World’s Best First Aid Kit Review

by Jon Solberg, MD

Fellow, American College of Emergency Physicians

Fellow, Academy of Wilderness Medicine

The expedition medical kit is a seldom used and easily overlooked piece of equipment, its aquisition frequently postponed for “a good sale.” To illustrate this point, pull out your current wilderness medical kit, spread it open on the kitchen table, and inspect its contents. Now consider the following wilderness scenarios in a place with no access to 911.

• The camp stove explodes, leaving your friend with two severely burned hands.

• Your father develops crushing chest pain and has trouble breathing.

• While loading a handgun for some plinking fun, your friend accidently discharges a 9mm round into your leg, which is now bleeding profusely.

• Your son falls from your vehicle’s roof top tent and lands on a 1-inch-diameter mesquite branch, which is now impaled in his chest. His arm is also broken and his breathing is becoming increasingly labored.

As an emergency medicine physician, these are the scenarios I manage ever single day. I can personally assure you that these scenarios happen, in fact they are probably more likely to occur on your next wilderness outing than actually needing a winch, or an avalanche beacon, or a swiss army knife. If you travel to remote places for hunting, recreation, climbing, or camping, you simply must give serious thought to the quality and comprehensiveness of your wilderness medical kit.

First Aid Kit or Medical Kit

First aid kits are for rendering first aid: medical care to the victim of sudden illness or injury. Thus, a first aid kit is a collection of supplies assembled to address acute problems.

Do not confuse a first aid kit with a medical kit,

the latter of which is more comprehensive and often addresses the prophylaxis of environmentally unique diseases such as altitude sickness or malaria, and may include other items such as equipment for emergency water purification, immunization records, and spare prescriptions medications, or eyeglasses. These items are too specialized to be included in a generically fabricated first aid kit; however, a solid first aid kit can often serves as the foundation for a solid medical kit.

Subjective Scoring Based On Experience

When it comes to recommending a medical kit, there is really no quantifiable substitute for experience garnered while actually caring for injuries and illness. I have been an emergency medicine physician for ten years, a wilderness medicine consultant for seven, and have been recognized as Fellow in both the American College of Emergency Physicians and the Academy of Wilderness Medicine. For a second opinion I called upon friend and colleague Leonard Gruppo, PA, a respected emergency medicine Physician Assistant. We both trained for our professions in the United States Army. I exited the service as a Major, but Len retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 27 years of service, 14 of which were spent as a Green Beret in the Special Forces. I assure you that Len is the real deal. We have both practiced medicine at home, in the field, in war zones, in Africa, at roadside, tent side, mountainside, and most places in between. We firmly believe that no matter what your level of medical training, you owe it to yourself to carry a quality kit that packs well and alleviates suffering from sick-call type ailments (coughs and colds, allergies, upset stomachs), minor traumatic injuries (blisters, sprains, minor wounds), and true life-threatening emergencies.

For this review we considered more than 50 commercially available first aid kits, selected those that best fit the needs of overland expedition travelers, and examined them in detail. We opened every package, tried every bandage, splint, pair of scissors, elastic wrap, emergency blanket, and glow stick. We’ve been unbiased and are providing you with an honest assessment of every kit, pointing out strengths and weaknesses based on our own personal experience. Though some kits are intended to treat more people for more days, this characteristic was not evaluated. Several manufacturers offer multiple sizes, the selection of which is your responsibility.

With a little searching, you can find many other first aid kit reviews, but frequently the authors lack any professional experience or they simply remain unnamed. We’ve scanned these reviews and feel the so-called-winners are unworthy of providing the medical backup you deserve when traveling in medically unsupported environments. This review, in our opinion, is the most comprehensive backcountry first aid kit review to date, and we hope it empowers you to wisely choose a kit, customize it, and most importantly, not be afraid to use it when needed. After all, this may be the most important money you’ll ever spend on gear. Good luck!

