Do you carry a first aid kit when you travel?
Regardless of what sort of travel I do, be it relaxing at a resort or taking a guided hike, I always take my own first aid/medication kit with me, adjusting the contents to suit the location or type of trip.
I even carry a miniature pouch in my handbag, that has paracetamol, ibuprofen, Imodium, antihistamine, band aids, Steri-Strips (wound closure strips) and blister plasters. Just a couple of each, so it’s nice and small. Being able to ward off a headache, cover a scratch or prevent a blister while out and about can mean continuing to enjoy your day traveling instead of having to return to your hotel, as happened recently while in Canada.
I tripped in an icy carpark in Calgary, grazed my hand and skinned my knee. I was able to patch myself up in a museum bathroom from handbag pouch (and copious paper towels to wipe up the bloody mess) and continue with two booked tours. When I did get back to my hotel room, I was able to clean the wounds, apply antiseptic cream and re-dress them without having to find a pharmacy before a dinner engagement.
My larger travel first aid kit also includes medications like Codral Night & Day and Betadine sore throat gargle, meaning I can deal with an imminent cold even if it’s after hours or I’m off grid. I always carry Imodium (for diarrhoea) and laxatives too, since the day I nearly had to mime ‘constipation’ to a non-English speaking pharmacist pre mobile phone translation apps.
I’ve been thinking more about first aid kits after listening to a story on the Rescued podcast run by friend and colleague, Caro Ryan of LotsaFreshAir. Among other things, Caro is an experienced bushwalker and search and rescue coordinator for the Blue Mountains SES. If you are interested in bushwalking I highly recommend you visit her site and sign up to her newsletters, they are a wealth of valuable information. She runs navigation courses too, which is on my ‘to do’ list.
In this episode bushwalker Joyce recounts the story of being bitten by a snake on a grade 5 track, three hours from the nearest road. I learnt many things from the podcast: how to treat a snake bite, that there are special snake bite bandages (I thought you just used a crepe bandage) and you should always carry two, as mandated by some bushwalking clubs.
Around the same time, my husband and I bought a caravan and while I made up a medication kit (see earlier photo), I decided I might buy a first aid kit instead of making one, as I had done for our boat and car. I came across the Australian SURVIVAL brand, liked their story and the design of their products.
SURVIVAL was set up in 1988 by twin brothers Jerry and Tim Tyrrell, in response to personal tragedy. They wanted to make sure everyone had access to first aid information and developed the First Aid Emergency Handbook in 1989, which won an Australian Design Award. They transferred their ‘easy access, easy to find to find’ philosophy to first aid kits. Now the business is run by Tim’s son Mike and his best friend Jordan. In 2017 they designed the SMART Bandage for snake bites. .
The SMART Bandage is a specialised pressure immobilisation bandage for snake and funnel web spider bites, with pictograms to ensure optimal tension on the bandage, a critical factor in immobilising limbs after a bite to ensure the venom doesn’t spread. Small rectangles printed on the bandage transform into squares when stretched to the correct tension. How cool and clever is that?
While SURVIVAL’s kits are quite expensive, I really like the compact design and the internal divided compartments that are clearly labelled. (I became aware of how important labelling is when my husband skinned his shin on our boat ladder and in my ‘will he need stitches’ panic I couldn’t find the Steri-Strips I knew were in our first aid kit.)
I purchased SURVIVAL’s Travel Bundle that includes a Vehicle First Aid Kit and a Remote & Outdoor Module, thinking I would keep the vehicle kit in the caravan and use the Outdoor Module as my hiking kit.
Then I came across the team from SURVIVAL at a caravan and outdoor show and we got talking about their new compact Hiking First Aid Kit, which they kindly gave me for review.
It’s small and compact, meaning it doesn’t take up too much room in a day pack and is quite light at 515 grams. They have been able to get it this small because the snake bandage has now been shrink-wrapped flat as opposed to the previous bulkier roll. Everything is clearly labelled and there are colour-coded sections for trauma, hygiene, and information. There’s a QR code to download their free mobile app, which provides first aid information offline, excellent if you are out of mobile range and are unsure about how best to deal with an injury. Just remember to download it before you head off!
The kit features webbing straps on the back so it can be looped on a belt, and D-ring to clip it to a pack with a carabiner or attach a shoulder strap, all very convenient, as it should be within easy reach if you take a tumble.Probably the only annoying thing is the roll of cohesive bandage (used for securing dressings etc) that is held in place with a lanyard. You have to position the roll carefully in order to close the zip. It’s awkward, but not a huge problem.
More recently SURVIVAL released a Slimline First Aid Kit, which looked so much more convenient for slipping into a hiking pack that I purchased it too.Surprisingly, it is slightly heavier than the Hiking Kit at 655 grams, and I’m not sure why, as the contents are almost identical. In fact, the Slimline Kit doesn’t include the tick spoon, tweezers and wound closure strips that the Hiking Kit does. I think not including wound closure strips is a serious oversight, as they are so useful and take up so little space. I’ll be adding some to my kit.
I love how easily the Slimline Kit fits in a backpack, in the front or side pocket, or in the tall internal pocket at the back of most packs. The loop handle at the top makes it easy to pull out. Overall I am very happy with my kits, they are well made, easy to store and use, and I’m supporting a great Aussie family company.
Most commercial first aid kits don’t include medications like antiseptic cream, anti-inflammatory tablets or paracetamol so it pays to add these to any kit you buy.
Just remember to pack your first aid kit. I took a small tumble while at Dobroyd Head on the Bondi to Manly Walk (you can read about my walk here). A bush stabbed me in the face and hand on the way down. “Just as well I have my first aid kit,” I thought, only to unpack the entire contents of my day pack to find it missing. I had inadvertently left it on the hotel bed when swapping from a full pack to a day pack. Cue disgruntled face. At least I had my miniture ‘handbag’ pouch in my crossbody bag.
Safe travels everyone.
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the companies mentioned above and do not receive any remuneration should you decide to purchase from them. I paid for the SURVIVAL Travel Bundle Kit and Slimline Kit, but received the Hiking Kit free of charge for review. My opinions are honest and unbiased.
