(Part 2) Best gauze & pads according to redditors

Hey everyone, I cringe when I see the cost vs contents of most first aid kits on the market. Too much unnecessary stuff and only the highest priced kits have clotting powder, which I’ve used on the trail for controlling bleeding with large abrasions and deep or tangential lacerations. I put together my suggestions, with an eye toward maximizing usefulness and minimizing per unit cost. IMO this is superior to most kits costing 2-3x more. Light enough for the discernible backpacker, but makes a great gift for family and friends to throw in the car pocket, the boat, ATV, or carry along to kids sporting events. Feel free to add, subtract or substitute to customize your own.

Ever-Ready First Aid Adhesives, assorted sizes, 280ct $6.95 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0179S0IAW
Self explanatory, enough for 2-3 of each size per DIY kit.

Vakly Stretch Gauze: 12 pk 4” x 4yds $7.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MTQFPA6
1 pk per kit and 4 left over for the home medicine cabinet.

McKesson individually wrapped sterile gauze pads: 50ct $5.17 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002C5P9J8
6 per kit, throw them in a ziploc baggie to protect against moisture.

Woundseal clotting powder: 20 pkts $28.06 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008RUJXR6
Remember that compression alone, when done properly, effectively controls most bleeding. But when a member of your group is on aspirin or other blood thinners, or sustains a nasty cut that won’t stop bleeding, this stuff is awesome.

3M Duct tape: 1.88in x 30yds $3.89 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013B1XHE
Countless uses for the backpacker / camper, from tourniquet, fracture splinting, reinforcement of wound dressings, fashioning a moleskin barrier for blisters, not to mention tent, pack or sleeping bag repair. Grab a few extra straws from your local fast food joint, trim them to 2 inches, then roll up 4 to 6ft lengths of duct tape around the straw. The straw in the middle doubles as a pocket billows for fire starting.

Rensow white petroleum jelly 5gms, 144 pkts: $24.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KAGT85M
Lip balm, burn treatment, also apply to rashes, blisters and abrasions to keep gauze from adhering. Doubles as an excellent fire accelerant for bushcrafting. I squeeze some on a cotton ball to use with my tender for catching a spark.

Kirkland anti-diarrheal (loperamide) tablets: 400ct $9.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EXPY004
Put 12 per kit and keep the rest for that week-old lasagna that you should have thrown out.

Ibuprofen 200mg tabs: 2x500ct $3.93 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P1NJAJS
Put at least 40 per kit as this is likely to be the first supply used.

Diphenhydramine capsules 25mg, 100ct : $4.99 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00080CKDW
Useful for allergies, insect stings, contact dermatitis, and doubles as a sleep aid for those restless nights in the hammock. 12 per kit should do.

Triple antibiotic ointment 0.5oz 144 pkts: $12.18 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H2T9K3K
6 to 8 per kit should do, and keep the rest for replen.

Ziplock snack bags, 40ct (for storing meds): $2.73 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00U9ZFFCY
Please clearly label each baggie using an indelible marker with name of med, adult dose and expiration date. Pediatric dose optional. Individual “gas station” packets are much more expensive but if routinely carried in vehicle this may be a consideration (law enforcement doesn’t like unlabeled pills floating around in baggies).

First Aid Bags (empty), Alazco, 8 bags $32.82 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0182MQ4MU
Highly optional but nice for making your kit look pretty if you’re giving these away as gifts. I double wrap mine in gallon ziploc bags for moisture control.

A printable first aid primer: https://s3.amazonaws.com/yohsresourcelibrary/First+Aid+Quick+Guide.pdf
Certainly not a comprehensive guide, but has some key information like helpful reminders on how to properly perform CPR on kiddos and babies 👶.

Maxpedition individual first aid pouch


zipper pocket:

• safety pins<br />

• Nitrile gloves
  
• Ziplock bag:
  
• bacitracin
  
• alcohol wipes
  
• Band-Aids (several sizes/types)
  
• Steri-strips
  
• Moleskin
  
• Tegaderm
  
• Vaseline gauze
  
• Glacier Gel
  
• 4x4 Gauze
  
  Inside:
  
  
• Sharpie
  
  "White" side
  
  
• Whistle
  
• Signal mirror
  
• Trauma shears
  
• Wet Wipes
  
• Aluminum Finger Splint
  
• Saline
  
• Tweezers
  
• Combat Gauze
  
  "Black" side
  
  
• Ace wrap
  
• Body Glide
  
• Transpore Medical Tape
  
• Duck tape
  
• Triangle Bandage
  
• Coban
  
• Compressed Gauze dressing
  
  EDIT: Spelling, formatting, and added some links (cuz I'm bored at work). Not necessarily the ones from the vid, but links nonetheless

Also carry a hemostatic agent, preferably in a gauze. Celox Z fold gauze is the easiest to use, and I think is the best.

