Riding packless - what small/compact first aid kit?

Make your own up. What are you most likely to need?
I keep the St Johns First Aid app on my phone, a quick flick through that will give you some ideas. Failing that you can forage for plant fibres to suture, a gel packet and some electrical tape will seal a sucking chest wound... 🙂

Honestly - if it doesn't need an ambulance just ride home and fix it then. If it does need an ambulance nothing you can fit in a bumbag except maybe a torniquet some celox and a chest seal are going to save your life.

Superglue and gaffa tape.

Israeli Bandage Battle Dressing First Aid Compression Bandage, 6 Inch https://amzn.eu/akr7kqZ

One of these and some paracetamol/ibuprofen?

The only thing I use out of my first aid kit is tablets (so far) and I keep meaning to order one - it could be all you ever need.

Asprin for heart attack?

Id second the aspirin.
Teeny tiny item which could make a massive difference to you (or someone you find).

Nothing. if it's mild enough so that a small collection of odds and sods you could fit in a wee pack will help, than it can wait until you get home, and if it's serious enough so that a small collection of odds and sods you could fit in a wee pack isn't helping, then it's a waste of time.

Better to learn what needs doing and how to use random things that might help you. (your tee-shirt can be a sling or temp bandage etc etc)

There is a small subset of injuries where a first aid kit can alter a ride ending injury to being able to continue

For day rides i rarely take anything tho and even for my corrent trip its only a few bits and pieces

Aspirin is a good call. Could save a life

Occlusive film dressings and sterstrips can turn a ride ending wound into being able to continue

Knowledge is the main thing you need tho

I've got:

Resuscitation mask / aid.
Aspirin.
Duck tape folded on itself.
One big dressing, folded.
Foil blanket.

Steristrips, bandage long enough to double as a sling and some wound coverings that you could hold in place with the bandage if you need it.

Agree with the comments about not needing much - I've only actually used a small dressing on a ride.

What I do get through are foil blankets - one or two a year, always with people I come across on road rides who have crashed and are waiting for an ambulance or someone to pick them up. They fit in a jersey pocket.

We also have a couple in the car

Foil blanket and some duck tape is all I’d take.

I got one of these in a bundle I bought a while ago. I’ve added some aspirin and some paracetamol along with a foil blanket.
In truth, I’ve never used it, but if you want to buy a pack it’s be a bad option. https://harrierrunfree.co.uk/products/mini-runner-first-aid-kit

I carry

-a small 10ml of antiseptic spray (after spraying some water over a cut to clean the crap out, I'd spray it with that) just to potentially save infection / needing ABX

-chlorphenamine and anthisan for stings / bites

-tick picker. never needed hopefully never will, decided to start carrying though due to reading about people having ticks - despite never seeing any in 30 years

-small rolled bandage

Tick picker is a good shout - I have a credit card sized one that fits nicely in a saddle pack. I also carry a foil blanket, some microfibre tape, a whistle, aspirin and paracetamol.

Asprin for heart attack?

Less need for it if you ride an Ebike 😉

tick picker

Ah, forgot to list that but it's always in my pack.  Little ****ers

You can sort ticks at home.

Disagree about the 'small subset of injuries' - stuff will clot quick enough that you can always just sack up and carry on or go home. The only subset of injuries you need to deal with on a one day short ride is the kind that could kill you before an ambulance or medical pro gets there. So a very bad bleed or hypothermia. Foil blankets easy to take you can bodge a torniquet so maybe just a compression bandage. More important is taking some bits to fix problems on your bike that will have you walking home rather than riding - a fibre spoke, tape, some zip ties etc.

If you have steristips and an occlusive dressing you can repair quite big cuts to the point you can continue. Same with occcusive dressings on gravel rash. Its only a small subset of injuries tho for sure. Done it a couple of times.

For a bike park or a trail centre?

Germoline - smear it on and wash when you get home

Tissues

Phone and a rider strong enough to get to where there is reception

Knowledge of where there is reception

I have a (slightly lapsed) first aid qualification and what that taught me was that there are grazes that could do with a bit of antiseptic before riding on and lots of other injuries where I need a professional. Know the difference, don’t make things worse.

I am mainly dealing with children though.

I run a first aid training company, yet my personal daily carry while riding is tiny

i carry.

1 triangular bandage
some steristrips
a Kilt/nappy pin
gaffa tape is wrapped around my frame.

thats it.

the kilt pin, consider supporting a broken limb, with a kilt pin its quite simple to turn most items of clothing into a support with a kilt pin.

Duct tape and a big dressing. And some gloves, all wrapped in cling film inside a tool bottle with multi tool and CO2. If it can’t be fixed with duct tape and a dressing then I’ll be surprised. If you really need it, you won’t be going further anyway.

A serious bleed will be an emergency and then It could just be pressure. Either way you’ll need 999 and your ride is over.

Mini
Why do you carry a triangular bandage what would you use it for

Hi,

i carry the triangular because it can be used as a support (limb if needed) a dressing (its clean) and in worst case for packing if there is a deep enough hole in anyone.

Modern Calico triangulars weight only a couple of grams and it takes up so little space i cant talk myself round into disguarding it (yet)

Ta

Duct tape and eye wash pods.

Knowledge is by far and away the most important thing to take. The fact that mini and TJ, who are pro's and know what they are doing, carry hardly anything speaks volumes.

I recommend everyone does a fist aid course or similar. Get the understanding of what needs to be done in particular situations, then most kit can be improvised.

Mini, why not run a STWers course?

I would happily run a certified 2 day outdoor first aid course for everyone, indeed i run such a course monthly but i cant post up a link to the courses on STW as it contravenes the no commercial posts rules for the forum.

Mini

Honestly – if it doesn’t need an ambulance just ride home and fix it then.

This is apt timing. I've just smashed my chin up on an early ride this morning, top of the hill (Burma road), blood pissing out. Maybe the first time I've used my first aid kit in anger, and I'm incredibly glad I had it. So right now, I very much disagree with this statement and will carry one with me every time from now on.

slightly off topic, but if you are riding packless, look at getting a Sawyer Mini Filter.

i carry one, fresh cold water from streams.

and far far lighter than bottled water.

My emergency kit for everything - on bike or on foot, solo or with company (incl my kids), short ones, day trips and over nighters

Find it easier to have one small bag to just drop into what I'm using. I do a fair bit of bikepacking and this is used for that too

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dyna-ti
Free Member
Asprin for heart attack?

Less need for it if you ride an Ebike 😉

Probably the complete opposite given the demographic 😉

Thanks all - replies appreciated.
Just to clarify I am first aid qualified (have been for over 10 years).
Just interested to see what others carry.
I've only used my kit on myself once, every other time has been for someone else - not necessarily another rider either.