A Note on Discount Kits

Discount retailers offer kits from companies like Coghlan’s and Coleman, camping industry giants. Many of these companies make gear for which there is no shame possessing—a campfire toaster for example. Sam’s Club also offers a variety of first aid supplies.

Discount kits came in a variety of sizes ranging from “pocket” to “expedition.” Packaging is dismal at best, and generally consists of poorly constructed nylon pouches or cheap plastic boxes. Few of these kits contain any medications useful during sick-call, but thankfully most kits contain ample room to throw in a few individually wrapped packets of pain relievers and antacids. They generally address minor trauma, and contain an assortment of adhesive bandages, moleskin for protecting blisters, and small gauze packets. These would likely be the supplies you’d want in your pack for an afternoon day hike or to keep in your glove box for the occasional skinned knuckle.

While box store offerings might suffice as hang-on-your-shop-wall kits, when it comes to ensuring the safety and well being of you and your group, you may want to steer clear of these offerings.

The Complete First Aid Kit, $39

Phoenix-Lazerus, Inc.

www.completefirstaid.net, 888-788-6684

The Complete First Aid Kit comes in a dustproof, hard plastic case. All ingredients are cleverly bundled by item into clearly marked playing-card-sized cardboard boxes and sealed in clear plastic, making each group of components separately waterproof until opened.

Wound care is addressed with its assortment of adhesive bandages, gauze packets, a small elastic bandage, and a paper triangular bandage that unfortunately ripped when I used it to fashion a sling for Len’s arm. Burn cream, antibiotic ointment, and a medium-duty cold compress round out its ability to treat minor injuries. The real bonus of this kit is the Save-a-Tooth, a small jar of solution that can preserve a knocked out tooth for up to 24 hours—compared with a tooth’s 60-minute life expectancy if otherwise left out of socket. This could save you thousands of dollars in bridgework or implants while you locate a dentist to re-implant the tooth. If your tooth does get knocked out, don’t scrub it or handle it by the root. Rinse it with drinking water, place it in Save-a-Tooth (that you’re now going to buy), and head for civilization.

Backpacker Extended, $59

Recreational equpment inc.

www.rei.com, 800-426-4840

*Value Award

**No longer available in 2019

REI has been making outdoor gear for decades and their attention to detail on the Backpacker series of first aid kits is apparent at first glance. They are clearly labeled as three people/two days, four people/five days, and six people/eight days. Though they are intended for the backpacker market, we felt the Extended version posed a solid building block for an expedition medical kit.

These kits are housed in durable but non-waterproof nylon bags and the contents are clearly labeled and organized into pockets. Each kit contained a small but usable 75-page first aid manual. Sick-call complaints are addressed with individually wrapped pain relievers, antacids, and allergy meds. The Extended version also contained an antidiarrheal.

Small wounds are addressed with a nice assortment of adhesive bandages and moleskin, and the hospital-grade medical tape, rolled gauze, and stretch elastic wrap (albeit only 2-inches wide) will allow for the temporary dressing of larger wounds. The Extended version also touted a syringe for irrigating wounds and an ingeniously packaged aluminum mesh splint that when molded to an extremity and wrapped with the elastic bandage, we found more than adequate for temporary stabilization of most fractures and serious sprains. The kits each contained tweezers and a quality scissors capable of cutting the Expedition’s metal splint (to fashion a finger-splint).

With a few customizations, the Extended kit is one that would actually make a fine start to an expedition medical kit, and it surely would not evoke feelings of shame if used publicly to deal with a minor emergency. It provides sick-call coverage, good supplies for basic wound management, a useful first aid manual, and a malleable splint for orthopedic injuries. Leave the smaller two for your daypack but put the Extended in your vehicle.