If you get shot in the femoral artery or the shoulder or armpit and can't get a tourniquet high enough, this might be the only thing that will save you.

Someone on this sub once recommended Moleskin in a thread about annoying shoes.

I used to never be able to wear flats because they would destroy the back of my heel/ankle.

Stuck some of this in my shoe in the offending spot (you can also stick it to your foot but I found it fell off really quickly) and I've been loving flats ever since!

TBH, this can all be had for cheaper but these do look like decent quality kits, for those balling on a budget/want more bang for your buck - all this stuff can be had cheaper elsewhere as well but consider:

Tourniquet $18.99 set of two, one for your 'kit' one for your car. since people believe these can break here is the rate and proven North American Rescue.


Triangular bandage 12ct. for $6.99, can be used as sling, TQ, bleeding control etc.


Combine Pads and Tape set of 20ct. for $12.99

Total: $38.97 and it will go farther for longer.

Use the plastic bag from the triangular bandage/cravat packaging as an occlusive dressing or the 'tin foil' of the Vaseline bandage packaging but I've never actually used a Vaseline bandage, just the packaging for them. Buy these things for less than the skinnymedic has them for and get more - but you're right about one thing get training, know how to use an occlusive dressing and whether you want to tape 3 sides of it or all 4 and the issues with both, how to actually apply a TQ and when, general bleeding control etc.

EDIT

Since people seem to believe that C.A.T.s are unbreakable and that an alternative wouldn't work here is a Recon Medical for $15.97 a North American Rescue for $28.15. All equipment can fail but if you dont want to trust something that hasnt been reported to brake both of these are excellent options. - If you disagree lets have a conversation about it.

I see a lot of finger injuries here. Does anyone use tube gauze? I have found it to be the most effective at creating a stable, protective, functional dressing. https://www.amazon.com/DermaScience-Surgitube-Tubular-Gauze-Applicator/dp/B00XQEMSP2 https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0002DM1AM/ref=pd_aw_fbt_121_img_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=A0MCMGNM15BQS8DR8NC9

We bought these gauze rolls:

Gauze Bandage Rolls - Pack or 24,... https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B07BN5NSKG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

We at first bought precut gauze pads and would open a new one every night. We run it under hot water, wrap it around our finger and then run it along his gums. After a while we realized we could buy the rolls and cut our own instead of paying more for individually wrapped ones.

Side note, my 7.5 month old teething son loves getting his gums rubbed every night. (My dentist said that they don’t need to be cleaned every meal, just once at night.) He actually opens his mouth when he sees us wrapping it around our finger. He’ll chomp down on it a few times and think it’s hilarious, but I think it also makes him happy because it’s acting like a soother.

Message me if you want more deets. :)

This is a great question more clubs should probably think about.

Answers given so far have mostly focused on minor injuries like bruising that can be treated with ice packs and pain killers, which comes with all types of first aid kits.

What you should really specifically prepare for though is the worst case scenarios. While it should be rare for anyone to be seriously injured during training sessions, accidents can happen. As an example, a feder blade snapping and the now sharp jagged edge flying off to strike someone in the chest, arm, leg or even face.

So you want QuikClot https://www.amazon.com/QuikClot-Advanced-Clotting-Kaolin-Strips/dp/B00HJTH5L2/ in your kit, but also some of the powder itself to pour directly into the wound if the sponges aren't able to stop the bleeding (probably because an artery was hit) https://www.amazon.com/WoundSeal-Powder-Each-Pack-Woundseal/dp/B015RY2EDE/

Now if someone is stabbed in the thigh or arm and an artery is pierced, clotting agent alone won't be enough. You'll also want to apply a tourniquet as quickly as possible to stop them from bleeding to death. Having a pre-made tourniquet like these is a good idea https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0719KW959/

If the blade exits the wound it would also be a good idea to be able to close the wound quickly. While you can stitch it up, depending on the wound size you may be able to apply a ZipStitch which is significantly faster at closing a wound since it doesn't require having to needle and thread. https://www.amazon.com/ZipStitch-Laceration-Kit-Surgical-Home/dp/B07KBFVHY6/

