Photo: j-ped4HD32Q
When a less-than-dire disaster strikes the campsite, be it in the form of a scrape needing gauze, a splinter needing tweezers, or an allergic reaction needing antihistamines, a first aid kit can save campers annoyance and possibly rescue the entire camping trip from a frustratingly sudden conclusion. Most of the essential medical supplies you’d typically find in a first aid kit are widely known and their proper application a common-sense skill for the majority of campers. Antibiotic ointment and a Band-Aid as treatment for a small cut or scrape is a process we generally learn from watching a parent or teacher complete it when we’re children. Ibuprofen has ended many a mild headache, especially after a long night around the campfire. Antiseptic wipes and sting relief ointment can also be helpful to make aches and pains subside so campers can get back to enjoying nature’s splendor.
It should probably go without saying, but camping first aid kits are only for minor injuries, not for more serious emergency situations that require first responders or EMTs. While more common injuries like allergic reactions, sprains, and blisters are usually a fleeting vexation here in the built world, anything pain-inducing can cause a camper or backpacker to stay behind at the campsite and miss out on a day of hiking or some other fun activity. First aid only goes so far, but the medical supplies in a first aid kit can help give some relief until the affliction subsides, at least enough for campers to be able to fully participate in the camping shenanigans. For more serious emergency situations, first aid kits most often have an emergency blanket to make campers comfortable until first responders or EMTs arrive.
We’ve taken a look at some of the best first aid kits on Amazon and come up with this guide to make it easier for you to choose the one that best suits you. Anyone of them should have enough supplies to prevent your next camping trip from being halted by minor injuries, but there are some additional design features that set some apart from the rest. Read until the end of the guide to see our top pick for the best camping first aid kit.
Photo: yKhAns1tW54
Caption: EMTs and first responders may face difficulties reaching remote places, so it’s always wise to have a first aid kit at the campsite.
Adventure Medical Kits Mountain First Aid Kit
All the basic medical supplies you’d expect to be in an emergency kit are in this Adventure Medical Kits product. Inside their bag, which has been designed with an Easy Care organization system that makes it easy to find what you’re looking for, you’ll find everything you need to treat common injuries. Adhesive bandages for both the knuckle and general scrapes and cuts are included, along with butterfly closure band-aids. Antiseptic wipes, triple antibiotic ointment, and an alcohol swab are in there for cleaning and dressing minor injuries. Tincture of benzoin is also included, which is a solution in alcohol that improves the adhesion of adhesive bandages and works as a local skin antiseptic. For those who might lack a total knowledge of wilderness first aid, there is a first aid guide provided. EMT shears for cutting adhesive bandages or anything else are inside, along with a safety pin and tweezers to remove ticks and splinters.
AfterBite relief wipes, which are towelettes that provide fast relief from insect bites, stings, and other minor skin irritants, are included in this first aid kit as well. The medically inclined or frequently afflicted will recognize the medications included with the Adventure Medical Kits Mountain first aid kit: diamode, aspirin, antihistamine, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen. Trauma pads and a nitrile glove designed to stop bleeding fast are inside. A wound irrigation tool, 10 sterile dressings, an elastic bandage, 11 gauze bandages, 10 yards of medical tape, and a cotton-tip applicator are on offer for wound care, blisters, and burns. Moleskins, a specific type of adhesive bandage designed to stop blisters before they start, are inside the Adventure Medical Kits Mountain first aid kit as well.
Adventure Medical Kits has designed many different first aid kits of varying sizes and pieces of medical equipment, but this Mountain model is the one with just about everything called for to treat minor injuries in an emergency situation. The bag for this first aid kit closes with a zipper and is water-resistant. It’s ideal for backpackers who want to maintain an ultralight pack on the way to their campsite. There are a few important first aid items that aren’t included in this first aid kit though, including an emergency blanket and a CPR mask.
