That’s where we can help as we will go through the individual items to give you all the knowledge you need in order to get the top rated first aid pack for you. We have also looked into the first aid kit reviews to show you the best products on the market from which to choose from.

How To Choose The Best First Aid Kit – Buying Guide

Type Of Trip

Before deciding to buy a first aid kit, it’s always important to consider what type of trip you are going on and how this affects what you need in your first aid kit. Here we look at the most standard types of trip and what you need.

Home – Having all the products that you need in one convenient place is a great idea for your home. A lot of people would be happy to buy items separately but this contains a risk that when it comes to an emergency situation, you’d find it hard to find your items. In terms of what’s required, you would simply need a vast array of bandages and pads in order to treat any type of wound that might happen.

Office – The office is very similar to the home in many respects as you wouldn’t have to worry about it being as portable and you wouldn’t need a range of emergency items. Whereas in a home having an all-in-one kit is useful, in a workplace it is absolutely vital as everyone needs to know where everything is at all times in order to quickly apply first aid whenever the situation calls for it.

Camping – This is one place where having a camping first aid kit is vital for two main reasons. The first is the lack of medical supplies what would be readily available and the second is that it’s a place which you’re more likely to get hurt. While you want the essential items, you also would require other key items that you would normally find in a home such as scissors, safety pins and painkillers.

Hiking – In much the same way was camping, this is a scenario where you need those extra tools such as scissors in order to make applying first aid as easy as possible. With hiking first aid kit though, it’s one of those situations where you need emergency items if you get in danger, so having a light stick, a compass and a whistle sound be key to ensure that your injured hiker is rescued as soon as possible.

Boat – Just like if you’re out camping, if someone gets in trouble you could be a long way from anywhere that has medical supplies. More than most other situations, having a first aid kit is vital on a boat as you might be isolated and it also might be a long time until you can seek emergency medical help. On a boat you should have a large pack which contains everything a first aid kit has to offer.

Car – As much as we don’t like to admit it, a car is a dangerous place. There are also a number of different things that might have you stranded in your car too such as a bad accident or heavy weather. Having a first aid kit in your car can be very useful as it will always be close by to help you. There is also the option of having an auto escape tool which would be a lifesaver if you have a crash.

Other –There are plenty of other situations where having a first aid kit could be very important such as a  pool, school, party or event just to name a few. You need to think about where you are going to be and how safe it is. Once you know that then you’ll be in a better position to pick the right first aid kit for you.

Items List

Bandages – Obviously a key item when it comes to first aid kit are the bandages and you want to ensure that you are fully stocked at all times. There should be several different bandage sizes that it contains for different areas of your body to ensure that there are different types. Also they can be the first item to run out so you always want to make sure that they are replenished.

Pads – Another must have item when it comes to your first aid kits are pads which can be vital in treating large wounds and also wounds that are in difficult areas. Like with bandages, you want to make sure that you get a few in different sizes to ensure that you are covered and again, this is an item which can run out quickly so you always want to ensure that you’re stocked up.

Ointment – As most people are aware, with any cut comes the risk of infection and you need to have measures to protect yourself against it and a vital part of that is antibiotic ointment which will help to kill the bacteria in the wound. If you don’t have this to hand then you need to clean the wound as well as possible and seek urgent medical care. The ointment is a crucial part of keeping you safe.

Wipes – Wipes can play a dual role when it comes to a first aid kit as they are able to clean any small cuts and abrasions that you have on your skin and clear any debris. They also help to clean the area around a wound too which will help with the easy application of bandages and tabs. They can come in useful for a number of different reasons, so they are an important product to have.

Closure strips – Here we are getting into the more serious items in a first aid kit and one which becomes more important the further you get away from a medical center or your home where it becomes more crucial that you do first aid yourself instead of being able to rush off straight to a hospital. Closure strips are great to bind deeper cuts and allow them to stop bleeding and start to heal before you seek further help.

Cold pack – A cold pack is an item that can be crucial in enabling you to get help quickly but also in reducing pain too. Swelling can reduce mobility and make it harder to get help, a cold take will be able to increase this and speed up your recovery. It can also help to extend your trip as well. Without one the pain may be too great but after treatment and a rest, you could be good to go again.