Also given the gear we wear tends to get an athlete very hot it would not be a bad idea to have an IV kit on hand to deal with heat exhaustion injuries which CAN kill a person if they are dehydrated enough. I've seen soldiers make the poor mistake of drinking coffee early in the morning (or worse, do heavy drinking the night before) and then go have an intense workout, and pass out from heat exhaustion and need an IV applied. It wouldn't surprise me if the same kind of injury occurs among civilian non-professional athletes who don't hydrate properly before a sparring session. However applying IVs is not for a novice, and requires someone who has been properly trained to perform them. I also wouldn't recommend purchasing a kit from Amazon because the needles need to be cared for delicately, else they can actually scrape against the plastic protector and get pieces of plastic on the needle head which you then inject into a person's bloodstream and can put them into cardiac arrest. IVs are serious business, and you should have taken a course in advanced first aid for how to apply one before you attempt something like this (I had Combat Lifesaver training in the Army, so I have had this training. Speaking from experience here). I would not trust someone working at Amazon to care for the needles properly. Get an IV kit from a local medical supplier.

The last item I would recommend adding to a first aid kit is a chest seal gauze for what is called a 'sucking chest wound'; basically any time the chest is pierced you have a special kind of wound that will cause air to be sucked into the wound, and left untreated for even a little bit of time will result in a collapsed lung. Applying one of these correctly and in a timely fashion is a good idea to prevent this from happening https://www.amazon.com/North-American-Rescue-Hyfin-10-0015/dp/B003VSQDQS/ until paramedics can arrive and give the person some oxygen and take them to the ER for surgery.

These items are rarely included in first aid kits, even the most expensive ones. This is why I specifically mention purchasing these items and adding them to your kit. First aid kits will often have gauze and bandages, but not clotting agents or pre-made tourniquets, etc

I actually carry clotting agent and QuikStitch in my feder bag's outer pouch just in case something goes wrong. It never has, which is a good thing, but if something goes awry it's something I want to have on hand.

Ack don't use saran wrap! You need something breathable. Use medical gauze

Soak skin, apply medication, apply cream, wrap with gauze, put a dry layer over the gauze like pajamas or socks.

Looking good!

The four main medications I make sure to include in a first aid kit are benadryl (allergic reaction/insect stings, sedative, cough suppressant- can be ground up, mixed in water and applied topically for itch/rash), aspirin (chest pain/heart attack/pain reliever), ibuprofen (pain reliever/inflammation), and immodium (diarrhea).

Make sure you've got enough gauze to control bleeding.

I'd recommend picking up one israeli battle dressing.

I've gotten a couple pretty bad skinned knees recently. The best option I've found is vaseline covered by a nonstick bandage (something like this, I think I got mine at Target.) The nonstick bandage is key so it is easy to remove and doesn't heal into the wound.

I'm with you on the bandaid adhesive allergy. And yes I can use tegaderm I've actually been using it on the same two areas 24x7 for over a month now after HS surgery on my groin and thigh. It is very expensinve, however I found that you can save a lot of money buy purchasing it in 100 packs from Amazon.com. It's normally about $1 US per sheet at the store in a box of 10 but on that link it's almost 1/4th the price! I actually got Amazon Prime just for this 3 years ago after my first HS surgery and it's paid for itself. They sell larger sized sheets but you can just use multiple ones of these instead and it's more cost effective. Hope this helps you and anyone else save some money!

[Edit] I just wanted to say to anyone else I really love tegaderm this stuff is awesome it's a little tricky to use at first (kind of like how saran wrap is tricky, but not that bad) but it's definitely some awesome stuff and a lifesaver to people like me and IdahoLynxx. I really wish I could tell the world about this stuff. If I put a bandaid or tape on sensitive area of skin I will get a poison ivy like rash and have had the skin rip off when taking off the bandaid but not with tegaderm.

You could maybe try a non stick dressing like a telfa cut to size, taped on with medical tape or a tegaderm and maybe wrap some gauze wrap around it and secure with more tape. Or even keep using the bandaids, throw a tegaderm on top of them and wrap a thin layer of the gauze around them to help keep them on.

Foot dressings are tough, especially on someone who needs to actually walk around on the affected foot. It's been a little while since I have dealt with dressings that aren't for c-section incisions, and I am not an expert on warts, so some other nurses might have some better ideas.

Bio oil didn't work for me

My friend works at a plastic surgeons office and she gave me this silicone strip stuff called mepiform that they use at their office for any scarring and I noticed a difference, it took the redness away, shortened the length of the scar and in some places you can really see the scar anymore

You just cut the sheet thing to the size of the scar, put it on and leave it for a week. You shower with it on and everything

I think this is it, though mine was tan coloured

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001ELVBBQ

I have used this bandage wrap to keep dressings in place.

