Build the kit around the injuries that actually happen: blisters, cuts, sprains, burns, and insect bites. A 1.5 lb kit covering those five, packed for the group size, handles about 90% of what a camping trip produces. Trauma kits, splints, and tourniquets belong in a separate kit only if someone in the group is trained to use them — a tool nobody can apply is weight without capability.
What goes in, and how many
| Item | Per person | Group of 4 | Why that quantity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adhesive bandages (assorted) | 6 | 20 | Blisters and small cuts are the most common injury |
| Sterile gauze pads (3 in) | 2 | 8 | Pressure dressing for a larger cut |
| Medical tape (1 in roll) | 1 | 2 | Holds gauze, secures a sprain wrap |
| Elastic bandage (3 in) | — | 1 | Sprains and compression |
| Antiseptic wipes | 4 | 12 | Clean before covering |
| Blister dressing (hydrocolloid) | 2 | 6 | The item most often missing |
| Nitrile gloves | 2 pairs | 4 pairs | Protects you, not the patient |
| Tweezers + tick remover | 1 | 1 | Ticks and splinters |
| Painkiller (ibuprofen/paracetamol) | 4 doses | 12 doses | Pain and inflammation |
| Antihistamine | 2 doses | 6 doses | Bites, stings, mild allergy |
| Burn gel or dressing | 1 | 2 | Stove and fire burns |
| Emergency blanket | 1 | 2 | Shock and hypothermia |
| Small scissors | — | 1 | Cutting tape and clothing |
A solo kit weighs about 10 oz; a four-person kit about 1.5 lb. Anything past that is a trauma kit, not a first aid kit.
Quantity scales with people, not with days
A three-day trip does not need three times the bandages; it needs the same kit plus a resupply plan. Double the consumables (bandages, wipes, painkiller) for a group of six or more, and add one elastic bandage per four people. The tools — scissors, tweezers, tick remover — stay at one per kit.
Expiry: replace on a schedule, not on inspection
| Item | Replace every | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Adhesive bandages | 2–3 years | Adhesive dries out; they stop sticking before they look old |
| Sterile gauze | 5 years if the seal is intact | Once opened, use it or discard it |
| Antiseptic wipes | 2 years | Alcohol evaporates |
| Painkiller / antihistamine | Check the box date | Usually 2–3 years; do not repackage without the date |
| Burn gel | 2 years | Check for separation |
| Gloves | 3 years | Latex-free degrades in heat |
| Emergency blanket | Indefinite if unopened | Replace once creased and torn |
Write the replacement month on the outside of the pouch and re-check it every spring. A kit that has been in a hot car for two summers has usually lost its adhesive and its wipes.
Training level decides what the kit contains
| Training | Add to the kit | Do not add |
|---|---|---|
| None | Bandages, gauze, tape, wipes, blister dressing, painkiller | Tourniquet, airway, splint, suture |
| Basic first aid / CPR | Elastic bandage, burn dressing, antihistamine | IV, medication beyond OTC |
| Wilderness first aid (WFA) | Splint, SAM splint, wound irrigation, epinephrine if prescribed | Surgical instruments |
| WFR / paramedic | Trauma dressing, tourniquet, airway adjuncts | Anything outside your scope of practice |
The most useful upgrade is not more gear; it is a 16-hour wilderness first aid course. It costs about $200 and changes what you can do with the kit you already own.
Weight and price by tier
| Tier | Weight | Price | Contents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ultralight (solo) | 6–10 oz | $20–35 | Bandages, gauze, tape, blister dressing, painkiller |
| Standard (2–4 people) | 1.2–1.8 lb | $35–70 | Full table above, pouch with dividers |
| Group / basecamp | 2.5–4 lb | $80–150 | Plus splint, irrigation, extra consumables |
| Trauma add-on | 0.5–1 lb | $60–120 | Tourniquet, hemostatic gauze — only with training |
Buy a soft pouch with clear dividers, not a hard box: it compresses into a pack and you can see what is missing at a glance.
Packing and checking
- Keep the kit in one pouch, in the same place, every trip.
- Put it where you can reach it without unpacking — top of the pack or the car’s glovebox.
- After each trip, replace what you used and note what you never touched.
- Once a year, open it fully: check dates, adhesive, and that the scissors still cut.
Where to go next
This kit covers treatment; the decisions around an injury are in the safety and survival guide, including evacuation thresholds and signalling. For ticks specifically, the tick removal guide covers removal technique and symptoms, and the lost-in-the-wilderness guide covers the stay-or-move decision.
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