Top 5 First Aid Kits for Hikers

Essential to any hiker, adventurer and trekker is a First Aid Kit. From a small personal one with basic supplies to a professional mountain leader first aid kit that is designed to cater for everyone’s needs. Now there are lots of different brands out there with different “styles” of kits so all of us here at Simply Hike have narrowed it down to our top 5 of the first aid kits. Read on to find out which ones made the cut...

Care Plus: First Aid Kit – Basic

So this first aid kit features:

• 5 x compresses 5x5cm
• 1 x Hydrophilic bandage 5x4cm
• 6 x plasters 19x38mm
• 5 x plasters 25x72mm
• 2 x plasters 60x10mm
• 1 x emergency bandage 12x12cm
• 1 x roll fixing tape 1.25x1cm
• 1 x pair vinyl gloves
• 4 x alcohol wipes
• 1 x pair of first aid scissors
• 1 x pair of tweezers
• 1 x packet of safety scissors
• 1 x list of contents

  With all this equipment in this first aid kit is does come as a surprise how small (9x4x14cm) and light weight (166g) it is. It's designed for everyday hiking use and is ideal for covering cuts and grazes. Because of it’s design you can also use this first aid kit for your car, travelling abroad as well as any camping or hiking trip. Due to the compact size it’s easy to carry around in your rucksack, daypack or even in a side pocket making the Basic first aid kit from Care Plus a must for any day hiker.

Lifesystems: Camping First Aid Kit

So this first aid kit features:

• Primary care leaflet
• 1 x tweezers
• 6 x safety pins
• 1 x scissors (5.5cm blade)
• 2 x vinyl gloves
• 1 x spot check thermometer
• 1 x crepe bandage 5x4.5cm
• 1 x triangular calico bandage 90x127cm
• 1 x open woven bandage 7.5x5m
• 1 x pack of assorted plasters
• 1 x medium wound dressing 12x12cm
• 2 x low adherent dressing 5x5cm
• 1 x low adherent dressing 10x10cm
• 1 x small plaster fabric strip 4cmx1m
• 3 x wound closure strips
• 1 x small eyepad wound dressing
• 6 x hygienic cleansing wipes
• 1 x zinc oxide tape 1.25xcmx5m
• 1 x Micropore tape 1.25cmx5m
•  5 x 4-ply gauze swabs 5x5cm
• 3x burn gel sachets (3.5g)
• 1 x strapping take 2.5cmx2m
• 2 x strapping eye wash (20ml)
• 16 x paracetamol tablets

  This is the perfect first aid kit for all you campers out there. It really covers you for all emergency needs and considering what it's packing it’s still pretty light weight at 452g. The overall size of this first aid kit (170x130x60mm) and it is also recommended for DofE.

Adventure Medical Kits: Ultralight & Watertight 7 First Aid Kit

So this first aid kit features:

• 2 x dressing, gauze, sterile 2”x2”
• 1 x splinter picker / tick remover
• 1 x duct tape, 2”x100”
• 2 x after bite
• 3x safety pins
• 2 x Aloksak waterproof bags
• 1 x mole skin 4”x7”
• 2 x dressing, gauze, sterile 3”x3”
• 2 x dressing, non-adherent, sterile 3”x4”
• 3 x bandage, butterfly closure
• 1 x tincture of benzoin topical adhesive, vial
• 1 x bandage, conforming gauze, non-sterile
• 5 x after cuts & scrapes wipe
• 1 x tape 1”x 10 yards
• 1 x bandage, elastic with Velcro closure
• 4 x bandage adhesive fabric 1”x3”
• 3 x bandage, adhesive, fabric, 1”x3”
• 1 x gloves nitrile (pair)

  The ultralight 7 from Adventure Medical Kits is designed for the hiker, trekker and climber who wants to keep his or her weight down. This kit is designed for two people and weighs less than 9 ounces but as you can see from the list above still contains the most essential first aid supplies.

Lifesystems: Trek First Aid Kit

So this first aid kit features:

• 1 x tweezers
• 1 x scissors (5.5cm blade)
• 6 x safety pins
• 16 x paracetamol tablets
• 1 x white open woven bandage 7.5cm x 5m
• 1 x crepe bandage 5cm x 4.5cm
• 5 x 4 ply gauze swabs 5 x 5cm
• 1 x micropore tape 1.25cm x 5m
• 4 x hygienic cleansing wipes
• 2 x pairs vinyl gloves
• 1 x low adherent dressing 5 x5cm
• 1 x pack of assorted plasters
• 2 x blister plasters

  The Trek first aid kit from Lifesystems is a great light weight and minimal first aid kit. It’s perfect for dealing with small accidents on the trail from general cuts and scrapes to dealing with blisters and other minor injuries. It’s not surprising then that is this on the recommended list for the DofE.

Lifesystems: Explorer First Aid Kit

So this first aid kit features:

• 1 x tweezers
• 6 x safety pins
• 1 x scissors (5.5cm blade)
• 2 x pair vinyl gloves
• 1 x spot check thermometer
• 16 x Paracetamol tablets
• 16 x Ibuprofen tablets
• 1 x crepe bandage 5x4.5cm
• 1 x triangular calico bandage 90 x 127cm
• 1 x white open woven bandage 7.5cm x 5m
• 6 x hygienic cleansing wipes
• 1 x zinc oxide tape 1.25cm x 5m
• 5x 4 ply gauze swabs 5x5cm
• 1 x burn gel sachet (3.5g)
• 1 x pack of assorted plasters
• 1 x medium wound dressings 12x12cm
• 2 x low adherent dressings 5x5cm
• 1 x low adherent dressing 10x10cm
• 2 x blister plasters
• 1 x small plaster fabric strip 4cmx1m
• 3 x wound closure strips

  This first aid kit has the explorer at mind. It is ideal to use for short treks or just as your general first aid kit, it ticks all the boxes. Although all this kit is in the explorer first aid kit it’s not too big or bulky; the dimensions are 170mmx130mmx60mm and it only weighs 395g. Lastly the pack is made from Ripstop material and has a waterproof zip. So there we have it our top 5 picks of first aid kits! We of course stock hundreds of other first aid kits so don’t forget to check them out! Which first aid kit do you use? We would love to hear what you pack and why you choose that first aid kit over any others so just comment below.