my "regular" backpacking first aid kit, weighs about 2 oz total; but when hunting I want to make sure that I can handle a serious trauma wound- too many sharp things and things that go boom

anyways, I recently found a small and relatively light, emergency trauma dressing- a 4" dressing with compression; the nice thing with this dressing is it will also do double duty as an ACE bandage for sprains/strains/etc

2 oz on the nose and also pretty flat and low volume; pretty inexpensive as well ($5-ish)- a got several, in addition to the hunting first aid kit I want one each of my vehicles too

made by North American Rescue, called the Mini Responder- sold by them, but also several other vendors

Good idea. Here's another one. If you get into poison ivy/oak/sumac, you can wash the oil off with alcohol before it has time to get you. Those tiny alcohol pads work but they're too little to get the job done very well. These are nothing more than large alcohol pads, 3x4". They will take the poison oil off your skin easily and quickly. The problem is finding them right now. Like all disinfectants, they're sold out because of Covid.

thankfully we don’t have much of that itchy stuff here; I’ve heard many horror stories about it though!

I do keep a small alcohol sanitizer with my TP that probably would work OK

thanks for the info about the alcohol pads. poison ivy is thick at the lease

The alcohol pads can also double as a fire starter.

FWIW, the manufacturer's site has a warning that this product is prohibited for consumer use in the U.S. and Canada.

www.mgchemicals.com

That must mean to not suck the alcohol out of them. They're selling them here.
At any rate, the brand doesn't matter. You can use any source of alcohol on the ivy or oak. Pour it from a bottle if you want to carry one. These are just a good size to be very handy to have on hand for an emergency.

How about a tourniquet? A belt or nylon strap works (kinda) but a small tourniquet with compression abilities is a small weight to carry, especially during rifle season.

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01ETMVQOI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0ZFaFbVV569JJ

a CAT tourniquet is in my kit

I added a one time use staple gun

It weighs next to nothing and is pre filled with 20 stainless steel staples

Once we get back to... normaler, I want to take a few classes on how to actually use the stuff in all the kits. I know the basics, but I'm pretty poorly trained, and it has been ages.

I never even knew that was something to get. I keep a one time use super glue in my first aid for the same purpose, along with a bandage like mtwarden posted and a tourniquet. Same tourniquet I carried in AFG.

I put a couple tubes of fresh new glue in my kit each year as well

Good idea, I should probably replace the glue in my kit as well.

QuikClot and an ACR ResQLink. 8 oz of comfort that's always in my pack.

Just added some Quikclot last year to my kit.

Might look at Wound Seal.Sort of a mini QuikClot

Looks kinda like the thing they used to call an 'Israeli Bandage' or something like that. I have one, but it's bulky. The bulkier components of my kit seemed to migrate to my 'truck kit'

Don't wait. There are many classes available. After taking a couple, you might find that you actually need a smaller kit to handle emergencies. On the other hand you might get scared and feel the need to carry a full EMT trauma sack. YMMV.

Seriously though, no amount of first aid gear can substitute for the knowledge of how to use it. I would rather be in the backcountry with an expert and a roll of duct tape, than a novice and a trauma kit.

The average consumer 1st aid kit contains enough bandaids to cover a wall, a pile of mini alcohol wipes, and a bunch of pills of various kinds. You're paying a premium price for more of what you have in your home bathroom cabinet. You need to find a good list and add to what you already have.

Ran across this article. The InReach does more than my ACR PLB does, and I'm going through the mental process of whether it is now worth it for me to upgrade capabilities;
https://www.outdoorproject.com/gear/sos-activating-scary-sos-button-my-garmin-inreach

...sorry for the tangent

I've been using my inReach for two years now; has worked flawlessly and I'm carrying it even on day hikes now too

Besides the obvious SOS messaging, when combined with your phone (and the Earthmate app- still free I believe) you have a fully functioning gps, you can two way text (made easier by the Earthmate app- you simply do it through your phone)

You have two flat tires in a day, and only one spare- send a text to your wife (or buddy or tire shop if need be) and let them know where you're at; you kill a big bull and want help packing it out- text your buddies to bring their packs and where

I've used it several times because I had to alter my route and needed picked up elsewhere- send a text, my wife texted me back "where is that trailhead?", sent another text explaining exactly how to get to it

You can use the tracking feature (selecting the interval of pings) and folks at home can watch your progress from their phones or computer; if you don't check in because something bad has happened- SAR has your last known location

I could go on, but I don't leave home without mine

+1 for the inreach (mini!). I run the cheapest annual package ($15/month). Works everywhere and zero issues over the two years I’ve had it.

Leaving exact trip itinerary, road network, trailheads and objectives (potential alternatives) with trusted, intelligent persons much more effective than depending on electronic savvy and gadgets.

1) They work in conjunction with a safety plan already in place.
2) Soloing for more than a couple days, I’m going to rely on “electronic savvy and gadgets”. If I go down and no one is expecting me back for another day or more, there’s a decent probability of death. Higher with each passing day.

I have a DeLorme Inreach that I bought when Garmin bought them out and added $100 to the price when they renamed it. I keep the service from May to the end of hunting season so that's about 6 months a year. I've never needed the emergency part but it is handy for letting the wife know I'm alive. It gives you 10 texts a month before it charges extra for them. I've never used them all.

Good luck with that beginner's attitude.

What is point #1 on my list?
Having two plans over one gives me a “beginners Attitude”!?

Everyone knows THAT.


Electronics can be good recovery technology, for sure. Be careful out there.

Dunno why / how, but your inspired me to order a couple. Thanks, I think? I hope it is like jumper cables and my tow strap, never needed them for me, used them many times helping others.

Tom