the BLS Pack
BLS stands for Basic Life Support. The BLS Pack is designed to hold all the equipment that you need NOW. Combined with the blue Medical Pack you have almost instant access to the stuff you need when faced with immediate trauma. Open your backpack or dry bag, grab the BLS Pack, and GO! The outside of our red BLS Pack (144 cubic inches) has a single clear vinyl slash pocket that allows quick access to a pair of trauma scissors. The main body of the pack unzips on three sides to completely expose a series of pockets on one side and high-tech velcro fabric on the other to customize the interior of the pack. For those going "very light" the BLS Pack can be used solo. The pack comes with three velcro strips (two 4 loop and one 3 loop).

$38.00

the Medical Pack
The outside of our Medical Pack (220 cubic inches) has a zippered clear vinyl pocket on one side and a zippered bellows pocket on the other. Inside both sides are lined with high-tech velcro fabric; use elastic loop velcro strips and pockets to organize drugs, herbs, ointments, and soft goods. Combine it with the BLS Pack for larger expeditions or use it by itself for solo trips or small/short expeditions. River Runners take note: our medical pack fits snugly into a standard ammo can with enough room left over for sunscreen or a camera. The pack comes in red or blue with three velcro strips (two 4 loop and one 3 loop strips), a mesh pocket, and a Cordura pocket.

Select color from the drop down menu on right.

 

Chloroprene Gloves
Trauma gloves are heavier than exam gloves and designed for use in difficult conditions. Trauma gloves are the gloves you should use when responding to a scene. Lighter weight exam gloves are useful for wound cleaning in a more controlled setting. We suggest packing your gloves in recycled film canisters to prevent UV deterioration. We sell only synthetic gloves made from chloroprene. Chloroprene is both stronger and lighter than latex and is unaffected by heat or cold. Four pair of gloves are included in each order.

Select Trauma and/or Exam gloves and your size from the drop down menus on right.

Trauma Gloves $6.00

Exam Gloves $4.00

Pocket Masks & Face Shields
Pocket face masks offer more protection than face shields at the expense of size and weight. Our pocket masks are made from soft plastic and come with a hard plastic case. Our face shields come in a sealed heavy plastic envelope.

Select a pocket mask or face mask from the drop down menu on right.

 

Suction & Wound Cleaning Syringes
Often hard to find, we offer two types of syringes. For multiple uses choose our 60 cc syringe. Use it tipped with a 26 FR PVC nasopharyngeal airway for suction and without the tip for irrigating wounds, eyes, or ears...and for enemas. The smaller 35 cc syringe is designed for irrigating wounds, eyes, and ears; it cannot be used for suction.

Select a syringe from the drop down menu on right. NOTE: the nasopharyngeal airway tip is listed as a separate item.

 

Trauma Scissors
Lightweight, functional, and inexpensive these scissors will cut through all types of clothing (including leather) for fast access to bleeding wounds. They fit snugly in the clear vinyl slash pocket of our Trauma Sub-Pack and have an orange handle so they won't get lost.

$5.00

Wound Cleaning Instruments
While a Leatherman® or a Swiss Army Knife® go a long way towards improvising first aid instruments (especially the scissors), scalpels and mosquito forceps can be very useful. While inexpensive these steel tools offer excellent quality and pack easily into the zippered vinyl pocket on our Medical Pack.

Select forceps, scalpel handle, and/or scalpel blades from the drop down menu on right.

 

PI Solution (10% povidone-iodine)
When diluted to less than 1% povidone-iodine is widely accepted as a excellent final pressure flush for high-risk wounds or wound packing. It can also be used to purify water for drinking; use 4-6 drops per liter and wait 30 minutes. Filter dirty water before treating. Wait one hour if the water is cold. We repackage a 10% PI solution into one, two, or four ounce narrow mouth Nalgene containers.

Select from the drop down menu on right.

 

SAM Splint
SAM Splints are made from padded aircraft aluminum; they are the lightest and most versatile splint on the market. Combined with a cloth strip spiral-cut from a T-shirt or sweat shirt or a self-adhering bandage; they make an excellent "cast" for fingers, toes, wrists, forearms, ankles, and knees. SAM Splints can also be molded into an effective cervical collar and are cut easily with a pair of trauma scissors. 36 inches long in orange & blue; the blue side has slightly thicker foam. We recommend padding with a thick hiking sock for increased comfort during difficult or long evacuations.

