Emergency Medical Kits – Best First Aid Kit Under $150

James
0
on May 14, 2023

Emergency medical kits are must-haves for outdoorsmen, homesteaders, travellers and survivalists alike. Minor injuries can quickly become life-threatening emergencies without access to proper medical care.

Disclaimer: The author has no formal medical training or qualifications. (See the resources below to learn more about emergency field medicine and hands-on training.)

Let’s be frank here. Most commercially-produced emergency medical kits are junk.

They usually contain a few useful items but are mostly filler. Who wants to spend $50 for bandaids, individually-wrapped ibuprofen packets and a few moisty naps? Me neither.

GI Issue Medic Bag by Elite First Aid

To purchase a truly useful and comprehensive first aid kit, you’ll need to shell out $150-$300. Actually, one of the best I’ve seen for the money is the GI Issue Medic Bag by Elite First Aid. At the time of this writing, it costs less than $150 with shipping from Amazon and comes with a remarkably useful assortment of medical gear. The only aspect it appears to lack is a dental repair kit.

Other more robust kits are available, like the STOMP kit, which approaches a professional-quality medic kit, but it’s double the cost of the GI Medic Bag.

So if you’re interested in quickly outfitting yourself with a decent kit without putting a lot of thought (or money) into it, take a look at the kit from Elite (see the resources below for more info).

Item List for Building Your Own Emergency Medical Kits

Try building your own kit with individually-purchased components for those with more time than money. I’m a huge proponent of building your own emergency medical kits (or any other survival kit, for that matter) because you’ve taken the time to consider why you include each item. This allows you to pack only what’s needed for your particular situation and be creative with the types of supplies included. This way, you’re not paying for items you’re sure you’ll never use.

Types of Medical Emergencies

The following list is organized by injury type. All items listed below are available over the counter. Of course, if you have any prescription drugs or equipment, include those too.

Again, tailor your kit to your and your family’s needs.

Cuts, Wounds

Baidaids – multipack
Butterfly & fingertip bandages
Gauze (pads and rolls)
Surgical tape
Compression bandage
Nylon suture kit (or dental floss with a sewing needle)
Tourniquet
Clotting sponge

Broken Bones

Finger splints
Flexible aluminium splint roll (for leg or arm)
Compression sleeves

Sterilization

Hydrogen peroxide
Rubbing alcohol
Alcohol, Iodine prep pads, swab sticks
Antibiotic ointment
Hand sanitizing gel
Sterile saline solution (for flushing wounds or eyes)

Pain Relievers

Acetaminophen
Ibuprofen
Aspirin
Numbing spray

Surgery

Scalpel
Hemostats
Probe
Paramedic scissors
Airway kit
Bulb syringe

Burns

4×4 water gel dressings
Water gel
Burn relief spray

Allergic Reactions

Hydrocortisone cream
Calamine lotion
Benadryl, Loratadine
Alcohol, Lidocaine swabs (for stings and local anesthetic)

Dental

Dental wax
Dental mirror, pick
Temporary fillings
Temporary cement
Orajel (local oral anesthetic, safe for kids)

Miscellaneous

First aid guide (see resources below)
Nitrile gloves
Medical waste bags
Blood pressure cuff
Stethoscope
Thermometer – non electric
Instant cold packs
Solar blanket
Tweezers
Pen light