First Aid Kits

[KLizotte]

In my bento box on the top tube I always have:

– bandaids of various sizes
– handy wipes
– chapstick
– sunscreen wipes (only in warm weather)
– a single use Neosporin packet
– eyeglass wipes
– pocket sized kleenex
– a freebie hotel shower cap for keeping my seat or helmet dry during the rain
– an air cartridge.

On long rides I will carry a multi-tool in my backpocket too.

If you look around on the web or even at Bed, Bath & Beyond, you can find most essentials available in single use packets. Yeah, makes them more expensive but they are light and will stay clean in bad weather; it also makes them easy to hand out to others during emergencies (e.g., skinned knees and elbows). I also really like the sunscreen wipes since I can apply at any time on the road when I feel like I’m starting to burn and they are super light weight.

I pretty much buy all of this stuff in costco quantity boxes and fill up my bento box as needed.

[Emm]

I keep a very small one on me in either my backpack or pannier bag when I commute. During weekend rides, it goes in my jersey pockets. It’s small and really lightweight–maybe the size of 2 decks of cards? I got it in either the travel or sports section of target.

In the kit there are:
1. bandaids
2. rubbing alcohol, and another type of cleaning pad for injuries
3. medical tape and gauze
4. bee sting relief pad
5. fever reducer.

Very small quantities of each item. One bad spill would take up everything probably. So far I’ve used it once, and that was when a I saw a kid take a spill and he clearly needed a few band aids. I wish I had it on my last year when I fell-the gauze would have come in handy for preventing sweat from dripping into a nasty case of road rash I got from the MVT

[bobco85]

@AFHokie 92174 wrote:

I’m thinking about repurposing a never used waterbottle & cage as a first aid kit.

That’s a brilliant idea! I have always thought in passing about having some sort of first aid kit on my bike for longer rides but would fall into the same problem with storage. Putting a first aid kit in a bottle and keeping it in one of the cages would be perfect. Either that, or keeping the first aid kit in a bag on the underside of the top tube.

Come to think of it, I need to actually get a first aid kit. Thanks for the reminder!

[dasgeh]

We have a first aid kit in our diaper bag that’s the size of a business card holder (pretty sure it was a freebie from Target at some festival). In fact, you could definitely use a little business card holder for it. I think it has some bandaids, neosporin packets, alcohol wipe packets, and… ? I’m actually not sure what else. For longer rides, I would throw in single dose packets of Imodium and Advil, especially if I were going to be away from civilization. But honestly, I’m usually not away from civilization. I usually have bandaids in my purse, which is also my handlebar bag on my commute.

[chris_s]

@dasgeh 92184 wrote:

We have a first aid kit in our diaper bag that’s the size of a business card holder (pretty sure it was a freebie from Target at some festival).

We must frequent the same festivals. I have that same first aid kit.

[Dickie]

I went to Home Depot and bought a small emergency kit. I carry it in my back-pack all the time and it has come in handy more than once. I also added some handy wipes, a roll of the mesh wrap, and some latex gloves. I have only ridden 5 times this year without my back-pack but I should still come up with an alternative.

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[consularrider]

@chris_s 92215 wrote:

We must frequent the same festivals. I have that same first aid kit.

Target gave them out at the Arlington County Fair two years ago.

[rcannon100]

I find that most commercial first aid kits focus on band aids, I guess that because that is what most consumers think of when they think of first aid. Not really useful for when you need first aid.

Red cross offers a suggested list of first aid inventory. See also Mayo Clinic; REI.

When I do the Phoenix Bikes saturday rides, I have a small click lock tupperware as a first aid kit (water proof and durable). It fits very nicely in my topeak trunk (which has a pile of small tools in it for trails repairs). Certain members of this forum have taken advantage of my first aid kit. Think about what you are going to use it for. Most likely, if needed, a cyclist has flown off a bike and eaten pavement. Rasberry skin burns and bleeding. Little hello-kitty band aids aint gonna do much for this. Need something that is going to clean the wound and make it stable / safe until advanced care can do more work. I tend heavy on neosporin and gauze.

I also recommend downloading a red cross (or equivalent) first aid app on your smart phone.

And while you are at it, you might download an app for bike repair.

I have been the beneficiary in the past of some very nice people who gave me first aid… at least as far as I know when I regained consciousness :p As far as I am concerned, carrying a good first aid kit on these type of trips is a form of paying it forward.

[dcv]

@rcannon100 92234 wrote:

…Certain members of this forum have taken advantage of my first aid kit.

That would be me, thanks Bob. My son took a digger and bloodied up his hands on a ride, Bob’s first aid kit was key in getting us home that day.

[DismalScientist]

@Dickie 92218 wrote:

I went to Home Depot and bought a small emergency kit.

:confused::confused::confused:

You have a flask. What else would one need?

[mstone]

@rcannon100 92234 wrote:

I find that most commercial first aid kits focus on band aids, I guess that because that is what most consumers think of when they think of first aid. Not really useful for when you need first aid.

In general, if you need a band aid, it’ll wait until you get home.

[dasgeh]

@chris_s 92215 wrote:

We must frequent the same festivals. I have that same first aid kit.

Wonder why…

[dplasters]

@DismalScientist 92240 wrote:

:confused::confused::confused:

You have a flask. What else would one need?

But is it easily available?

[hozn]

@mstone 92250 wrote:

In general, if you need a band aid, it’ll wait until you get home.

That’s the approach I take. I have some singly-wrapped disinfecting / numbing wipes that I have in one of my bags just to wipe the dirt off any large cuts/scrapes, but in general I figure that if the injury is bad enough that I can’t ride home (or to a gas station/drug store), I probably should call an ambulance.

[hozn]

@dplasters 92257 wrote:

But is it easily available?

Yeah, Dickie’s flask is mounted like this:
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