Camping is a past time that is enjoyed by millions of people around the world each year. If you’re reading this, then you are likely one of those people who need to sperate themselves from the busy day of the hustle and bustle. You need the quiet and adventure only mother nature can provide. But, are you always prepared for the adventure ahead?

Many avid outdoor enthusiasts believe they bring everything they need for a great weekend away from the city. But in fact, many forget one of the most important pieces of gear.

That is a camping first aid kit.  

A camping first aid kit is often overlooked as you are most likely trying to remember to pack basic gear such as your tent and sleeping bag. By the time, you get every other piece of gear packed, you forget about the first aid kit. But, a first aid kit is quite important as it could help avoid serious injury. When looking at being prepared and having a camping first aid kit put together for your next adventure, there are a few medical essentials you want to ensure you have with you. 

The Essentials to Keep You Prepared

When you are looking to make the best first aid kit for camping to keep you prepared on your next camping trip. You do not need to pack everything and anything as that will take up a lot of room that you already do not have. You will want to make a list of the most important pieces of medical gear that will help you out in the woods. The point of this kit is to help you temporarily treat an injury until you can get to a hospital for professional help. Below, we have fifteen pieces of medical gear that will have you prepared if anything was to happen.

Bandages & Bandaids

Bandages should be on the top of your list. Why you may ask? Bandages can be used for a number of uses, they provide compression and protection if you experience an injury. It does not matter if you experience an abrasion, burn, bite, or sting. A bandage can ensure that your injury will not get infected and will be protected from outside bacteria. Without one, it does not matter how well you treat your injury, there is a chance that it can get infected.

Gauze (Pads or Rolls)

Gauze should also make the cut into your camping first aid kit. Your next defense against incisions and excessive bleeding is gauze. Gauze will help stop bleeding to ensure you do not lose a lot of blood if you find yourself in a bad accident. This is important as you will be away from modern society, so gauze will help to buy you some time until you can make it to a hospital. Gauze can be bought in pads for quick applications or rolls. 

Pain Medications

Whiskey may make its way onto your camping trip, but unfortunately, it will not work as a good pain reliever. You will want to ensure you have some pain medication on hand in your kit. You can buy pain medication such as Advil, ibuprofen, or any generic pain medication in large and small containers. It is recommended to pack the smaller containers to save you room in your first aid kit. This will help you by temporarily relieving the pain until you can make it to professional help.  

Medical Tape

Another essential piece of gear that has a variety of uses is medical tape. Medical tape can not only ensure that your bandages or splint it secure. But it also can act as temporary stitches, if you experience a deep abrasion. For a deep cut, you can use the medical tape to tape the abrasion closed to stop the bleeding until you can get to the hospital. Medical tape is also quite compact and let’s be serious tape is always good to have on hand. 

Splint

A splint is an important piece of medical gear that is overlooked. It is often overlooked due to its size. But if you can make room in your first aid kit, you will not regret it. One of the most common injuries that can occur while camping is a sprain. If you are quite a long way from society, a splint will help you make your way back to a populated area where you can get help. Without a sprain, you will have to get your Mcgyver hat one and create one, which you may not be in the mood for after a sprain. 

Antibiotic Creams

If you experience a burn, sting, or abrasion you will want to have anti-biotic cream on hand. These creams which you can get for your first aid kit from a variety of brands will help disinfect an injury. These inexpensive creams can be a great investment. They could save your abrasion, burn, or sting from getting infected and avoid further injury down the road. 

Afterbite/Mosquito Spray

When headed into the woods for a weekend away, you should always remember to bring some sort of protection against bugs in the area. The reason you want to protect yourself from bugs is to avoid illness and irritation. Afterbite will help to give you some relief after you have experienced a bite while camping. A bug spray will give you a line of defense against pesky mosquitos which can spread illness. 

 

Whistle

You may be wondering, why a whistle? The answer is that at first glance it may not seem to have any medical benefits. But will come in handy if you find yourself unable to move and need to get other campers’ attention. A whistle can also come in handy if you are camping in bear territory as it will help you to scare off the bear and avoid an encounter.  

Flashlight(s)

A flashlight is similar to a whistle as it has no medical benefits but it’s a necessity if an emergency were to occur. You will want a flashlight as part of your first aid kit as it will provide you with an emergency light source. This will come in handy if you get into an emergency during the night and need to see clearly.   

Emergency Blanket

An emergency blanket will prove useful if you find that you or a friend has been injured and you will be spending the night. The purpose of an emergency blanket is to keep you warm during cold evenings. If you are injured and are not able to move, the last thing you want to be doing is battling the cold that the night brings.   

Pocket Mirror

A pocket mirror may seem like a useless essential to pack in your first aid kit. The fact of the matter is, what happens if you experience an abrasion, sting, or bite you can not see. A mirror will come effective as you will be able to see the injury from another angle and treat it as best you can.

The other reason a mirror is good to have as part of your medical gear is for its reflective properties. If you are in an area where you are trying to get another camper’s attention, you can use a mirror to reflect the light from the sun.

Vegetation Guide for the Area

A great idea if you have extra room in your first aid kit is to keep a small pocketbook of local vegetation. This way you will know how to identify poisonous and edible vegetation in the area. This will come in handy as if you need to stay energized, you will avoid further injury and can gain sustenance from local plants. 

Scissors

One essential you want to make sure you check off your camping first aid kit checklist is a pair of scissors. The reason you want a pair of scissors as part of your kit is that they have multiple uses while in the woods. The main situation they will come in handy is if you need to cut off clothing to tend to an injury. They are also useful as they can be used to construct a shelter or cut rope if you need to build an emergency shelter.      

Disposable Gloves

If you find yourself in an emergency situation and need to compress a wound or treat a fellow camper, you will want protection. A couple of pairs of disposable gloves will come in handy as it will allow you to treat yourself or a friend without contaminating yourself. This item is essential if you find yourself in any medical situation while camping. 

First Aid Manual

The last item that you want to check off your first aid kit checklist is a first aid guide. If you have room than this guide can come in handy as it will cover all the emergency situations you may find yourself in. This also comes in handy if you are with friends that may not know what to do in an emergency situation. It could be the difference between life and death in some situations.

Be Prepared With Your Camping First Aid Kid

When you are going camping this season, make sure that you bring a first aid kit with you. Your first priority will be to pack all your basic gear such as your camping chairs and tent. But make sure you make your first aid kit a priority, as you never know what situations you could run into. No matter how you slice it, a first aid kit and the essentials that make up that kit could be a lifesaver one day. Enjoy your adventures and stay safe!