Customizing First Aid Kits

A first aid kit should be tailored to your personal needs. Since you usually can't get that with a general or standardized first aid kit, you should think of creating your own or modifying an existing standard first aid kit. You can easily supplement a commercial kit with surgical instruments, pharmaceuticals and other items. When packing your own first aid kit use ziploc bags as a way of waterproofing the contents. If you're travelling to the outdoors, a soft nylon bag may be a better choice in which to put your contents than a hard case or box.

Standard first aid kit contents are bandaids, sterile gauze pads, roller (tensor) bandages, triangular bandages, tweezers, scissors, medicated swabs (alcohol, antiseptic, sting relief) safety pins, adhesive tape, gloves, antibiotic creams. Other first aid products that you could add would be personal medications (be sure to mark them well) and pain relief tablets, CPR masks, eye masks, blankets, pillows, hot or cold packs, flashlights and duct tape.

An option to carrying a hard case kit or trying to pack a first aid kit in the trunk or glovebox of your car, use a fanny belt pack. The kit goes where you go. Packing razor blades rather than a knife can save space and weight. A survey of first aid kits available online will give you an idea of what's available commercially, but to customize your own kit, think about the types of situations you will be in and the possible accidents that could occur, and then pack your customized first aid kit appropriately. Often packing a chocolate or energy bar could be the most rewarding customization to your kit.