It's pretty comfortable because it stretches a bit, and sticks to itself, so no tape is required.

Assueming you already have to bag. I would include the following:

​

2-4 pairs of gloves

1-roll of transpore tape

10-4X4 gauze pads

2-Kling roll (inch prefered)

1 ace wrap

2 Cat tourniquet (advanced training required)

1 bandaid holder

2 Quick Clot (advanced traning required)

1 Sam Splint

CPR Pocket Mask (optional)

​

I highly suggest you attend the following classes.

Stop the Bleed

CPR and First aid

Also you should research your local good sam laws.

I can’t judge the amazon seller here but 10cm x 10cm is probably the most useful size to get. You’d need to get some medical tape or a bandage to stick it on though


https://www.amazon.de/Smith-Nephew-Melolin-Kompressen-nicht-haftend/dp/B00C0BUITU/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?keywords=melolin+10cm&qid=1557263402&s=gateway&sr=8-2

I wouldn’t bother with bandages for hips or rips as they’ll be too difficult to affix and will just end up falling down. I would buy non adherent dressing pads - sometimes you can buy large adhesive ones but if not you can buy medical tape to affix them.

I'm two weeks post-op.

People here all have fantastic suggestions so far!
I used:

1. Fruit of the Loom bras from Wal-Mart, look like this. They were cheaper at the store vs. Amazon. I specifically like this bra because it's shaped like a tank top -- not a racerback, which means I can wear more clothes with it without straps showing.
   
2. Curad Non-Stick pads that look like this. That's what my doctor shoved in my post-op bra, so I just got more of them. Now I don't need them anymore. I didn't even finish the one box of 12.
   
3. Husband installed this bidet for me. The dignity of cleaning my own butt after such a challenging surgery was nice.
   
4. Someone else said heating pad -- yep.
   
5. Consider pre-making some food -- something really healthy and easy to eat. I made a diet soup that is meant for a cleanse because it had a ton of fiber (cabbage, lots of other veg) and was easy to heat a little at a time. I can provide the recipe link if you want it. I also took psyllium fiber tablets every day and drank dark coffee each morning, while drinking as much water as I could. And I lost some extra weight with the soup, too. For breakfast, I only ate oatmeal with cinnamon and bananas since that's so easy to digest. I had no problems, uh, getting the job done with all that fiber.
   
6. We installed a handheld shower head. I had my husband around to help me bathe, and it made things easier for both of us. I sat in a shallow bath and he helped me clean with the shower head. In the shallow bath, I used some scented epsom salts to help me relax. The first couple of baths were uncomfortable and awkward and it helped.
   
7. Tylenol. I weaned myself off the drugs after 3-4 days. In the morning, I took half the dose of Tylenol (which is every 3 hours vs. 6) to see how my pain was, then I'd either take another one on time, wait a while, or take half a pain pill. I did this until I was using only Tylenol and eventually nothing or only one dose a day of it.

Have a look at this

Always include a tourniquet. Also these are good.

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It depends where it ripped. For me, it was my foot while climbing, so I had to rely on my other foot and this kind of bandage. In your case, since it was around the belly button, maybe the next class use a tank top to cover up the area.

> The bandaid on my palm kept coming off with typing so I needed to wear a glove to keep the bandaid in position

I had a similar injury/issue and had a lot of luck with these and these retaining adhesion as long as I thoroughly cleaned the area with an alcohol wipe first.

People who are making this argument are missing the point. Nintendo has built a “brand” with the Switch. It’s extremely popular and recognizable in such a short period of time.

Not every product that Band-Aid makes is a “Band-Aid” for example......

Band Aid Brand First Aid Products Tru-Absorb Gauze Sponges for Cleaning Wounds, 4 in x 4 in, 50 ct https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LITWW0S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_fANjDbQ6BHNMD

People don’t freak out and scream “blasphemy! That’s not a Band-Aid! That’s a gauze sponge!”

The Switch still switches, you just have to buy the version that fits your lifestyle. The games are Nintendo Switch games. Were they suppose to change the name of the new console and confuse the crap out of everybody that doesn’t follow all video game industry news? Particularly parents/grandparents in the store buying their kid a Switch...they already don’t have a clue what they are buying. Imagine a console named differently than the games on the shelf.

I'm very sorry about your injury. I'm 5 months out from my accident and still struggling from time to time; it's perfectly normal and gradually it gets better and better.

