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No one is immune to a nasty scrape |
So what does a"good" kit contain? Ah, that's a question answered differently by every book around. I once covered a weeklong wilderness medical conference (at a ski resort, of course) and even the docs couldn't agree. I've looked at dozens over the years and the single criticism I have of all is the paucity of bandages. A lot of them also increase the impressive list of contents but contain so few of each item (four Band-Aids, two Advil . . . ) that you're in trouble on a longer trip. If you carry nothing medical now and won't take the time to compile your own kit or compare before you purchase, just buy one, any one, add a half dozen 4 x 4's and a dozen of the stick-anywhere "adhesive bandages" (Band-Aids or a generic brand) in different sizes, put everything in a Ziploc inside a protective and brightly colored ripstop nylon bag, and haul it along. Always. At least it will be there to occupy your time while you're bleeding to death and wishing you'd read up on stopping arterial punctures before your ride.
My personal domestic first-aid kit (I add a couple items when on rides overseas) is composed of the items listed below. Remember that it does not include those things peculiar to your individual medical requirements.
- sunblock
- ibuprofen/aspirin
- butterfly closure bandages (think of these as"Band-Aid stitches")
- adhesive bandages (a dozen in various sizes)
- gauze compress pads (a half dozen 4 x 4's — that's inches, not feet)
- gauze Ace bandage (1 roll) or Spenco joint wrap
- water purification tablets (a backup for the water purifier I also pack)
- moleskin or Spenco Second Skin
- hydrogen peroxide/iodine/Mercurochrome/Neosporin (some kind of antiseptic)
- Vaseline or similar ointment
- snakebite kit
- tweezers
On overseas trips I add medications for gastrointestinal ailments and diarrhea, as well asBenadryl — an antihistamine to guard against allergic reactions.
Let me add a few final thoughts. First, if you're riding with a friend and you're determined to carry only one first-aid kit between you, have the rider not packing the kit carry a whistle that's easy to reach. You know why. Second, keep your cool. Your buddy's in a real bad way if you both go into shock at the sight of his or her blood. And third, if you're out there alone most of the time, as I am, know that your best chance for making it back is not to have a serious accident in the first place. If you don't want to be just a very interesting speed bump for someone pedaling by a week or two later, learn to ride the way I hope you drive — defensively.
Where are you going?
What do you want to do?