Pros:

• All kits address sick-call complaints

• All contain quality tape, scissors, and tweezers

• The Expedition contains a malleable splint, wound irrigation syringe, and anti-diarrheal meds

Cons:

• Contents are not waterproof

• No advanced wound-care measures

• No life-saving interventions

ETA Trauma Kit Basic,$99

Imminent Threat Solutions

www.itstactical.com

ETA Trauma Kit Basic $99, $160 with Pouch

Every Day Carry (EDC) Trauma Kit $69

Boo Boo Kit $19, $44 with Slimline Pouch

The ETA Trauma Kit Basic contains life-saving supplies which are quick accessible with the yank of a red nylon loop. Included is an Israeli Bandage, military style elastic wrap capable of multiplying the compression forces applied to a bleeding wound. A hemostatic gauze (used to stuff into a profusely bleeding wound) and elastic bandage augment this capability. The pair of Halo Chest Seals are designed to adhere to sweaty, bloody, penetrating chest and abdominal wounds, and keep the innards inner and the outside out. You may as well shell out 10 dollars more for the Standard Version (as opposed to the Basic). It also contains a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA) and a large needle capable of decompressing a tension pneumothorax; both are life threatening trauma-associated conditions. In the former, the tongue of an unconscious patient falls backwards, occluding the airway; the NPA allows a conduit for air to bypass this obstruction. After a penetrating chest injury or rib fracture, air can enter the space between the lung and chest wall, preventing the lung from expanding and ultimately leading to a hasty death. The needle is used to relieve this pressure.

The EDC Trauma Kit is a wallet-sized nylon pouch containing a folded strip of combat gauze, nitrile gloves, and SWAT-T tourniquet. This kit only addresses hemorrhage from an extremity wound. The Boo Boo Kit is a wallet-sized answer to sick-call complaints: pain relievers, fever reducers, rehydration salts, allergy medication, and aspirin. It houses a high-quality triangular bandage useful for splinting and fashioning slings, moleskin, lip balm, adhesive bandages, antibiotic ointment, Burn Jel, and 3M brand Steri-Strips, which are often as good as sutures for small lacerations.

The ETA and EDC Trauma Kits require no special training beyond watching a YouTube video and reading the instructions. Splurge for the ETA Trauma Kit Standard and toss in a malleable splint for fractures and sprains, then issue every group member a Boo Boo kit, and your group is pretty much covered.

Pros:

• High quality pouches

• Life-saving contents

• Cleverly packaged

Cons:

• No diagnostic instruments

• No splint

• Practical Trauma

Practical Trauma

www.practicaltrauma.com, 800-587-2313

First Responder $99

Trauma Kit $169

Practical Trauma caters specifically to EMS personnel and law enforcement. For years, my personal kit has been a customized EMT bag exactly like the two reviewed here. They are designed for quick access to bulk supplies, rather than compactness and being weatherproof, and make a good starting point for your own kit.

The kits are stocked with brand named supplies and because they’re not designed for the backpack, also contain protective eyewear, gloves aplenty, a trauma scissors, and sterile wound irrigation solution. These kits both include enough gauze to facilitate multiple wound inspections and dressings during a multi-day trip to definitive wound care.

Orthopedic injuries are addressed with muslin fabric triangular bandages, useful for supporting upper extremity injuries and fashioning tourniquets and home made splints. Wooden tongue depressors can be employed as finger splits and to facilitate inspection of oral injuries. Here’s another trick: tape two of them together side by side at the mid-shaft, then spread apart one end to make a nifty nasal clamp for a bloody nose which just won’t stop bleeding,

Both kits also contain oral airways, finger sized devices that slip into the mouth and around the tongue of an unconscious victim, keeping the airway open. Oral airways do require the victim be completely unconscious or they will induce gagging. These kits stand out by including a stethoscope and blood pressure cuff, valuable additions on more prolonged expeditions to extreme environments where daily monitoring of vital signs would be useful. The difference between these two products is that the Trauma Kit contains more of what’s in the smaller kit plus a C-collar capable of stabilizing cervical spine injuries.

Inclusion of these kits in your rig would require some modification. If you’re the EMT type and like these bags, include some basic sick call remedies, a malleable splint and larger elastic bandage, moleskin for blisters, and something to stop massive hemorrhage and you’d have the fixins’ of a very worthy kit, capable of supporting multiple people on an extended vehicular excursion.

