“I’m an idiot” was the first thought that crossed my mind when I busted out the Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series “Backpacker” unit on a summer hike. Why be so hard on myself? It was painfully obvious from the first use that this was a thoroughly put-together kit for wilderness first aid, something that was lacking in my backpack. “I’m so lucky,” was my next thought. Just because I hadn’t had cause to use a medical kit in the past couple seasons didn’t mean I shouldn’t have one at the ready. Every time I loaded the Backpacker kit into my packs, I felt good about being prepared for all the bad things that might happen on the trail.
Inside the Adventure Medical Kits Mountain Series Backpacker
Comprehensive is the perfect word for this expertly assembled group of first aid items. The Mountain Series kits are geared toward hikers and packers that don’t mind a few extra ounces in exchange for piece of mind. There are a lot of standout items in this particular kit, but I’ve whittled down the list to the pieces that really shine:
• A Condensed Guide To Wilderness medicine book (author Eric A. Weiss M.D.)- yes, a book! Confused about what to do when your partner has a chest wound? Looking for the best way to treat your altitude sickness? It’s all inside the book. And thanks to it’s minuscule size, you won’t feel like you are toting War and Peace on the trail with you.
• Stop Bleeding Fast collection- it’s not fun to think about, but a serious injury could include life-threatening bleeding. The trauma pad and elastic bandage in the AMK Backpacker is easily accessible and burly enough for when things go really bad in the woods.
• Wound Care Supplies- you just wanted to break up some firewood, but instead you sliced your fingers up. I’ve been there. The wound care items include a syringe for irrigating cuts, butterfly bandages to seal a wound tight, and a tincture of benzoin to make sure the strips and tape hold fast.
• Blister Management Tools- I would gladly wager that this is the most often used group of supplies in the AMK collection. Moleskin pieces and alcohol wipes make treating one of the most common backcountry ailments a snap.
Easy Use in the Outdoors
For me, the most impressive part of this medical kit is not the list of supplies, but how simple and fast your can implement them. The whole unit is closed in with a zipper, and when you open it, four distinct flaps fold out. Each section is labeled in bold lettering by what it contains. You don’t have to dig through pills and ointments to get to the blister care goodies because they are in different areas. Each section is sealed with a zipper, and has individually wrapped items.
This is a great design because you can just pull the zipper, yank out the contents, and throw them on the ground in front of you. Nothing gets dirty or wet thanks to the see-through plastic wrap they are contained in. And not to worry, opening the individual medicines and bandages is not a pain in the butt. The plastic opens easily, and individual bandages rip off in a cinch, without getting destroyed by clumsy fingers. Finally, the medical instruments included in the Backpacker kit (EMT shears, foreceps and safety pins) are all sized legit. These are not the tiny tools in a backcountry knife, but real-deal human-sized tools. Hopefully you’ll never need to use them, but it least you know they won’t be clunky if you do.
Overall Impressions
It pays to be a lucky idiot. Since I’ve started carrying the Adventure Medical Kits Backpacker first-aid gear, I haven’t had more than a few blisters and cuts. When I needed to treat these minor wounds, it was a fast and easy process. Everything in the kit worked as it should, and made treatment a snap. A couple times I found myself taking apart the different sections just to see what was included, and imagining scenarios where I might need the items.
It’s my opinion that if you need more than what’s inside this kit, things have gone terribly wrong. Being prepared for all but the absolute worst injuries is a very comforting concept in the wilderness. Personally, I think the functionality and piece of mind you get wit the Mountain Series kits is well worth the price tag; hell, even an idiot can attest to that!
The Good: Comprehensive medical kit that weighs in at just under a pound (supplies 2 people for 4 nights)
The Bad: Band-aids barely stayed on without use of the included benzoin
The Verdict: Adventure Medical Kits Backpacker unit has enough supplies to treat all but the worst injuries. If you can’t be helped by what’s inside, I hope you can get to da choppa fast.