If you have a choice, I would try to avoid returning to work for the time being. I know you've had a few weeks off and it may not be an option, but returning before you're ready may set you back emotionally. If you don't have a choice maybe you can work some place a little quieter that involves less work with your hands (host/hostess?).

I didn't lose any fingers fully but I did have damage to all four. I found these very helpful but they can be a bit of a bugger to put on by yourself. I'm not sure if they will work for you though. Coban wrap is nice and a less obvious color than the tubular gauze but you have to be careful with how tight you wrap it- it can easily cut off blood flow if you do it too tight. These are probably things you are already familiar with though. I'm sorry I don't have any other suggestions but if you have any questions or just need someone to talk to I'm more than willing to talk/listen/offer any advice I have. Take care.

It's usually gonna bleed a lot. And then it burns and feels like electric shocks are going through it whenever you touch it for the next couple of weeks. Then it is usually fine. It may tear a few times in the next little while even if you are careful due to nocturnal erections (which you can't really control). I didn't even go to a doctor. I just peeled back the foreskin and put a piece of tefla around the entire glans held in place by tape until it healed. The only complications that I can see happening is it healing back even shorter, giving you a short frenulum, chordee type effect with each erection. If that happens, sometimes you can stretch it back out yourself over time, or you may end up needing a frenulectomy or frenuloplasty. I'd hate to have to do that because that delta of nerves along the underside of the glans is extremely nerve rich. But even if you have to do a frenulectomy, do not let them circumcise you. They will absolutely want to, usually if you are American. American doctors hate to pass up an opportunity to lop off a foreskin. Go for the frenulectomy without the circumcision. It absolutely is an option. If your doctor refuses to do that, shop around and find another doctor.

I can grab you a couple things, is this good

Ointment

Bandage

Gauze

Use a blister bandaid. These - Band Aid Advanced Healing Bandages, 10 ct https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000YJZ408/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_hmTWAbER6ST2E

stock up HEAVILY on cotton gauze, paper tape, aquaphor, and steri strips. steri strips are amazing. my surgeon placed inch long pieces all along my incisions, and told me to keep them on until they fell off. as they fell off i replaced them with longer pieces because the swelling made me feel like i was going to pop open. i pulled them off in the shower every few days to replace with clean pieces and i wore them for a few weeks after i had my stitches taken out, really until i felt like my skin had come back together. i liked to put bandaid brand gauze pads over my regular thin gauze for cushioning under clothing and to keep aquaphor on the skin. aquaphor will be really helpful in keeping incisions moist so they don't scab but also will help the gauze not stick to any pus or blood within the incisions.
also a nice fan will help keep you comfy and is great for air drying your skin after showers before reapplying tape and gauze (:

i found this bra to be the absolute comfiest. the fabric is thick and soft and the back is mesh for ventilation.

I like these wet wipes a lot. They get very high marks for biodegrading/composting quickly and they're actually flushable unlike many brands of wipes.

I wouldn't overthink your first aid kit too much. Bring along some cloth medical tape, a bandanna, and some NSAIDs and you'll have enough of a kit to deal with injuries at least until you can get real medical help. If you are blister-prone one or two pieces of this paper will be plenty for your trip.

I'm not sure on the legality of this in the UK but I would also consider a small folding knife a good addition to your first aid kit.

I like to bring along a pair of sandals or something similar for camp shoes. It REALLY hurts wearing the same shoes all day.

You might also want to buy a small hand torch if you plan to make camp after dark. This is the one I just picked up.

A food bag like this would be good for snacks - I would just stuff it in the webbing above your seat pack.

Sorry for all the amazon links. Your setup looks great. Beautiful bike!

I've been using patches for a couple of months now. I've had a couple times where one didn't stick well. There are breathable transparent patches (Tegaderm) that will cover them and hold them on well, if you get one that's not holding. Wiping the application area first with some alcohol helps. Don't apply consecutively in the same spot.

They also get a gray ring of lint or something at the edges where the adhesive is a bit exposed. It is easily removed with Hollister's Medical Adhesive Remover patches.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B004YJ0TUY/ref=mp_s_a_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1527537630&sr=8-3&keywords=non+stick+pads+with+adhesive&dpPl=1&dpID=51zhNx7i3PL&ref=plSrch

I am using these, sometimes I add tape.

Similar setup as well... add in a combat application tourniquet, an Israeli bandage, and a chest seal gauze and you're set for most anything!

LEO plain clothes EDC - Top left, clockwise:

Cold Steel Braveheart in a custom kydex sheath

FOX SEAL chest seal

Safariland handcuffs

G17 mag, winchester 9mm hollow points

CELOX RAPID hemostatic gauze

Custom G17