Pros:

• Contents familiar to EMS personnel

• Hospital grade components

• Blood pressure cuff and stethoscope

Cons:

• No medications to address sick-call

• Large flaps easily let in dust and water

• Bulky and inefficiently packaged

Adventure Medical Kits

Mountain Series Fundamentals $110

Mountain Series Comprehensive $200

www.adventuremedicalkits.com, 800-324-3517

Adventure Medical Kits (AMK) are sold in nearly every outdoor store in the country. They have a reputation for quality first aid kits designed for specific activities, which makes recommending just one of their kits impossible. Reviewed here are their Mountain Series kits in the Fundamentals and slightly larger Comprehensive sizes, both of which are designed for larger groups on longer outings. They have quality bags with water-resistant zippers and an organizational scheme that makes finding a particular component effortless. Need to address a wound? Open the Wound Pouch and out comes a well-written card detailing how to do it. Does a member of your team have a fracture or sprain? Open the correlating pouch, pull out the instruction card, and do what it says. These kits also contain Wilderness & Travel Medicine, the most complete manual of any kit in this review.

Each kit contains a host of medications for sick-call style complaints, and a pouch with tools like a thermometer, scissors, and tweezers. They also come with a worthy elastic wrap and malleable splint for stabilizing fractures and sprains. The larger Comprehensive Kit contains more of the same basic supplies included in the Fundamentals, plus glucose paste for the over zealous insulin injector, and some dental cement for temporarily replacing a dislodged crown or filling.

The medical manual and instruction cards make these kits an excellent choice for a non-medically trained guide who needs guidance when caring for an injured client. However, advanced practitioners should ditch these aids in favor of some additional life-saving supplies; perhaps adding a component or two from ITS Tactical’s lineup. I have owned other smaller Adventure Medical Kits and they are very good, designed to do exactly what they’re advertised to do. If you’re going to buy one, be sure to select the one designed for your specific group size and needs. You will not be disappointed.

Pros:

• Available for different group’s sizes and needs

• Easily identifiable pouches

• Excellent manual and information cards

• High-quality bags

Cons:

• Little to address life-threatening trauma

Remote Medical International

First Aid Kit ($195)

Remote First Aid Kit ($550)

Editor’s Choice

www.remotemedical.com, 800-597-4911

Remote Medical International (RMI) is a Seattle based company that works internationally to provide customers with medical support services in remote environments. Their kits range in size and scope from small aid bags to large pelican cases containing equipment rivaled by some hospital intensive care units.

The First Aid Kit has a quality bag designed by Granite Gear, and it would easily store under the driver’s seat. It zips open to reveal contents suitable to handle the first 10 minutes of any emergency. It contains ibuprofen and Tylenol for pain relief, personal protective equipment like a gown, gloves, and mask, and several conveniently vacuum-packed “procedure packs” which address wound closure and life-threatening hemorrhage. The kit also contains a thermometer, forceps, high-quality athletic tape, and some large elastic bandages to provide basic support for minimal orthopedic injuries.

The Remote First Aid Kit is the most complete in this review, which is reflected by its hefty price tag. Contents are also vacuum packed and held in place with elastic cords. It contains the most comprehensive assortment of products to address basic sick-call needs: pain relievers, medications for coughs, colds, and allergies, antacids and antidiarrheals, and ani-emetics (anti-nausea). It also includes anti-fungal and anti-itch cream, electrolyte replacement tablets, eye drops, sunscreen, lip balm, and as a nice personal touch, fiber supplements for constipation and a handful of tampons and condoms. This kit contains equipment that will help you close a wound in hospital fashion, firmly splint an orthopedic injury, as well as control life-threatening hemorrhage and penetrating chest wounds. The tools are also top notch: a Petzyl micro headlamp, pulse oximeter for measuring oxygen saturation and heart rate, thermometer, full-sized hypothermia wrap, and a mini-trauma shear.