Compass – Some people may be wondering what place a compass has in a first aid kit but this is one key survival item which can find its way into a lot of kits. They are so simple and small that they can easily be included and will help guide you to safety if you’re in an emergency and point you in the right direction if you’re in trouble and your technology has failed you.

Cotton tip applicator – Cotton tip applicators are one of those items that a lot of uses can be found for including the clearing out of your ears and also applying makeup too. Their main function in a first aid kit though is to clean out wounds and also to add ointment to the wound. These can be very important and will help to stop the bleeding too while you clean the rest of the wound.

CPR face mask – This is one of those products that you never wish to use and one that can be found in any first aid kit regardless of the type of trip that you are going on. You can, of course, give CPR without a face mask but this allows you to stay safe and hygienic while doing so. This is a useful item to have in any kit but isn’t going to be absolutely vital.

Emergency blanket – When talking about first aid items you can generally split them into two different categories of those specific for first aid and those which are required in a survival situation. An emergency blanket is of those items which will only be required when you are out of the office or home when you are in an emergency situation such as in hiking or being stuck in your car.

Tape – Tape is another one of those items that you would be able to find numerous uses for and is a helpful addition to any first aid kit, regardless of the situation that you are using it for. Of course, the main use for tape is going to be with the application of bandaged and pads to make sure that they are going to be staying tight to your skin at all times.

Glow stick – A glow stick is another item which is purely for a survival situation where you want to be spotted as soon as possible after an injury or an accident. This is only going to be applicable to those times when you are outdoors so it’s not something that you need to be concerned about for a home first aid kit. A glow stick will give you some vital light and let any rescue teams know where you are.

Tweezers – Tweezers are most commonly seen as a beauty product as a means to be able to pluck hair from your body. In a first aid situation though they can be used for other means of plucking which aren’t quite as nice, such as plucking out splinters that have embedded into your skin or plucking debris out of a would. There are plenty of other uses that you find for them too.

Gloves – If you’re in a situation when you need to use a first aid kit then it’s unlikely that you are in a situation where you can quickly wash and dry your hands before applying medical attention. Gloves mean that you can treat the wound without adding any bacteria to it. Using gloves not only protects the person getting the first aid but it also protects the person delivering it too.

Sewing kit – You hope that the only situation where you’ll be needing to get out a sewing kit from your bag is if some of your fabric is ripped. In reality, some wounds are so deep and wide that they need assistance before being closed up in the form of switches. This can often be crude and gruesome but sometimes it can be life-saving in order to close a cut and stop bleeding.

Scissors – You will find scissors in almost every first aid kit as they are just so useful. Their main function would be to cut bandages and pads to size so they can sit correctly on the body but there are also other uses too. One of these is having to cut off clothes if someone is seriously injured or if you needed to create a tourniquet. Scissors are a must for any first aid kit.

Escape tool – This is a tool which is going to be very specific to first aid kits that are going to be in your car as an escape tool has a dual purpose of being able to smash the windows of your car and also cut through your seatbelt if you are stuck. If you’re thinking about getting a first aid kit for your car, then this is a potentially life-saving item that you’d be able to stick in your glove compartment.

Safety pins – Safety pins are a great way to keep bandaged in place and everything in order. They are very simple to use and as their name implies, they are very safe as well so you know that you’ll be able to use them without fear of anyone being stabbed by the pin. Along with tape, they are a vital part of your first aid kit in order to keep everything together.

Whistle – A whistle is obviously another emergency item which will be able to make a very loud sound even if you’ve not got a lot of breath. A whistle will help to alert anyone in the larger vicinity that someone is in trouble and is a great way to get help very quickly. If you want a first aid kit for outdoors then it makes sense to get one with a whistle.

Poncho – An emergency poncho is something that is going to help keep you warm and dry when you are in a crisis. This belongs to the outdoor category of kit items but one which will come in very useful as either a means to keep you surviving for longer or it could simply come in useful should you ever find yourself in a storm.

Painkillers – A lot of these first aid kits come with three different types of painkillers that you can choose from which are going to help anyone when they are in need of first aid. If you’re at home then this may not be required as you will have your own. The three options that are available are often aspirin, non-aspirin and ibuprofen which not only offer different things but offer different pain relief if someone is unable to use one type of medicine.