Download an article on how to use SAM splints.

Extended Range Thermometers
Useful for taking core temperatures under extreme environmental conditions and assessing medical problems. We offer two types of thermometers; each comes with its own case. A digital thermometer (78.0 - 111.9 F) and a special glass mercury hypothermia thermometer (86º-100º F). Both types of thermometers have their pros and cons. Our digital thermometer is easy to read, gives an accurate reading in seconds, and has a broad range; however, battery life decreases as the outside temperature decreases. Our glass mercury thermometer has no batteries but is susceptible to breakage; consider packaging it inside a padded section of 1/2 inch capped PVC  pipe. Remember a rectal temperature is the most accurate method for assessing a patient's core temperature and should always be used when moderate or severe hypothermia is suspected.

Select a standard digital thermometer or mercury hypothermia thermometer from the drop down menu on right.

 

Dressing & Bandaging Materials
Unfortunately wounds — at least minor wounds — are all too common in a backcountry setting; having the right closures, dressings, and bandages make everyone's life easier and safer. Good wound care prevents infection. Make sure to seal all your soft goods in a waterproof bag or container to protect them from damage.
Dressings & Wound Closure

• Roller gauze for wound dressings and improvised bandaids.
• Microthin film dressings (Tegaderm®) provide a clear protective covering for clean lacerations and promotes healing. The dressings are self-adhesive, waterproof, and invaluable for those traveling in wet environments.
  
• Nasal tampons (NasalCEASE) for nose bleeds. Useful for arid or extremely cold climates. Nasal packing can an be improvised with gauze or a small vaginal tampon. Use a vasoconstricting nasal spray on improvised packing material to slow bleeding and promote clotting.
• Steri-strips for simple wound closure; especially useful for facial wounds to minimize scarring. Can be improvised from cloth tape.

Bandaging Materials

• Elastic wraps for pressure bandages and tourniquets.
• Self-adhering bandages may be used to hold dressings in place or as a pressure bandage. They can also be used with a SAM Splint to improvise a "cast" without cutting a T-shirt; note that two rolls may be needed. Package in a short section of thin-walled PVC pipe to prevent crushing while hanging out in your first aid kit.
• Cloth or flexible medical tape for holding dressings in place and low cost friction blister prevention. Flexible medical tape (Medfix®) is superior to cloth tape for securing dressings; it’s breathable and can be applied over joints. Just cut to size, peel off the backing, and apply. No need to carry a the entire 11 yard roll; cut and bring what you think need. Use tincture of benzoin to assure good adhesion to the patient’s skin.

We do not sell bandaids, gauze pads, or trauma dressings. Gauze squares can be made from roller gauze, bandaids can be improvised with gauze and tape, and trauma dressings can be improvised (and cheaply purchased) by using maxi-pads, bladder control pads, or disposable diapers.

Select your soft goods from the drop down menus on right.

Space Blanket & Bag
Developed years ago from space technology, rescue (or space) blankets and bags are made from reflective lightweight mylar plastic. Both the blanket and bag come pre-folded. They are designed to reflect and contain body heat and are perfect for the inner vapor-barrier of a hypothermia package. Both are radar reflective and remain flexible to - 40 F. Because it is completely sealed, the bag offers more protection than the blanket. The blanket measures 56 x 84 inches. The bag is 36 x 84 inches.

Select a mylar blanket or bag from the drop down menu on right.

 

Blister Prevention & Treatment
Friction Blisters are the bane of backcountry travelers everywhere. Most can be prevented with good footwear, two socks, and foot hygiene. Additional protection can also come from painting blister prone areas and "hot spots" before they blister with Tincture of Benzoin and cover with a porous flexible medical or cloth tape. Tincture of Benzoin is an alcohol based plant product that helps tape adhere at the same time it toughens and protects your skin. We repackage Tincture of Benzoin in one and two ounce narrow mouth round Nalgene bottles.