There is truly $550 worth of good stuff inside, and you would be hard pressed to assemble it yourself in such a convenient package for a better price. In the unfortunate event that a friend or I become injured, RMI’s Remote First Aid Kit is the one I want in my vehicle.

Pros:

• Excellent sick-call coverage

• Temporarily treats nearly all life-threatening injuries

• Excellent instruments and diagnostic capabilities

Cons:

• Cost

• No Manual

Summary

It’s difficult for us to pick the best first aid kit for you because we don’t know where you’ll be going, how many are in your group, and how long you’ll be gone. If you’ll be gone for any length of time, the odds are good that someone in your group will require medical attention. Save the big box kits for your fanny pack or a drawer in your home shop. By having a proper kit in your rig, you’ll be ready to alleviate pain and suffering while standing vigilantly ready to step in and save a life if needed.

The Complete First Aid Kit is dust and waterproof until opened, and it provides basic coverage for minor cuts and scrapes. What it gains by the addition of the Save-A-Tooth it lacks in its absence of sick-call remedies and treatment for serious injuries. Leave this kit in your minivan but buy the Save-A-Tooth to add to your medical kit.

REI’s Backpacker first aid kits are high quality but shouldn’t be expected to provide medical care for anything more than a backpacking trip. To its credit, the Extended version pays decent attention to sick-call complaints and contains a splint for stabilizing fractures and serious sprains. At $55, this kit wins our Value Award. Take the money you’ve saved and use it to add some life-saving gear from ITS.

ITS Tactial gear is life saving and its contents have been proven on the battlefield. While your next expedition may not join a convoy through a war zone, overlanders may be subject to motor vehicle accidents, recovery operations gone awry, and accidental trauma from firearms. Adding ITS gear to your rig will make it standout as being prepared for anything.

Practical Trauma’s kits are carried by professional EMS responders and are a solid starting point for addressing motor vehicle accidents in the backcountry. They have some serious short-comings which require ingenuity to address, namely their lack of attention to sick call complaints and life threatening hemorrhage. However, if you don’t want a cookie-cutter first aid kit and prefer instead to add bits and pieces of your own gear, then I’m sure an EMS style bag from Practical Trauma will serve you and your traveling companions as well as mine has.

Adventure Medical Kits likely makes a kit to suit your needs, regardless of the destination or length of the trip. They excel at keeping contents clearly labeled and readily accessible, and provide coverage for basic wound care and sick-call. However, they do lack in their ability to care for life-threatening trauma. Its instruction cards are impressive, and the included Wilderness & Travel Medicinebook should be required campfire reading material for everyone. For those who don’t have extensive medical background, these kits would be an excellent choice.

Remote Medical International has excelled in this review and won the Editor’s Choice by delivering exceptionally outfitted kits designed to alleviate suffering and save lives. The Remote Frist Aid Kit contains a small pharmacy, and despite what pharmaceutical companies report on the box, most medications have a very, very long shelf life—as do the durable goods included in these kits. Len and I have both used Halo Chest Seals, tourniquets, Israeli bandages, and combat gauze, and while we hope you never encounter a situation that calls for them, we can personally attest to their life-saving properties. Life in the emergency department can be fast paced, but I wish I had a nickel for every time someone waited five hours to see me, only to be sent home with the same over-the-counter remedies included in this kit (plus an ER bill for $550). This alone makes the RMI Remote First Aid Kit a reasonable runner up for the Value Award too.

When considering how and what to include in your personal medical kit, approach the decision as though you’re purchasing a pice of life-saving gear. It can be stashed in your commuter car, stowed in your bug-out rig, or carried in your backpack. You may forget it’s there, but when needed, it may allow you to patch up your kid so he can finish his soccer game, or protect you from a dangerously transmittable disease while assisting an injured person at the park. For less than the cost of a single visit to the emergency department, you can purchase or fashion yourself a kit that will both have your back and bring your back.

Doctor’s orders!