How to make a first aid kit for camping

The contemporary pace of life brings chronic fatigue, stress, lack of time and excess information. The technological benefits have allowed you to respond faster and better in complex situations, as well as perform many activities simultaneously. In contrast, they also make you forget about the beauty of simplicity and enjoying the moment, which is exactly what camping can offer you.

Camping as a recreational activity became fashionable during the twentieth century, and the production of camping equipment has advanced a great deal to this day. With good camping gear, which is lighter and more usable than before, it is possible to camp everywhere. Shorter or longer periods, camping in winter or summer, alone or in a larger company, is a matter of personal choice.

You probably also .know that the indispensable elements of camping are a tent, sleeping bag, pad, raincoat, flashlight, knife, ax, and more.

The things you will take will depend on the time you plan to spend, the time and the means of transport to reach the intended place.

But, there is one piece of equipment you will always need, no matter, what. You should always have is the first aid kit for camping.

Can I use a standard first aid kit for camping?

Ready-made ambulance kits are heavy and packed with unnecessary trifles, and often do not contain what you need for camping. You can put together a cheaper, waterproof personal medical kit that covers everything – camping, hiking, biking, running, kayaking, off-road, hunting and fishing – which is lighter, more compact, and better equipped.

After all, standard first aid kits contain plenty of tape, gauze, and band-aids. However, when camping, you need extra products to treat insect bites, fire burns, and more.

Below, read more about how to make a first aid kit for camping.

The carrying case

The first aid kit carrying case should be large enough to have adequate supplies for everyone present, but also lightweight and portable. While some use their backpacks/bags or cardboard boxes as first aid kits, camping will require a waterproof container that closes. Look for materials like plastics, metals, and tin. Some cloth, treated with a waterproof spray, could also work.

The medicine to bring

Be sure to pack ibuprofen, aspirin, paracetamol, and any fast-response allergy medicine necessary for you. You will likely encounter allergens like poison ivy while out camping.

The medicine box should have a separate compartment for each medicine, and it should close tightly so that it does not open. On each medication section, affix a sticker to which to write when the medication expires, and before each trip, make sure that their expiry date has not passed. If so, replace them.

Aspirin and ibuprofen are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that relieve inflammation throughout the body. Good for a sprained article, a pinched nerve on the spine, and all types of camping related injuries.

For the treatment of allergic reactions, diphenhydramine is a common choice, but it has serious side effects, so you could take loratadine instead. Cortisol is good for insect bites or bites, and any antacid is good for relieving gastritis. Bring an anti-fungal cream, even if you don’t think you need it.

If medicines are essential, such as for diabetes or heart problems, have them carried by two different people, or be in two different places.

Injury equipment

Pack two compression bends, 5 and 7.5 centimeters wide, with a Velcro strap at the ends. Also, bring a stretch bandage that is self-adhesive and can be torn off by hand. Also include a collection of individual packs of sterile gauze and three ribbons — strips of non-stretchable fabric — that are good for many uses, from stopping bleeding to immobilizing your arm.

Bandages, adhesive tape, and patches are good for preventing blisters or covering up any before occurring ones, and the patch can also serve to immobilize an injured wrist or ankle. Instead of a large coil of bandages, glue a little patch onto greasy paper and use it. Skip the weak medical patch, and use surgical, transparent, and waterproof to strengthen blister protection. Pack all these in a waterproof bag.

Also, add a pair of nitrile gloves. Blunt tip scissors are also desirable, as you do not want your knife to slip and cause another additional injury.

Special needs (If applicable)

If you, or someone in your party, is diabetic, then you should take a tube of instant glucose. Squeezed inside someone’s lower lip, a serving of glucose can bring that person back to consciousness from hypoglycemia. It’s quite light and it’s cheap. Dental wax is used to harden the broken tooth and covers the exposed nerves, which in the fresh air can be incredibly painful. Preferably, the painkiller that is rubbed, repairs less serious tooth injuries.

Emergency interventions

If you have an allergy severe enough to have your epinephrine injection pen, then keep it in your pocket and make sure everyone on your team knows where it is. Symptoms of anaphylactic shock may occur within seconds of exposure to the allergen.

Special situations

If you are hiking at altitudes above 3000 meters, and you do not usually live that high, take acetazolamide tablets. Your body is not accustomed to breathing in such thin air, so you will be more prone to altitude sickness until your body adjusts. Acetazolamide speeds up the breathing rhythm to help the body adapt faster.

In extreme cold or a constantly humid environment, a pair of hand warmers prevent frostbite. Toe warmers are also helpful. Similarly, pack a pair of tweezers in another bag to remove debris and ticks from your skin.

Bring face and lip protection cream with a high protection factor. An effective insect repellent, one you already use, is also a must. It is preferable to use a lotion-like agent that is rubbed into the skin.

Wrap up

Before each camping trip, inspect your supplies and medicines to make sure everything is in good condition and that no deadline has expired. Sterile packaging, if kept dry, can last a very long time, but sticky things lose efficiency over time.

Camping in nature is undoubtedly the ideal way to get to know nature, the environment, but also yourself. This kind of vacation shifts the boundaries in every sense, so if you want to gain experience, learn and see something new and different, if you want to create memories to remember, opt for camping in nature.

But, make sure to prepare by bringing a first aid kit!

See you at the campsite!

Sean's an avid camper, kayaker, and RVer. He loves spending time finding new trails and campsites to take his family and friends.