If you already have a blister and want to continue hiking: remove the lid, clean thoroughly, and then apply Second Skin over the wound and under the bandage for protection and pain relief. There are two 3 inch by 6.5 inch sheets per package. Once you have a blister this is the best dressing to use to relieve pain and promote healing. Of course, prevention is better (use ENGO).

ENGO is the ultimate in blister prevention and treatment. ENGO is made from teflon and reduces 80% of the shear forces that cause friction blisters. We've field tested it and found it to be amazing. If you have chronic problems with blisters, you need ENGO. It has a self-adhesive backing and may be applied to directly to your boot (NOT your skin); it will remain in place for weeks. Simply peel off to remove. ENGO is available in two 4 x 6 inch sheets per package.

Select blister supplies from the drop down menu on right.

 

Oral Rehydration Salts
Electrolyte loss, especially sodium, is responsible for a general feeling of sickness (and occasionally death) as your body acclimatizes to a new heat challenge. If you have a healthy circulatory system initial heat acclimatization requires 3-5 days with 80% acclimatization occurring in 2-3 weeks and 100% weeks to months later. Unacclimatized people loose 30-50 times their normal amount of sodium (table salt). You can avoid becoming sick during the acclimatization period by increasing your sodium intake through dietary sodium (table salt & sugar/digestible starch) every few hours or by using a balanced electrolyte replacement drink high in sodium during the first few days of an extreme heat challenge. The World Health Organization (WHO) recipe makes the most effective Oral Rehydration Solution (ORS). Mix each packet with one liter of water.

$1.00

Dental Repair Products
Broken teeth, lost fillings, loose crowns, etc. can be a problem in the field. Both cavit and DenTemp are no mix dental putties that makes field repairs fast and easy. Both will last for days, you can chew on them, and they are easy to remove. Take a small amount of the putty, roll it into a ball, place it on the tooth and gently bite down; avoid chewing for fifteen minutes. Cavit is slightly harder than DenTemp and can be used separately or with Oil of Clove (eugenol) to relieve pain. DenTemp contains Oil of Clove (eugenol). Oil of Clove relieves pain associated with all dental problems. Cavit comes in a seven gram tube, DenTemp in a 2 gram plastic tub, and Oil of Clove in a 1/8 ounce bottle.

Select dental repair supplies from the drop down menu on right.

Grapefruit Seed Extract
Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE) has many field uses. Purify your water, treat digestive problems including protozoan infection and candidiasis, treat fungal skin infections, and wash fruits and vegetables prior to eating. Traveler's Friend comes in a water-based solution making it faster and easier to dissolve in water.

Select either standard GSE or water-based Traveler's Friend GSE from the drop down menu on right.

 

Poison Ivy, Oak, or Sumac
If you are allergic to any of these plants you should carry Tecnu's Oak & Ivy Cleanser. Tecnu's Oak & Ivy Cleanser is a soap specially designed to break down the resins that bind poison ivy, oak, or sumac to your skin. The resins remain active for long periods of time and cannot be removed with normal soap and water after 30 minutes. Since poison ivy, oak, and sumac are contact allergens, you can often prevent a skin reaction by washing your body and clothes as soon as possible after contact with the plant. With Oak & Ivy Cleanser you can remove ALL of the resins by washing within four hours. Consider buying a 32 ounce bottle and repackaging the cleanser in a leakproof nalgene container for field use. Once you have the rash, Tecnu Extreme gel immediately relieves the itch, dries blisters and speeds healing.

Select cleanser or treatment gel from the drop down menu on right.

Aloe Vera Gel
Use Aloe Vera Gel to treat sunburn, first degree thermal burns, and wind burn. Helps promote healing. Comes in a 3/4 ounce tube.

$1.50

Nalgene Bottles
Nalgene bottles are strong, lightweight, and provide a excellent seal. Use the narrow mouth bottles for liquids and the wide mouth bottles for tablets, capsules, ointments, or dried herbs. Choose from one, two, and four ounce containers. One ounce bottles fit well, four to a row, in either of our sub-packs. Larger bottles require more space and are suitable for group first aid kits.

Select wide or narrow mouth bottles and size from the drop down menu on right.