Had a first aid kit in the storage compartment on the Boss, but someone didn't close it and it's on a trail in Oklahoma. Does anyone take a kit with them? If so, how big is it, and how do you carry it on your quad. I'm going to sell the Magnum, so I have to find a new way to carry one.

 

Most of the stuff in a commercially sold first aid kit never gets used. Yer better off to fill your own. I carry:
- A pressure bandage. Sometimes called a field dressing. A good size pad with stretchy wrap built on, for a big laceration. Excellent invention. Carried by soldiers in WW1. Tree fallers are required to carry one.
- A few band-aids
- Burn ointment. For sunburn or exhaust pipe burn. Must have at least 2% benzocaine or equivalent topical anesthetic or its just useless grease. If its burned enough to blister, don't use it.
- A bottle of water, sealed. Flushing wounds, eye flush (from the nose outward), cooling a burn, dehydration...
- Aluminized space blanket just in case somebodys hurt and you can't move them and they'll be there a while
- Triangular bandage. Arm sling, wrap, lots of uses
- Tweezers A few q-tips
- Roll of medical tape
- Super scissors
- Dental floss Ya ever had something stuck in ya teeth out in the middle of nowhere?

You can get as elaborate as you want but you'll probably pack a whole bunch of stuff around forever and never use it. These few items are what will do you for camping and utility excursions.

Glenlivet
Paramedic

 

All in all, a well rounded assortment. You are so right about the commercial kits. I carry pretty much the same as you, in addition I carry a few rolls of "cling", also called rolled guaze, a cpr face shield and a few tongue depressors. Hopefully we will never need any of it. Take care and be safe.

 

Thanks guys. One thing I didn't see on your list I carried was a small pack of travel kleenex. Not so much for kleenex, but if a bear does in the woods, I can too. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

Tissue hell, I pack a roll of blue paper shop towels. And yes, kling is good stuff to add to the first aid kit. A few sterile gauze's is good too. See that pack on the back of my machine? The whole country store in there. Flat kit with plug kit n' stuff, 12 V. air pump, poncho, winch tackle....on and on...And an emergency six pack of analgesic in a gel pack cooled little insulated bag. Sometimes on a ride you come upon a real good view that justifies an analgesic support. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img]

 

Honestly, I really don't take any first aid kit with me...On long rides or all day rides, I take a hanky (multipurposed uses...can be used to wrap a cut or something) duck tape (quick fixes on a quad..or to hold the hanky on a cut or something....also multi purposed) and super glue...great for cuts (just like liquid bandaid~better in my opinion..) but thats about it

 

I carry most of the stuff already listed plus: Sunblock, bee sting pain reliever, antibiotic ointment, acetominiphin, antacid, steril needle (sliver remover) and personal medications. If the outing is more than a day ride I add scalpel, suture kit, extra triangular bandages, hot and cold packs (squeeze to activate type) and a couple of large, tough garbage bags.

 

That's a good start. I carry all that and complete IV colloid and crystalloid infusion, 10 litres packed calls, entonox, morphine, 12 lead monitor, defibrillator, ventilator, 2 K. tanks O2, portable dialysis machine, bone saw, chest jack, all the major organs in the most common blood types packed in nitrogen gas, and an inflatable double walled positive pressure operating theater. Bring it on.