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M2 Basics 150-piece First Aid Kit
This first aid kit is perfect for backpacking and multi-day hikes over mostly flat, uncomplicated terrain that doesn’t threaten severe emergency situations. It’s chock-full of first aid supplies that will be a big help to have around when you need to treat minor injuries, although there isn’t much inside to treat an allergic reaction. It does come with a carabiner for easy attachment to rucksacks or for storage. The included first aid guide is sent via email, which could be handy because you’ll have a digital copy but may also be inconvenient for campers who don’t like to depend on cell phones at their campsite. Adhesive bandages such as butterfly, fingertip, knuckle, spot, and normal band-aid strips are all included to cover up minor injuries like cuts and small scrapes. Alcohol prep towelettes and sterile alcohol-free wound-cleaning relief wipes are included along with sting relief wipes.
For emergency situations where heat loss is at issue or the injured camper might be in the early stages of shock, this first aid kit comes with an emergency blanket. A CPR facemask is also included, which, although some opine is a waste of space, can be very handy for those not accustomed to giving CPR. Safety pins and medical shears are part of the kit and useful for cutting adhesive bandages Medical tape is also inside. The lightweight carrying case is not ultralight necessarily but it won’t add too much weight to a rucksack. It’s small enough to fit in just about anywhere you have the room, and it can also be hooked to the exterior of a bag with the included carabiner.
The biggest drawback to this first aid kit is that it doesn’t come with waterproof matches or any sort of medication like ibuprofen or antihistamines to treat allergic reactions. There’s also no indication that it’s waterproof or water-resistant, which can be a problem if bad weather sets in or campers are planning to be near a water source.
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Emergency Trauma Tactical First Aid Kit
The zipper-close carry case for this tactical first aid kit is one of the more stylish available on Amazon if you’re into the field hospital aesthetic over the red cross style. In addition to the usual medical supplies like adhesive bandages, band-aids, surgical tape, medical shears, alcohol towelettes, and tweezers, this first aid kit also comes with some added features. The regular bonuses like an emergency blanket are there, but so are many other medical supplies that you don’t find in many other emergency kits. There’s a tourniquet, for starters, as well as a multi-tool, a compass, a survival whistle, a multi-function pocket knife, a paracord, a fire starter, tinder-cotton, a wire saw, a mini fishing kit, an iron wire side lock, a multi-function card, and an LED light.
With all of the bonus first aid items in this emergency kit, campers are sure to have enough supplies to get them through any emergency situation that calls for treatment of minor injuries. It’s a great addition for peace-of-mind on your next adventure, but make sure you take the time to learn how to use each instrument before you go because this first aid kit does not include any sort of first aid guide.
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Caption: Band-aids are an integral part of any first aid kit but far from the only first aid item campers should have in their emergency kit.
Be Smart Get Prepared 100-Piece First Aid Kit
Be Smart Get Prepared is one of the most well-known manufacturers of first aid kits in the United States. This 100-piece first aid kit has all the essentials and a few extras thrown in as well. It includes not one but two antiseptic solutions to ensure a wound is clean if it is cleaned properly. It’s both FDA registered and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) compliant, so campers can rest assured everything inside this first aid kit meets the federal standards. The compact carry case has easy-slide latches instead of a zipper, which can come in handy in tight spaces where there isn’t much room to open a normal zipper-close first aid kit.
Here’s what’s inside the Be Smart Get Prepared 100-piece first aid kit:
You may have noticed it doesn’t come with many extras. There isn’t an emergency blanket inside nor is there a CPR mask or any medication like ibuprofen or an antihistamine for allergic reactions. The plastic case itself won’t take any damage from water but it isn’t watertight either so the medical supplies risk ruin if the first aid kit gets wet.
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Johnson & Johnson All-Purpose First Aid Kit
This first aid kit is great for treating common injuries that don’t require medical attention. It includes cleansing wipes, gauze pads, assorted bandages, rolled gauze, antibiotic cream, itch stopping cream, acetaminophen caplets, and an instant cold pack. Additionally, it includes Band-Aid adhesive bandages in assorted sizes for minor injuries, as well as Band-Aid gauze pads, non-stick pads and rolled gauze for larger minor injuries. One of the greatest advantages to this first aid kit is the included Neosporin + Pain Relief topical cream to help prevent infection and Extra Strength Benadryl Itch-Stopping topical cream to help soothe itching.