Splints – Splints are essentially two pieces of hard material, often wood, which are bound together around something which is broken in order to restrict movement and keep it stable. While an ambulance may apply a split to arms or legs, this would be far too large for a first aid kit so the splits that they offer are for help with any broken or dislocated fingers or toes.

Burn cream – This is a product which is surprisingly missing from a lot of first aid kits as it’s one that would be very useful in a number of situations, especially if you are camping for working in anywhere where heat can apply.  If you’re going to be in a situation such as this, then having burn cream can be a very useful option to have in your first aid kit. It is absent from any kits though so it’s always important to check if this is something that you think you might need.

First aid guide – Finally, you may not know how to administer first aid or it could be that not everyone who could potentially use the product can use first aid. In this situation, having a basic first aid within the kit could provide vital information as might avoid the situation getting worse or even save a life. If everyone in the area isn’t trained in first aid, then this is important.

FAQs

Q: What A Normal First Aid Kit Contains?

A: We have clearly seen here that a first aid kit can contain a whole range of different items with the biggest among them containing hundreds of individual pieces. Some of these though won’t be crucial for all situations and there are some core products that you would want your basic first aid kit to include.

You need to do three key things for any found and that is to clean it, to treat it and then to protect it. The most obvious starting point is the cleaning of the wound so you need antiseptic wipes and/or pads to do that. Then it would need to be treated with ointment or cream and the kit also needs to include bandages and pads in order to protect the wound and there should be an array of these.

Other products which should be included in a standard first aid kit are painkillers, scissors, tape and cotton tip applicators. There are quite a few other tools which could be useful but these are the ones that it’s absolutely vital to have.

Q: Why Do I Need A First Aid Kit On My Trip?

A: This completely depends on what type of trip that you are going on. If you are going on a vacation to somewhere that has a ready supply of medical items then it’s not going to be as important. If you are going camping, for example, then having medical supplies are a must.

One great thing to do though is to have a first aid kit in both your house and your car. In this day of age, most people will be either close to their vehicles or their home at any given time so this will give you easy access to your kit. It could be, for example, you have driven to a local beach where an accident has happened. You could simply grab your kit from the car and treat them accordingly.

For many people, first aid kits are common sense items. It’s not expensive to get one and they could be critical in their use or simply allow you to carry on your trip with a bandage over your wound. A first aid kit could allow you to over a small wound or in the worst case scenario, it could end up being a lifesaver.

Q: Where Should I Keep My First Aid Kit?

A: Whether you are choosing one of these first aid kits or creating your own, your home should always have a first kit available and everyone should know exactly where it is at all times. Due to the contents, it’s best storing it in a cool, dry place and one of your kitchen cupboards would be ideal for that.

It’s also a great idea to store one in your car too. While this could technically be stored anywhere, having one sitting in your glove box would be a great idea due to accessibility. This, of course, depends on the size that you are getting but a lot of these products are made to fit inside the gloves boxes of most vehicles.

If you are hiking though, then size becomes even more important as you have to ensure that it can fit into your bag along with your other items. If you’re in a group, then it might be the best idea for one person to be given the responsibility of carrying the kit with other members taking on other gear if required.

We referred to it there with a first aid kit in a home but the same rules apply wherever you are. Everyone in your home/camp/group/office needs to know where the first aid kit is at all times. That way, in an emergency, there won’t be any delays in getting treatment.

Globo Surf Overview

First aid kits are a product which can be of the utmost importance. Most of the times you will be using one would be for minor cuts and scrapes but they can also be used for much more sinister injuries where it can hugely increase in importance.

Medical kits though can vary quite significantly in the products that they contain, so it’s important to get one that matches your situation. If you’re looking for a personal first aid kit inside your home then you wouldn’t need such items as a glow stick and a poncho, so getting a first aid kit with these items would be a waste of time and money.

On the flip side of that, if you were looking for a backpacking first aid kit then it’d need to include these items and others such as a whistle and a compass. You simply need to match up your first aid kit to the type of situation you’re in. Here we have explained the common places where a first kit is required and have also gone through the individual items to give you an idea of what you need in your first aid kit.

Hopefully this guide has given you all the information so that you now know exactly what you need in your first aid kits so you are able to compare the different products on the market before selecting the best first aid kit for you.

Once you have chosen your first aid kit then you will be able to have peace of mind knowing that if disaster strikes, you’ll be prepared, whether that is in your own home or a long camping trip.

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