A hiking first aid kit should help you deal with minor incidents and buy time while waiting for appropriate help. It is no substitute for training, emergency services or sound judgement: keep its contents compact, familiar and suited to your outing.
Build a kit you will actually carry
Choose an easily identifiable, waterproof pouch containing plasters, sterile dressings, a support bandage, medical tape, a suitable antiseptic, disposable gloves, splinter tweezers, an emergency blanket and a list of useful contacts. Add any personal medication you need, in its original packaging and with the relevant information.
A pair of scissors, saline solution pods and a few blister plasters may be useful depending on the terrain. Avoid turning your kit into a general pharmacy: equipment you do not know how to use, or whose contra-indications you are unaware of, will not help you.
Adapt your kit to the outing
For a short day hike on a popular route, a lightweight kit is enough. For a remote, long or cold outing, the priority shifts towards keeping someone warm and being able to communicate. Keep the items that help you stay self-sufficient in your pack: water, an insulating layer, a torch and a means of navigation. Our daypack checklist puts them in order of priority.
If something goes wrong
Start by making the area safe and calmly assessing the situation. A serious injury, altered level of consciousness, breathing difficulties, heavy bleeding or inability to move calls for alerting the emergency services. Do not improvise a technical procedure without training. Note the time, the person's condition and your location; our guide to communication options helps you prepare this information.
FAQ
Should you carry medication in your first-aid kit?
First, pack your personal medication. For anything else, ask a healthcare professional or pharmacist for advice: needs, allergies and contra-indications vary from person to person.
Is an emergency blanket enough in cold-weather conditions?
It helps reduce heat loss, but it is no substitute for a warm layer, shelter or evacuation when the situation requires it.
Prepare your kit so it is ready to use
Store your kit in an instantly recognisable pouch, protected from water and accessible without emptying your pack. Regularly check expiry dates, instructions and personal medication. A compact kit that every member of the group is familiar with will be more useful than a comprehensive one that nobody knows how to find or use.
If an incident occurs, note the basic facts: the time, how the injury happened, symptoms observed, location and any changes in the person's condition. This information helps the emergency services and prevents you from underestimating a changing situation. If you are still unsure, seek help rather than continuing along the route.