This all-purpose first aid kit also comes with Tylenol Extra Strength acetaminophen caplets and a Bengay Non-Medicated Instant Cold Pack to help ease minor aches and pains, as well as two pairs of gloves and a helpful first aid guide. All of the pertinent medical information for the contents of the kit are listed on the back of the case, which is not purported to be watertight although the case itself won’t take any water damage since it’s made of plastic. Campers who want zipper-free carrying cases and name-brand medication for allergic reactions and bug bites will be satisfied with this kit, but hypochondriacs and worriers might want to spring for a larger kit with extras like an emergency blanket and CPR mask.
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This I GO Compact first aid kit is ultralight and comes with a hardshell case which makes it super easy to transport to and from the campsite, as well along with you on trails. This 85-piece first aid kit has the essential medical tools you’re used to seeing by now, such as sting relief pads, cleansing towelettes, adhesive bandages, band-aid strips, vinyl gloves, a whistle for emergency situations, a super-absorbent pad for blood absorbance, gauze in three different sizes, medical tape, tweezers, medical shears, and a first aid guide. There’s also a bonus CPR mask, which isn’t always the case with first aid kits. The most useful detail of this I GO first aid kit is the hard-shell case, unique on this guide for its shock-proof durability.
It’s really organized and small enough to fit in a rucksack or in a car door pocket. There are some extras missing like an emergency blanket, and there is no medication either. Campers can pack along their own antihistamines and ibuprofen if they want to have some on hand and this kit will handle common injuries just fine otherwise.
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Photo: Hez3-whPnNA
Caption: Antihistamines are common in camping first aid kits to provide relief for allergic reactions to pollen, dust mites, or animals.
Surviveware Large First Aid Kit
To start with, this Surviveware is top-of-the-line in terms of what’s inside and the quality of the construction. The carry case closes with a zipper and is really durable. It’s not for campers who want to bring along the most ultralight first aid kit they can find, but it has more medical supplies than almost every other model. Everything essential is inside. The complete list of included supplies includes shears, a splint, alcohol wipes, adhesive bandages, a cold pack, a combine dressing, conforming bandages, gauze swabs, CPR bag with instructions, CPR mask, earbuds, an emergency blanket, eye pads, fever strips, first aid guide, gloves, hydrogel, hypo-allergenic tape, non-adhesive dressings, laminate baggies, refuse bag, pressure bandage, safety pins, skin cleaning wipes, splinter probes, sting relief wipes, strip closures, triangular bandages, tweezers, a whistle, and wound dressings. Surviverware has gone above and beyond by including not just the medical supplies you’d expect in a first aid kit, but some tweaks to those instruments that make them all the more convenient for campers who don’t have advanced knowledge of medical treatment.
The only drawbacks to this first aid kit are that it doesn’t have much medication inside and the pack itself is not waterproof or watertight. That being said, since campers can add medication as-needed to this first aid kit and the majority of first aid kits are not waterproof anyway, the versatility of this kit put it in a class of its own. With this kit along on your camping trip you’ll be able to rest assured that you’re prepared for any non-urgent emergency situation where minor injuries have occurred but in-depth medical treatment is not required. That’s why it’s our top pick for the best camping first aid kit.
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Photo: KiskZOMfDro
Caption: No first aid kit should be without an emergency blanket to prevent heat loss in an emergency situation.
Top pick:
For its versatility and clear superiority over competing models in the first aid kit market, the Surviveware Large First Aid Kit has earned the title of our pick for the best camping first aid kit. What is missing from this kit can be easily purchased at any drugstore and packed into the carry case. The carry case itself is durable and conveniently-sized considering how much stuff they’ve managed to pack inside.
Overall, every advantage that comes with having a first aid kit along at the campsite with you can be found in the Surviveware first aid kit. There’s nothing in there that goes beyond the call of first aid kits, which after all are only intended to be used in non-emergency situations with minor injuries where serious medical attention is not required. It will add plenty of peace of mind to have one along with you and can nip small annoyances that would otherwise be a detriment to a camping trip in the bud. Now that you have some perspective on the first aid kit market, get out into the backcountry well prepared for every (non-emergency) situation.
Bonus tip: Stock your camping first aid kit with these essential medical supplies.
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